Arrival at Ostia and Caecilius kisses an idol
Marcus the narrator recounts how his friend Octavius came to Rome, and how the three friends went to Ostia, where Caecilius kissed an image of Serapis.
He had hurried to Rome for business and to see me, leaving behind his home, his wife, his children, and what is more lovable in children: those still in their innocent years, still attempting half-formed words, a speech all the sweeter for its very stammering.
I cannot express in words how great and how impatient a joy I exulted in at his arrival, since the unexpected presence of my dearest friend increased my happiness above all.
And so after a day or two, when frequent time together had filled the eagerness of longing and we had learned through mutual report what we had not known about each other during our absence, we decided to seek Ostia, a most pleasant city, because it offered my body a soothing and suitable cure for drying the humors through sea baths; and indeed the judicial holiday had relaxed my professional cares for the vintage season. For at that time of year, after the summer heat, autumn was turning toward mildness.
And so when at dawn we were making our way to the sea, walking along the shore so that the gently breathing breeze might refresh our limbs and the yielding sand sink softly under our steps with exquisite pleasure, Caecilius noticed an idol of Serapis and, as the superstitious crowd is accustomed to do, moved his hand to his mouth and pressed a kiss with his lips.
Latin
Nam negotii et uisendi mei gratia Romam contenderat, relicta domo, coniuge, liberis, et quod est in liberis amabilius, adhuc annis innocentibus et adhuc dimidiata uerba temptantibus, loquellam ipso offensantis linguae fragmine dulciorem.
quo in aduentu eius non possum exprimere sermonibus, quanto quamque inpatienti gaudio exultauerim, cum augeret maxime laetitiam meam amicissimi hominis inopinata praesentia.
igitur post unum et alterum diem, cum iam et auiditatem desiderii frequens adsiduitatis usus implesset et quae per absentiam mutuam de nobis nesciebamus, relatione alterna comperissemus, placuit Ostiam petere, amoenissimam ciuitatem, quod esset corpori meo siccandis umoribus de marinis lauacris blanda et adposita curatio: sane et ad uindemiam feriae iudiciariam curam relaxauerant. nam id temporis post aestiuam diem in temperiem semet autumnitas dirigebat.
itaque cum diluculo ad mare inambulando litore pergeremus, ut et aura adspirans leniter membra uegetaret et cum eximia uoluptate molli uestigio cedens harena subsideret, Caecilius simulacro Serapidis denotato, ut uulgus superstitiosus solet, manum ori admouens osculum labiis inpressit.