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OCTAVIUS

II.

Il était venu à Rome pour me voir plutôt que pour ses affaires, et n'avait pas craint, pour l'amour de moi, de quitter sa famille et de laisser des enfants encore tendres et en l'âge où ils sont le plus aimables, lorsqu'ils commencent à prononcer à demi les mots et que le défaut de leur langue donne tant de grâces à tout ce qu'ils disent. Je laisse à penser si je fus ravi d'un bonheur si peu attendu. Je ne pouvais me lasser de l'embrasser, et de lui demander ce qu'il avait fait en mon absence. Mais quand ce premier feu fut passé, après avoir passé quelques jours ensemble et nous être fait l'un à l'autre le récit de nos aventures, nous fûmes d'avis d'aller à Ostie, cité charmante, où les bains de mer pouvaient à la fois rétablir ma santé et offrir d'agréables délassements à mon esprit. Les vacances des vendanges me permettaient de m'éloigner du barreau. La douce température de l'automne avait succédé aux grandes chaleurs de l'été. Arrivés dans cette délicieuse ville, un jour nous allâmes nous promener sur le rivage; on y jouissait d'un air frais qui réveillait les esprits et rendait les membres plus vigoureux ; il y avait un plaisir inexprimable à presser mollement le sable du rivage qui conservait les légères empreintes de nos pas. Cecilius, qui était de notre compagnie, voyant une idole de Sérapis, la salua en passant en baisant sa main selon l'usage du vulgaire superstitieux.

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The Octavius of Minucius Felix

Chapter II.

--Argument: The Arrival of Octavius at Rome During the Time of the Public Holidays Was Very Agreeable to Minucius. Both of Them Were Desirous of Going to the Marine Baths of Ostia, with Caecilius Associated with Them as a Companion of Minucius. On Their Way Together to the Sea, Caecillus, Seeing an Image of Serapis, Raises His Hand to His Mouth, and Worships It.

For, for the sake of business and of visiting me, Octavius had hastened to Rome, having left his home, his wife, his children, and that which is most attractive in children, while yet their innocent years are attempting only half-uttered words,--a language all the sweeter for the very imperfection of the faltering tongue. And at this his arrival I cannot express in words with how great and with how impatient a joy I exulted, since the unexpected presence of a man so very dear to me greatly enhanced my gladness. Therefore, after one or two days, when the frequent enjoyment of our continual association had satisfied the craving of affection, and when we had ascertained by mutual narrative all that we were ignorant of about one another by reason of our separation, we agreed to go to that very pleasant city Ostia, that my body might have a soothing and appropriate remedy for drying its humours from the marine bathing, especially as the holidays of the courts at the vintage-time had released me from my cares. For at that time, after the summer days, the autumn season was tending to a milder temperature. And thus, when in the early morning we were going towards the sea along the shore (of the Tiber), that both the breathing air might gently refresh our limbs, and that the yielding sand might sink down under our easy footsteps with excessive pleasure; Caecilius, observing an image of Serapis, raised his hand to his mouth, as is the custom of the superstitious common people, and pressed a kiss on it with his lips.