452 THE OCTAVIUS OF him. And thus, when my thoughts were traversingthe entireperiodof our intimacyand friendship,the directionof my mind fixeditselfchieflyon thatdiscourseof his,wherein by very weighty arguments he converted Ca^cilius,who was stillcleavingto superstitiousvanities,to the truereligion. CHAPTEE II. ARGuMENT. — The arrivalof Octaviusat Rome during the timeof thepublicholidayswas veryagreeabletoMinucius. Both of them were desirousof goingtothemarine bathsof Ostia,with Cxcilius,associatedwith them as a companion of Minucius. On theirwag togetherto thesea,Ccecilius, seeingan image of Serapis,raiseshis hand to hismouth, and worshipsit. Fob, for the sake of businessand of visitingme, Octavius had hastened to Rome, having lefthis home, his wife, his children,and thatwhich ismost attractivein children,while yet theirinnocent years are attempting only half-uttered words,— a language allthe sweeterforthe very imperfection of the falteringtongue. And at this his arrivalI cannot expressin words with how great and with how impatienta joy I exulted,sincethe unexpected presenceof a man so very dear to me greatlyenhanced my gladness. Therefore, afterone or two days,when the frequentenjoyment of our continualassociationhad satisfiedthe cravingofaffection,and when we had ascertainedby mutual narrativeallthatwe were ignorantof about one anotherby reasonof our separation,we agreed to go to thatvery pleasantcityOstia,thatmy body might have a soothingand appropriateremedy fordrying its humours from themarine bathing,especiallyas theholidaysof the courtsat thevintage-timehad releasedme from my cares. For at that time,afterthe summer days,the autumn season was tending to a milder temperature. And thus,when in the earlymorning we were going towards the sea along the shore [ofthe Tiber],thatboth the breathingairmight gently