books have turned out superior to anything of the kind even in Greek.
You must not be annoyed at the loss you have incurred in having the part of the _Academica_ you have copied in vain. The new draft will be far finer, shorter, and better. But now I don't know where to turn. I want to do something for Dolabella, as he is very anxious for it. But I can't think of anything, and at the same time "I fear the Trojans,"[111] and even if I can think of something, I shall not escape criticism. So I must either be idle or rack my brains for something. But why do I bother about trifles like this?
Footnote 110: Or "that is the last straw," or "the height of absurdity."
Footnote 111: _i.e._, public opinion. Cf. _Att._ II. 5.
Pray tell me how dear Attica is. I am very anxious about her. But I keep dipping into your letter again and again, and that solaces me.
Nevertheless I am looking forward to a fresh one.
Brinnius' freedman, my co-heir, has written to me that the rest of the heirs want him and Sabinus Albius to come to me, if I am willing. I am all against that: it is more than the legacy is worth. However, they can easily manage to attend the auction, which is on the 13th, if they meet me at my place at Tusculum early on the 8th. But, if they want to put off the date still further, they can do so two or three days or as much as they like: it does not matter to me. So, unless the people have started already, stop them. If Brutus has done anything, or if you have any news about Caesar or anything else, let me know.
* * * * * Page 134 XIV, XV CICERO ATTICO SAL.
Illud etiam atque etiam consideres velim, placeatne tibi mitti ad Varronem, quod scripsimus. Etsi etiam ad te aliquid pertinet. Nam scito te ei dialogo adiunctum esse tertium. Opinor igitur, consideremus. Etsi nomina iam facta sunt; sed vel induci vel mutari possunt.
Quid agit, obsecro te, Attica nostra? Nam triduo abs te nullas acceperam; nec mirum. Nemo enim venerat, nec fortasse causa fuerat.
Itaque ipse, quod scriberem, non habebam. Quo autem die has Valerio dabam, exspectabam aliquem meorum. Qui si venisset et a te quid attulisset, videbam non defuturum, quod scriberem.
XVI CICERO ATTICO SAL.
[Sidenote: _Scr. in Arpinati IV K. Quint, a. 709_] Nos, cum flumina et solitudinem sequeremur, quo facilius sustentare nos possemus, pedem e villa adhuc egressi non sumus; ita magnos et adsiduos imbres habebamus. Illam Ἀκαδημικὴν σύνταξιν totam ad Varronem traduximus. Primo fuit Catuli, Luculli, Hortensi; deinde, quia παρὰ τὸ πρέπον videbatur, quod erat hominibus nota non illa quidem ἀπαιδευσία, sed in iis rebus ἀτριψία, simul ac veni ad villam, eosdem illos sermones ad Catonem Brutumque transtuli. Ecce tuae litterae de Varrone. Nemini visa * * * * * Page 135 XIV, XV CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.
Please give your earnest consideration to deciding whether what I have written ought to be sent to Varro: though the point has some personal interest for you too: for you must know I have brought you in as a third speaker in the dialogue. So I think we must consider. The names, however, have been entered, but they can be scratched out or altered.
Pray tell me how Attica is. It is three days since I heard from you, and no wonder: for no one has come here, and perhaps there was no reason for writing. So I myself have nothing to write. However, I am expecting one of my messengers the very day I am giving this to Valerius. If he comes and brings something from you, I foresee I shall have no lack of material.
XVI CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.
Though I was looking for streams and solitude, to make life more endurable, at present I have not stirred a foot away from the house; we have had such heavy and continuous rain. The "Academic Treatise" I have transferred entirely to Varro. At first it was assigned to Catulus, Lucullus, and Hortensius; then, as that seemed inappropriate because they were well-known not to be up in such matters, though not illiterate, as soon as I came here I transferred the conversations to Cato and Brutus. Then came your letter about Varro and he seemed the most appropriate person possible to air Antiochus' * * * * * Page 136 est aptior Antiochia ratio. Sed tamen velim scribas ad me, primum placeatne tibi aliquid ad illum, deinde, si placebit, hocne potissimum.
Quid? Servilia iamne venit? Brutus ecquid agit et quando? De Caesare quid auditur? Ego ad Nonas, quem ad modum dixi. Tu cum Pisone, si quid poteris.
