the habit of investigating carefully the subject which Tubero
was a little before proposing to examine; and our friend Rutilius, even
under the walls of Numantia, was in the habit at times of conversing
with me on questions of the same kind. What, then, was the subject of
your discussion? said Philus. We were talking, said Scipio, of the
double suns that recently appeared, and I wish, Philus, to hear what
you think of them.

XII. Just as he was speaking, a boy announced that Laelius was coming to
call on him, and that he had already left his house. Then Scipio,
putting on his sandals and robes, immediately went forth from his
chamber, and when he had walked a little time in the portico, he met
Laelius, and welcomed him and those that accompanied him, namely,
Spurius Mummius, to whom he was greatly attached, and C. Fannius and
Quintus Scaevola, sons-in-law of Laelius, two very intelligent young men,
and now of the quaestorian age.[297]

When he had saluted them all, he returned through the portico, placing
Laelius in the middle; for there was in their friendship a sort of law
of reciprocal courtesy, so that in the camp Laelius paid Scipio almost
divine honors, on account of his eminent renown in war and in private
life; in his turn Scipio reverenced Laelius, even as a father, because
he was older than himself.

Then after they had exchanged a few words, as they walked up and down,
Scipio, to whom their visit was extremely welcome and agreeable, wished
to assemble them in a sunny corner of the gardens, because it was still
winter; and when they had agreed to this, there came in another friend,
a learned man, much beloved and esteemed by all of them, M. Manilius,
who, after having been most warmly welcomed by Scipio and the rest,
seated himself next to Laelius.

XIII. Then Philus, commencing the conversation, said: It does not
appear to me that the presence of our new guests need alter the subject
of our discussion, but only that it should induce us to treat it more
philosophically, and in a manner more worthy of our increased audience.
What do you allude to? said Laelius; or what was the discussion we broke
in upon? Scipio was asking me, replied Philus, what I thought of the
parhelion, or mock sun, whose recent apparition was so strongly
attested.

_Laelius._ Do you say then, my Philus, that we have sufficiently
examined those questions which concern our own houses and the
Commonwealth, that we begin to investigate