Quintus domum cucurrit territus et omnia patrī narravit. ille caput dēmīsit oculosque manibus operuit. tandem 'Quinte,' inquit, 'bellum civile provideo. cives furunt, magistratus urbem regere non possunt. Roma discedere debemus.
Quintus ran to his house terrified and told all to his father. He lowered his head and he covered his eyes with his hands. At last, he said Quintus, I foresee a civil war. The civilians are running mad, the magistrates are not able to rule the city. We must get out of Rome.
tu, Quinte, debes Athenas navigareet philosophiae studere; ego Venusiam redibo et matrem tuam sororemque curabo.' postridie Quintus māne ad scholam Heliodori festinabat. iter difficillimum erat quod multae manus scelestōrum per viās errābant; rēs rapiēbant, aedēs accendēbant.
You, Quintus, must sail to Athens and study philosophy; I will return to Venusia and take care of your mother and sister. The next day, early in the morning he hurried to school. The journey was the most difficult because many handfuls of wicked men were wandering through the roads; they were stealing property and they were setting fire to the houses.
Quintus tandem ad scholam advēnit; ianua clausa erat; Quintus iānuam pulsāvit sed nēmō aperuit. ad aedes igitur Heliodori cucurrit, quae non longe aberant. diu ianuam pulsabat. tandem Heliodorus fenestram aperuit et prōspexit. Quintum vidit; descendit ianuamque aperuit. 'intra celeriter,' inquit, et ubi Quintus intravit, ianuam iterum clausit.
At last Quintus arrived to the school, the door was shut. Quintus knocked on the door but nobody opened it. Therefore he ran to Heliodorus' house, which was not far away. For a long time he was knocking on the door. At last Heliodorus he opened the window and looked out. He saw Quintus. He went down and he opened the door. Enter quickly! He said and when Quintus entered, he shut the door again.
Quintus totam rem eī exposuit. Heliodorus respondit: 'pater tuus vēra ditic; vir prūdentissimus est. urbs in maximo periculo est. ducēs enim nec pācem nec lēgēs cūrant; nihil cupiunt nisi suam potestatem augere.
Quintus explained the whole situation to him. Heliodorus responded your father speaks the truth. He is a very prudent man. The city is in the greatest danger. For the leaders care about neither peace nor law, they desire nothing except to increase their own power.
bella civilia provideo et proelia totum per orbem terrarum redintegrāta; cives cum civibus pugnabunt, patres cum filiis. numquamne pacem videbimus et otium? quis deus, quis homō rempūblicam servāre poterit? totum imperium Romanum in exitium ruit.'
I foresee civil wars and battles renewed through the whole world; citizens will be fighting with citizens and fathers with sons. Will we never see peace and leisure? What man will be able to save the republic? All of the Roman Empire is rushing intodestruction.
non poterat plura dicere; oculi lacrimis pleni erant. paulisper tacēbat, deinde 'ergo tu, Quinte,' inquit, 'Athenas ibis philosophiaeque ibi studebis? euge! iuvenis es magno ingenio, et si diligenter studueris, multa disces et valde doctus fiēs. sed manē; ego epistolam scrībam ad amicum meum qui in Academia scholās habet.'
He was not able to say anymore. Their eyes were full of tears. For a little while he was silent then he said " and so you Quintus will go to Athens and you will study philosophy there. Wonderful! You are a young man of great intelligence and if you study diligently you will learn a lot and you will become very educated, but wait, I will write a letter to my friend who gives lectures in the academy.
in tablīnum exiit; mox revēnit epistolamque Quinto tradidit. 'cum Athenas adveneris,' inquit, 'hanc epistolam Theomnēstō trade; vir est summā ērudītiōne, vetus meus amicus. ille te benignē accipiet(receive et tua studia cūrābit. deī te servābunt. valē(be well).'Quintus gratias ei ēgit domumque festinavit.
As he left into the study and soon he returned and he handed over the letter to Quintus. When you arrive in Athens hand this letter Theomnestus. He is a man of the greatest learning, my old friend. He will accept you kindly and he will care for your studies. The gods will preserve you. Goodbye! Quintus gave thanks to him and hurried home.