XVII, XVIII CICERO ATTICO SAL.
[Sidenote: _Scr. in Arpinati III K. Quint. a. 709_] V Kal. exspectabam Roma aliquid novi. Imperassem igitur aliquid tuis.
Nunc eadem illa, quid Brutus cogitet, aut, si aliquid egit, ecquid a Caesare. Sed quid ista, quae minus curo? Attica nostra quid agat, scire cupio. Etsi tuae litterae (sed iam nimis veteres sunt) recte sperare iubent, tamen exspecto recens aliquid.
Vides, propinquitas quid habeat. Nos vero conficiamus hortos. Conloqui videbamur, in Tusculano cum essem; tanta erat crebritas litterarum. Sed id quidem iam erit. Ego interea admonitu tuo perfeci sane argutulos libros ad Varronem, sed tamen exspecto, quid ad ea, quae scripsi ad te, primum qui intellexeris eum desiderare a me, cum ipse homo πολυγραφώτατος numquam me lacessisset; deinde quem ζηλοτυπεῖν nisi forte Brutum, quem si non ζηλοτυπεῖ,[112] multo Hortensium minus aut eos, qui de re Footnote 112: * * * * * Page 137 views. However, I should like you to write whether you approve of dedicating anything to him, and, if you do, whether you approve of this particular book.
What about Servilia? Has she come? Has Brutus done anything, and when?
What news of Caesar? I shall arrive on the 7th of July, as I said. Make some arrangement with Piso, if you can.
XVII, XVIII CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.
I was expecting some news from Rome on the 27th. Then I should have given some orders to your men. Now I have only the same old questions.
What is Brutus thinking of doing, or, if he has done anything, has any comment come from Caesar? But why do I ask about these things, when I care very little about them? I do want to know how our dear Attica is getting on. Though your letter (but that is quite out of date now) bids me be hopeful, still I am anxious for fresh news.
You see the advantage of being near at hand. Certainly let us settle about the gardens. We seemed to be talking to one another, when I was at Tusculum, so frequent was the interchange of letters. But that will be the same again soon. Meantime I have taken your hint and finished off some really quite clever books for Varro. But I am waiting for your answer to my questions: first, how you knew he wanted anything from me, when in spite of his voluminous writings he has never challenged me; and next, who it was of whom he was jealous, unless it may have been Brutus.
If he is not jealous of him, he certainly cannot be of Hortensius or the speakers in the _De Republica._ * * * * * Page 138 publica loquuntur. Plane hoc mihi explices velim, in primis maneasne in sententia, ut mittam ad eum, quae scripsi, an nihil necesse putes. Sed haec coram.
XIX CICERO ATTICO SAL.
[Sidenote: _Scr. in Arpinati prid. K. Quint. a. 709_] Commodum discesserat Hilarus librarius IV Kal., cui dederam litteras ad te, cum venit tabellarius cum tuis litteris pridie datis; in quibus illud mihi gratissimum fuit, quod Attica nostra rogat te, ne tristis sis, quodque tu ἀκίνδυνα esse scribis.
Ligarianam, ut video, praeclare auctoritas tua commendavit. Scripsit enim ad me Balbus et[113] Oppius mirifice se probare, ob eamque causam ad Caesarem eam se oratiunculam misisse. Hoc igitur idem tu mihi antea scripseras.
Footnote 113: et _added by Vict._ In Varrone ista causa me non moveret, ne viderer φιλένδοξος (sic enim constitueram, neminem includere in dialogos eorum, qui viverent); sed, quia scribis et desiderari a Varrone et magni illum aestimare, eos confeci et absolvi, nescio quam bene, sed ita accurate, ut nihil posset supra, Academicam omnem quaestionem libris quattuor. In eis, quae erant contra ἀκαταληψίαν praeclare collecta ab Antiocho, Varroni dedi. Ad ea ipse respondeo; tu es tertius in sermone nostro. Si Cottam et Varronem fecissem inter se disputantes, ut a te proximis litteris admoneor, * * * * * Page 139 I should like you to make this quite clear to me, especially whether you abide by your opinion that I should send him what I have written, or whether you think it is unnecessary. But of this when we meet.
XIX CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.
