This is why people take pointless trips and wander along distant shores. Sometimes they travel by sea, sometimes by land. They're trying to soothe their restless nature, which is never happy with where they are right now. "Let's go to Campania! No wait, I'm sick of all this fancy farming — let's see some wild country instead. Let's hike through the mountains of Bruttii and Lucania. But even in this wilderness, I need something beautiful to look at. My eyes are tired of all these rough places. Let's head to Tarentum with its famous harbor and mild winters. It's rich enough to feed huge crowds like it did in ancient times. Actually, let's go back to the city. I miss the shouting and noise. It would be fun to watch some gladiator fights too." One trip follows another. One sight gets swapped for another. As Lucretius put it: "Every person runs away from himself."
Hence men undertake aimless wanderings, travel along distant shores, and at one time at sea, at another by land, try to soothe that fickleness of disposition which always is dissatisfied with the present. "Now let us make for Campania: now I am sick of rich cultivation: let us see wild regions, let us thread the passes of Bruttii and Lucania: yet amid this wilderness one wants something of beauty to relieve our pampered eyes after so long dwelling on savage wastes: let us seek Tarentum with its famous harbour, its mild winter climate, and its district, rich enough to support even the great hordes of ancient times. Let us now return to town: our ears have too long missed its shouts and noise: it would be pleasant also to enjoy the sight of human bloodshed." Thus one journey succeeds another, and one sight is changed for another. As Lucretius says:— "Thus every mortal from himself doth flee;"