Quattuor Colloquiola - Colloquium Quārtum
DĒ TEMPORE ET LOCŌ, DĒ LOCĪ SPATIŌ, IMPERSŌNĀLIBUS, PARTICIPIĪS, ADVERBIĪS, ETC. (On the construction of words of time and place, space of places, impersonals, participles, adverbs, etc.)
Persōnae:
Philippus, Leonardus
Philippus, Leonardus
Philippus
Grātulor tibī reditum, Leonarde. Ubi locōrum — cēdō — versātus es hōc omne triennium?
I rejoice with thee of thy return, Leonard — thou art welcome home again. Tell me, in what place hast thou been conversant all this three year?
Leonardus
Ego, Philippe, Londinō discēdēns, duōbus ferē mēnsibus in marī variīs iactātus sum procellīs, nocte saepe vigilāns, lūce aliquandō dormiēns. Hinc multōs mīlle passūs prōvectus sum. Ībam enim prīmum in Hispāniam mīlitātum.
I, Philip, departing from London, was tossed in the sea for about two months with various storms, waking often by night, sleeping sometimes by day. From hence I have been carried forth many miles. For I went first into Spain to be a soldier at the wars.
Philippus
Mīlitiae igitur ēnūtrītus es? At ego putābam tē Venetiīs mercibus commūtandīs fuisse occupātum.
Therefore thou hast been nourished up in warfare? But I did think that thou hadst been employed at Venice in exchanging of wares or merchandize.
Leonardus
Minimē gentium! Sed quam mihi nēquāquam placuit domī manēre ōtiōsē — mea plūrimum referēre putābam vel sub Hispānōrum rēge morārī in Cyprō, vel ab Hispāniā per Galliam proficīscī in Italiam. Rōmae etiam aliquot diēs commorārī, deinde ab Italiā in Graeciam trāiicere studēbam — et antīquās īre Athēnās. Hinc Macedoniā perāgrātā Cōnstantinopolī parum per agere cōgitābam. Iam tandem domum reversus sum, hāc spē magnā ex parte frūstrātus — mihi enim nōn contigit hōc vōtō ad voluntātem potīrī.
No surely! But since it nothing pleased me to remain idly at home, I did think it concerned me very much to abide or stay either under the King of the Spaniards in Cyprus, or to go from Spain through France into Italy. I desired also to stay some days at Rome, then to pass further from Italy into Greece — and to go unto the ancient city Athens. From hence, the Country of Macedon being passed through, I did think to deal a little while at Constantinople. Now at length I am returned home, frustrated in a great part of this hope — for it hath not happened to me to enjoy or obtain this wish or desire according to my will.
Philippus
Dorobernīā iam vēnis, opinor.
Thou comest now from Canterbury, I suppose.
Leonardus
Certē, et Londinum properō. Hīc enim rurī diūtius agerem — nesciō quōmodo — mōrum mē pigeret agrestium.
Yea surely, and I make haste to London. For if I should live or deal in the country longer — I know not how, in what manner — I would be irked of these clownish manners.
Philippus
Et mē contrā cīvitātis taedet, ubi ā plērīsque ita dē rēbus ināniibus concertātur ut meminī paene cōnstet quid sit rēctum, quid reī pūblicae, quid cuiusque condiciōnis intersit. Sunt enim nōnnūllī quōs admodum dēlectat ubīque locōrum contentiōnēs alere et fovēre.
And on the other side I am weary of the city, where it is so striven of most men about vain matters that it is almost certain to no man what is right, what is meetful or behooful for the commonwealth, what is meete or behooful for every man's estate. For there are some whom it delighteth greatly to nourish and cherish quarrels and strifes in all places.
Leonardus
Vah! Ōdiōsum genus hominum meritō suppliciīs afficiendum. Sed quemadmodum ā perditīs illīs pestibus vīvātur, parum ad mē attinet — miserēt mē illōrum stultitiae.
Fie upon that hateful kind of men, to be punished worthily. But after what sort the life is led from those desperate and pestilential fellows, little pertaineth to me — I pity the folly of those.
Philippus
Utinam tantum omnibus hominibus displicēret foedīs flāgitiīs assuēscere quantum cuique expedit.
I wish that to accustom themselves to filthy wickedness did displease all men so much as it is meet for every man.
Leonardus
Spērō mē aliquōs repertūrum adulescentēs, etiam ortōs praeclārīs parentibus, quī scelerātōrum mōrēs perōsī, rērumque bonārum appetentēs ac virtūtis cupidissimī, lūcī vesperīque instar apum sedulō dabunt operam ut patriae ūtiliter ac sibī ipsīs laudābiliter vītam vīvant.
I hope that I shall find some young youths, yea sprung from excellent parents, who hating the manners of wicked persons, and greedy of good things and most desirous of virtue, will endeavour diligently day and night like bees, that they may lead their life profitably to their country, and laudably to themselves.
Philippus
Nusquam prope locī reperiuntur nunc diērum, Leonarde, hūiusmodī adulescentēs — immō virī paucī quī ex animō virtūtī studeant. Immō ecce status noster: en miseram condiciōnem! Loquentiae multum, sapientiae parum, ineptiārum abundē — ubivīs gentium audiēs, nōveris, vidēbis, tibique obviam ībunt multa hūiusmodī.
Youths of this sort are found in almost no place now adayes, Leonard — yea few men who do employ their study to virtue from the heart. Yea behold our state: behold our wretched case! Much babbling, little wisdom, plenty of follies — in all places thou shalt hear, thou shalt know, thou shalt see, and many things of this sort will meet with thee.
Leonardus
Vae nōbīs! Heu sordidam ignāviam — et tempora! Ō mōrēs! Nisi magis sēriō propius vēritātem accēdāmus, terraque vīventēs caelōs summō studiō adīre cōnāmur, āctum erit dē nōbīs penitus.
Woe to us! Alas our filthy baseness — and the times! O the manners! Unless we come nearer to the truth more earnestly, and living on earth do endeavour with most high care to come unto heaven, all will be done concerning us utterly.