The copyist Hilarus had just left on the 28th, and I had given him a letter to you, when your messenger came with your letter of the day before. What I was most glad to see in it was the sentence "Our dear Attica begs you not to be anxious" and your own statement that there is no danger.
I see your influence has given my speech for Ligarius a good start. For Balbus has written to me with Oppius, saying that he is extraordinarily pleased with it; and for that reason he has sent the little thing to Caesar. So that is what you wrote to me some time ago.
In Varro's case I should not be disturbed about appearing to be tuft-hunting—for my principle has always been not to insert any living characters in my dialogues; but it was because you say Varro wants it, and appreciates the compliment, that I have finished off the work and have comprised the whole of the Academic philosophy—how well I cannot say, but with all possible care—in four books. All the fine array of arguments against the uncertainty of apperceptions collected by Antiochus I have given to Varro; I answer him myself, and you are the third speaker in our conversation. If I had made Cotta and Varro carry on the argument between them, as you suggest in your last letter, I * * * * * Page 140 meum κωφὸν πρόσωπον esset. Hoc in antiquis personis suaviter fit, ut et Heraclides in multis et nos in VI "de re publica" libris fecimus. Sunt etiam "de oratore" nostri tres mihi vehementer probati. In eis quoque eae personae sunt, ut mihi tacendum fuerit. Crassus enim loquitur, Antonius, Catulus senex, C. Iulius, frater Catuli, Cotta, Sulpicius.
Puero me hic sermo inducitur, ut nullae esse possent partes meae. Quae autem his temporibus scripsi, Ἀριστοτέλειον morem habent, in quo sermo ita inducitur ceterorum, ut penes ipsum sit principatus. Ita confeci quinque libros περὶ τελῶν, ut Epicurea L. Torquato, Stoica M. Catoni, περιπατητικὰ M. Pisoni darem. Ἀζηλοτύπητον id fore putaram, quod omnes illi decesserant. Haec "Academica," ut scis, cum Catulo, Lucullo, Hortensio contuleram. Sane in personas non cadebant; erant enim λογικώτερα quam ut illi de iis somniasse umquam viderentur. Itaque, ut legi tuas de Varrone, tamquam ἕρμαιον arripui. Aptius esse nihil potuit ad id philosophiae genus, quo ille maxime mihi delectari videtur, easque partes, ut non sim consecutus, ut superior mea causa videatur. Sunt enim vehementer πιθανὰ Antiochia; quae diligenter a me expressa acumen habent Antiochi, nitorem orationis nostrum, si modo is est aliquis in nobis.
Sed tu, dandosne putes hos libros Varroni, etiam atque etiam videbis.
Mihi quaedam occurrunt; sed ea coram.
* * * * * Page 141 should have been a mere lay figure. That suits admirably when the characters are persons of olden times; and that is what Heraclides often did in his works; and I myself did so in my six books _De Republica_. It is the same, too, in my three books _De Oratore_, of which I think very highly; in them, too, the characters were such that I could properly keep silent. For the speakers are Crassus, Antonius, old Catulus, his brother C. Julius, Cotta and Sulpicius; and the conversation is supposed to take place when I was a boy, so that I could have no part in it. But in a modern work, I follow Aristotle's practice: the conversation of the others is so put forward as to leave him the principal part. I arranged the five books _De Finibus_ so as to give the Epicurean parts to L.
Torquatus, the Stoic to M. Cato, and the Peripatetic to M. Piso. I thought that could not make anybody jealous, as they were all dead. This present work, the _Academica_, as you know, I had shared between Catulus, Lucullus and Hortensius. I must admit that the work did not suit the characters; for it was far too philosophical for them to have ever dreamt of such things. So, when I read your note about Varro, I jumped at it as a godsend. Nothing could have been more appropriate for expounding the system of philosophy in which he seems to be specially interested, and for introducing a part which prevents me from seeming to give my own cause the superiority. For the views of Antiochus are very persuasive, and I have put them carefully with all Antiochus' acuteness and my own polished style, if I possess one. But do you consider carefully, whether you think I ought to dedicate the books to Varro.
Some objections occur to me; but of that when we meet.
[Sidenote: _Scr. in Arpinati VI aut V Non. Quint. a. 709_] A Caesare litteras accepi consolatorias datas pridie Kal. Maias Hispali.
