A Latin Reader

35. Not at Home

Nāsī­ca ad poē­tam Enni­um vēnit, eīque ab ōstiō quaer­en­tī Enni­um ancil­la dīx­it domī nōn esse. Nāsī­ca autem sēn­sit illam dom­inī iussū dīxisse, et illum intus esse. Paucīs post diēbus, Ennius ad Nāsī­cam vēnit et eum ā iānuā quaesīvit. Exclā­mat Nāsī­ca sē domī nōn esse. Tum Ennius: “Quid? ego nōn cōgnōscō vōcem tuam?” Hīc Nāsī­ca: “Homō es impudēns. Ancil­lae tuae crē­didī tē domī nōn esse; tū mihi nōn crēdis ipsī?”

Nāsī­ca: Pūblius Cornēlius Scīpiō Nāsī­ca, a famous mem­ber of a dis­tin­guished family.

Ennius: Quīn­tus Ennius, among the ear­li­est of Roman poets.

eīque, etc.: and when he inquired at the door for Ennius, the maid said he was not at home.

domī: a loca­tive, at home.

paucīs post diēbus: a few days later.

With these nom­i­na­tives under­stand some verb of say­ing, like dīx­it or respon­dit.

With these nom­i­na­tives under­stand some verb of say­ing, like dīx­it or respon­dit.

I believed your maid when she said you were not at home; don’t you believe me myself when I tell you that I am not at home?