Chommoda dīcēbat, sī quandō commoda vellet
dīcere, et īnsidiās Arrius hinsidiās,
et tum mīrificē spērābat sē esse locūtum,
cum quantum poterat dīxerat hīnsidiās.
Crēdō, sīc māter, sīc līber avunculus ēius. 5
Sīc māternus avus dīxerat atque avia.
Hōc missō in Syriam requiērant omnibus aurēs
audībant eadem haec lēniter et leviter,
nec sibi postillā metuēbant tālia verba,
cum subitō affertur nūntius horribilis, 10
Īoniōs flūctūs, postquam illūc Arrius īsset,
iam nōn Īoniōs esse sed Hīoniōs.
vocabulary
commodum commodī n.: advantage, benefit
īnsidiae īnsidiārum f. pl.: ambush, plot
Arrius –iī m.: Roman nomen gentile
mīrificē: amazingly, remarkably
avunculus avunculī m.: maternal uncle 5
māternus –a –um: of a mother; on the mother's side of the family
avus avī m.: grandfather
avia aviae f.: grandmother
Syria –ae f.: of or from Syria; Syrian
requiēscō requiēscere requiēvī requiētum: rest, find relief
lēniter lēnius (comp.) lēnissimē (superl.): gently; without drastic effect
leviter: lightly
postillā: afterwards, after that time
horribilis horribile: fearful, dreadful; rough, uncouth 10
Iōnius (Iōnicus or Iōniacus) –a –um: Ionian, spec. of the Ionian sea, west of Greece and south of Italy