De urbe augenda quid sit promulgatum, non intellexi. Id scire sane velim. Torquato nostra officia grata esse facile patior eaque augere non desinam. Ad Ligarianam de uxore Tuberonis et privigna neque possum iam addere (est enim pervulgata) neque Tuberonem volo offendere; mirifice est enim φιλαίτιος. Theatrum quidem sane bellum habuisti. Ego, etsi hoc loco facillime sustentor, tamen te videre cupio. Itaque, ut constitui, adero. Fratrem credo a te esse conventum. Scire igitur studeo, quid egeris.
De fama nihil sane laboro; etsi scripseram ad te tunc stulte "nihil melius"; curandum enim non est. Atque hoc "in omni vita sua quemque a recta conscientia traversum unguem non oportet discedere" viden quam φιλοσόφως? An tu nos frustra existimas haec in manibus habere? Δεδῆχθαι te nollem, quod nihil erat. Redeo enim rursus eodem. Quicquamne me putas curare in toto,[114] nisi ut ei ne desim? Id ago scilicet, ut iudicia videar tenere. "Μὴ γὰρ αὐτοῖς—." Vellem tam domestica ferre possem quam ista contemnere.
Footnote 114: _For_ in toto _many suggestions have been made_ (_e.g._ in Torquato * * * * * Page 143 XX CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.
I have received a letter of consolation from Caesar, posted on the last of April at Hispalis. I did not understand what the proposals for improving the city are; and I should much like to know. I am not displeased that Torquatus is satisfied with my attentions, and I shall not cease to increase them. To the speech for Ligarius I cannot add anything now about Tubero's[115] wife and step-daughter, since the speech is widely circulated, and I do not wish to offend Tubero; for he is most touchy. You certainly had a good audience. Though I am happy enough here, I am longing to see you; so I shall come as arranged. I think you have met my brother; so I am anxious to know what happened.
Footnote 115: Tubero was the prosecutor of Ligarius.
About my reputation I don't care a straw; though I did once write to you foolishly that there was nothing better; for it is not worth bothering about. And see what deep philosophy there is in this other sentiment of mine, "In all one's life one ought not to stray a nail's breadth from the straight path of conscience." Do you think I am engaged in philosophical treatises for nothing? I should be sorry for you to distress yourself about a mere nothing. Now I come back to my point. Do you suppose I care for anything in the whole matter, except that I should not be untrue to it.[116] I am striving, it seems then, to maintain my position in the law courts. God forbid! Would I could bear my private sorrow as easily as I despise them. But do Footnote 116: The sense and the reading of this sentence are very doubtful.
* * * * * Page 144 Putas autem me voluisse aliquid, quod perfectum non sit? Non licet scilicet sententiam suam, sed tamen, quae tum acta sunt, non possum non probare, et tamen non curare pulchre possum, sicuti facio. Sed nimium multa de nugis.
XXI CICERO ATTICO SAL.
[Sidenote: _Scr. Asturae IV K. Sext. a. 709_] Ad Hirtium dederam epistulam sane grandem, quam scripseram proxime in Tusculano. Huic, quam tu mihi misisti, rescribam alias. Nunc alia malo.
Quid possum de Torquato, nisi aliquid a Dolabella? Quod simul ac, continuo scietis. Exspectabam hodie aut summum eras ab eo tabellarios; qui simul ac venerint, mittentur ad te. A Quinto exspecto. Proficiscens enim e Tusculano VIII Kal., ut scis, misi ad eum tabellarios.
Nunc, ad rem ut redeam, "inhibere" illud tuum, quod valde mihi adriserat, vehementer displicet. Est enim verbum totum nauticum.
Quamquam id quidem sciebam, sed arbitrabar sustineri remos, cum inhibere essent remiges iussi. Id non esse eius modi didici heri, cum ad villam nostram navis appelleretur. Non enim sustinent, sed alio modo remigant.
Id ab ἐποχῇ remotissumum est. Quare facies, ut ita sit in libro, quem ad modum fuit. Dices hoc idem Varroni, si * * * * * Page 145 you suppose there was some aspiration which was left unfulfilled? Of course one should not praise one's own principles, but I cannot help praising my past life, and yet I can well enough feel indifferent about it, as indeed I do. But that is enough and more than enough about such a trifle.
