II.  On the holiday which we call Sementivae I came to the temple of Tellus at the invitation of the Sacristan (I was taught by my ancestors to call him Aeditumus but the modern purist tells me I must say Aedituus).  There I found assembled C. Fundanius, my father-in-law, C. Agrius, a Roman Knight and a disciple of the Socratic school, and P. Agrasius, of the Revenue service:  they were gazing on a map of Italy painted on the wall.  “What are you doing here?” said I.  “Has the festival of the seed-sowing drawn you hither to spend your holiday after the manner of our ancestors, by praying for good crops?” “We are here,” said Agrius, “for the same reason that you are, I imagine—­because the Sacristan has invited us to dinner.  If this be true, as your nod admits, wait with us until he returns, for he was summoned by his chief, the aedile, and has not yet returned though he left word for us to wait for him.”

“Until he comes then,” said I, “let us make a practical application of the ancient proverb that ‘The Roman conquers by sitting down.’”

“You’re right,” cried Agrius, and, remembering that the first step of a journey is the most difficult,[46] he lead the way to the benches forthwith and we followed.  When we were seated Agrasius spoke up.  “You who have travelled over many lands,” said he, “have you seen any country better cultivated than Italy?”

“I, for one, don’t believe,” replied Agrius, “that there is any country which is so intensely cultivated.  By a very natural division Eratosthenes has divided the earth into two parts, that facing South and that facing North:  and as without doubt the North is healthier than the South, so it is more fertile, for a healthy country is always the most fertile.  It must be admitted then that the North is fitter for cultivation than Asia, and particularly is this true of Italy; first, because Italy is in Europe, and, second, because this part of Europe has a more temperate climate than the interior.  For almost everlasting winter grips the lands to the North of us.  Nor is this to be wondered at since there are regions within the Arctic Circle and at the pole where the sun is not seen for six months at a time.  Yea, it is even said that it is not possible to sail a ship in those parts because the very sea is frozen over.”

“Would you think it possible,” said Fundanius, “for any thing to grow in such a region, and, if it did grow, how could it be cultivated?  The tragedian Pacuvius has spoken sooth where he says: 

  ’Should sun or night maintain e’er lasting reign,
  Then all the grateful fruits of earth must die,
  Nipped by the cold, or blasted by the heat.’