Habēbat Lūcullus vīllam prōspectū[4] et ambulātiōne pulcherrimam.
Quō cum vēnisset Pompēius, id ūnum reprehendit, quod
[30] ea habitātiō esset[5] quidem aestāte peramoena, sed hieme minus
commoda vidērētur[5]; cuī Lūcullus “Putāsne” inquit “mē minus
sapere quam hirundinēs, quae adveniente hieme sēdem commūtant?”
Vīllārum māgnificentiae respondēbat epulārum sūmptus.
Cum aliquandō modica eī, utpote[6] sōlī, cēna esset posita, coquum
[35] graviter obiūrgāvit, eīque excūsantī ac dīcentī sē nōn dēbuisse
lautum parāre convīvium, quod nēmō esset[5] ad cēnam invītātus,
“Quid ais?” inquit īrātus Lūcullus. “Nesciēbāsne Lūcullum
hodiē cēnātūrum esse apud Lūcullum?”
Laudanda est Lūcullī impēnsa et studium in librīs. Nam et
[40] multōs et optimōs conquīsīvit eōsque līberāliter dedit[1] ūtendōs.
Patēbat omnibus bibliothēca, et in porticūs eī adiectās velut ad
Mūsārum[2] aedem veniēbant māximē Graecī tempusque ibi iūcundē
inter sē trādūcēbant ab aliīs cūrīs līberī. Saepe cum iīs
versābātur Lūcullus et inter māgnam doctōrum virōrum turbam
[45] ambulābat.
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[77.1] efficiet nē . . . dēpōnat: ‘will prevent any one from resigning.’ For the subjunctive dēpōnat, see [p. 9, n. 6].
[77.2] The indefinite pronoun quis occurs chiefly after sī, nisi, nē, and num. Elsewhere aliquis is used.
[77.11] Cf. [p. 76, n. 1].
[77.12] ‘ability.’
[77.13] Sc. est.
[77.14] The offices mentioned here formed the cursus honōrum, or official career, through which all desirous of political distinction were required to pass. The aedileship, however, might be omitted.
[78.1] Cf. [p. 72, n. 2]. Lucullus assumed command against Mithridates in 74 B.C.