XXI CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.
I have sent a very bulky letter to Hirtius, which I wrote lately at Tusculum. This letter which you have sent, I will answer later. Just now I prefer other things. What can I do for Torquatus, unless I hear from Dolabella? As soon as I hear, you shall know at once. I am expecting messengers from him to-day or to-morrow at the latest; and, as soon as they come, they shall be sent on to you. I am expecting to hear from Quintus. For when I was starting from Tusculum on the 25th, as you know, I sent messengers to him.
To return to business, the word _inhibere_ suggested by you, which at first took my fancy very much, I strongly disapprove of now. For it is exclusively a nautical word. That, however, I knew before; but I thought rowers rested on their oars, when told to _inhibere_. Yesterday, when a ship put in by my house, I learned that was not so. They don't rest on their oars, they back water. That is very different to the Greek ἐποχή.
So change the word back to what it was in the book[117]; and tell Varro to do Footnote 117: _Academica_ II. 94. Ἐποχή, of which the Latin rendering is here discussed, is the technical term in philosophy for "suspension of judgment."
* * * * * Page 146 forte mutavit. Nec est melius quicquam quam ut Lucilius: "Sustineas currum ut bonus saepe agitator equosque."
Semperque Carneades προβολὴν pugilis et retentionem aurigae similem facit ἐποχῇ. Inhibitio autem remigum motum habet, et vehementiorem quidem, remigationis navem convertentis ad puppim. Vides, quanto hoc diligentius curem quam aut de rumore aut de Pollione. De Pansa etiam, si quid certius (credo enim palam factum esse), de Critonio, si quid est, sed certe[118] de Metello et Balbino.
Footnote 118: est, sed certe _Wesenberg_: esset certe ne _MSS._ XXIa CICERO ATTICO SAL.
[Sidenote: _Scr. in Arpinati prid K. aut K. Quint. a. 709_] Dic mihi, placetne tibi primum edere iniussu meo? Hoc ne Hermodorus quidem faciebat, is qui Platonis libros solitus est divulgare, ex quo "λόγοισιν Ἑρμόδωρος." Quid? illud rectumne existimas cuiquam ante quam[119]. Bruto, cui te auctore προσφωνῶ? Scripsit enim Balbus ad me se a te quintum "de finibus" librum descripsisse; in quo non sane multa mutavi, sed tamen quaedam. Tu autem commode feceris, si reliquos continueris, ne et ἀδιόρθωτα habeat Balbus et ἕωλα Brutus. Sed haec hactenus, ne videar περὶ μικρὰ σπουδάζειν. Etsi nunc quidem maxima mihi sunt haec; quid est enim aliud?
Footnote 119: ante quam _added by Vict._ * * * * * Page 147 the same, if he has altered it. One can't improve on Lucilius: "Pull up chariot and horses as a good driver oft does." And Carneades always compares the philosopher's suspension of judgment (ἐποχή) to the guard of a boxer and the pulling up of a charioteer. But the _inhibitio_ of rowers implies motion, and indeed the rather violent motion of rowing to back the boat. You see how much more attention I pay to this than either to rumour or to Pollio. Let me know too about Pansa, if anything definite is known, and I suppose it has come out, about Critonius, if there is any news, and anyhow about Metellus and Balbinus.
XXIa CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.
Come now, do you really think you ought to publish without my orders?
Even Hermodorus never did such a thing, though he used to circulate Plato's books, and that gave rise to the line "our Hermodorus deals in dialogues."[120] Do you really think you were justified in sending to anyone before you sent to Brutus, to whom at your advice I dedicated the work. For Balbus has written to me that you let him have a copy of the fifth book of the _De Finibus_, in which I have made a few alterations, though not many. However, I shall be obliged if you will keep back the others, so that Balbus may not get unrevised copies and Brutus what is stale. But enough of this; I don't want to seem to make a fuss about trifles. Though these are now my important things, for what else have I?
Footnote 120: The verse ends with ἐμπορεύεται.
