…cūr nōn [ [ item ut tum , dērēctō et palam [ regiōnem illam pet-ī]]₁-v-ēru-nt ]?
why not  likewise as then, directly and openly  region.ACC that.ACC seek-TH-PFV-PST-3PL 
…why didn’t they go to that region just as [they did] then, directly and openly?