21. Why not ad domum?
22. Kalendīs Mārtiīs, the Calends or first of March; abl. of time, giving the date of the letter.
[LXIV.] LENTULUS REACHES HOME · PUBLIUS VISITS POMPEII WITH HIS FATHER
Post paucōs diēs nāvis M. Cornēlī Lentulī portum Mīsēnī1 petiit, quī portus nōn longē ā Pompēiīs situs est; quō in portū classis Rōmānā pōnēbātur et ad pugnās nāvālīs ōrnābātur. Ibi nāvēs omnium generum cōnspicī poterant. Iamque incrēdibilī celeritāte nāvis longa quā Lentulus vehēbātur lītorī adpropinquāvit; nam nōn sōlum ventō sed etiam rēmīs impellēbātur. In altā puppe stābat gubernātor et nōn procul aliquī mīlitēs Rōmānī cum armīs splendidīs, inter quōs clārissimus erat Lentulus. Deinde servī rēmīs contendere cessāvērunt2; nautae vēlum contrāxērunt et ancorās iēcērunt. Lentulus statim ē nāvī ēgressus est et3 ad villam suam properāvit. Eum Iūlia, Pūblius, tōtaque familia excēpērunt. 4Quī complexūs, quanta gaudia fuērunt!
Postrīdiē eius diēī Lentulus fīliō suō dīxit, “Venī, mī Pūblī, mēcum. Pompēiōs iter hodiē faciam. Māter tua suādet5 ut frūctūs et cibāria emam. Namque plūrīs amīcōs ad cēnam vocāvimus et multīs rēbus6 egēmus. Ea hortātur ut quam prīmum proficīscāmur.” “Libenter, mī pater,” inquit Pūblius. “Tēcum esse mihi semper est grātum; nec Pompēiōs umquam vīdī. Sine morā proficīscī parātus sum.” Tum celeriter currum cōnscendērunt et ad urbis mūrōs vectī sunt. Stabiānā portā7 urbem ingressī sunt. Pūblius strātās viās mīrātur et saxa altiōra quae in mediō disposita erant et altās orbitās quās rotae inter haec saxa fēcerant. Etiam strepitum mīrātur, multitūdinem, carrōs, fontīs, domōs, tabernās, forum8 cum statuīs, templīs, reliquīsque aedificiīs pūblicīs.
1. Misenum had an excellent harbor, and under the emperor Augustus became the chief naval station of the Roman fleet. See map of Italy.
2. Why is the infinitive used with cessāvērunt?
3. See Plate I, Frontispiece.
4. Observe that these words are exclamatory.
5. What construction follows suādeō? [§ 501. 41].