* * * * * Page 148 Varroni quidem quae scripsi te auctore, ita propero mittere, ut iam Romam miserim describenda. Ea si voles, statim habebis. Scripsi enim ad librarios, ut fieret tuis, si tu velles, describendi potestas. Ea vero continebis, quoad ipse te videam; quod diligentissime facere soles, cum a me tibi dictum est. Quo modo antea fugit me tibi dicere? Mirifice Caerellia, studio videlicet philosophiae flagrans, describit a tuis; istos ipsos "de finibus" habet. Ego autem tibi confirmo (possum falli ut homo) a meis eam non habere; numquam enim ab oculis meis afuerunt.
Tantum porro aberat, ut binos scriberent; vix singulos confecerunt.
Tuorum tamen ego nullum delictum arbitror itemque te volo existimare; a me enim praetermissum est, ut dicerem me eos exire nondum velle. Hui, quam diu de nugis! de re enim nihil habeo quod loquar.
De Dolabella tibi adsentior. Coheredes, ut scribis, in Tusculano. De Caesaris adventu scripsit ad me Balbus non ante Kal. Sextiles. De Attica optime, quod levius ac levius, et quod fert εὐκόλως. Quod autem de illa nostra cogitatione scribis, in qua nihil tibi cedo, ea, quae novi, valde probo, hominem, domum, facultates. Quod caput est, ipsum non novi, sed audio laudabilia, de Scrofa etiam proxime. Accedit, si quid hoc ad rem, εὐγενέστερος est etiam quam pater. Coram igitur et quidem propenso animo ad probandum. Accedit enim, quod patrem, ut scire te puto, plus etiam quam non modo tu, sed quam ipse scit, amo idque et merito et iam diu.
* * * * * Page 149 I am in such a hurry to send what I have written to Varro, as you suggested, that I have sent it already to Rome to be copied. If you like, you shall have it at once. For I wrote to my copyist telling them to give your people leave to copy, if you liked. Please keep it, however, till I see you. You are generally most careful to do so, when I have told you. I was nearly forgetting to say that Caerellia, inspired of course by love of philosophy, is copying from your people[121]; she has those very books _De Finibus_. I assure you, so far as it is humanly possible to affirm anything, that she did not get it from mine, for my copy was never out of my sight. So far were my people from making two copies, that they could scarcely make up one. However, I am not finding any fault in your people, and I hope you will not either, for I omitted to say that I did not want the books circulated yet. Dear me, how I do harp on trifles. The fact is I have nothing of importance to say.
Footnote 121: Or "copies."
I agree about Dolabella. My co-heirs I will meet at Tusculum, as you suggest. As to Caesar's arrival, Balbus has written that he won't be here till the first of August. It is good news that Attica's attack gets slighter and slighter and that she is bearing it cheerfully. As to that idea of ours, about which I am quite as eager as you are, so far as I know anything about the man, I approve of him, his family, and his fortune. What is most important is that, though I do not know him himself, I hear very well of him, even quite recently from Scrofa. If it is of any importance, one may add that he is even better bred than his father. So we will speak of it when we meet, and I am disposed to approve. For in addition, as I think you know, I am with good reason and long have been fonder of his father than either you or he himself is aware.
[Sidenote: _Scr. in Arpinati IV Non. Quint. a. 709_] De Varrone non sine causa quid tibi placeat tam diligenter exquiro.
Occurrunt mihi quaedam. Sed ea coram. Te autem ἀσμεναίτατα intexui, faciamque id crebrius. Proximis enim tuis litteris primum te id non nolle cognovi. De Marcello scripserat ad me Cassius antea, τὰ κατὰ μέρος Servius. O rem acerbam! Ad prima redeo. Scripta nostra nusquam malo esse quam apud te, sed ea tum foras dari, cum utrique nostrum videbitur. Ego et librarios tuos culpa libero, neque te accuso, et tamen aliud quiddam ad te scripseram, Caerelliam quaedam habere, quae nisi a te[122] habere non potuerit. Balbo quidem intellegebam sat faciendum fuisse, tantum nolebam aut obsoletum Bruto aut Balbo inchoatum dari. Varroni, simul ac te videro, si tibi videbitur, mittam. Quid autem dubitarim, cum videro te, scies.
Footnote 122: habere...te _omitted by MSS.; added by Ascensius and old editors_.
Attributos quod appellas, valde probo. Te de praedio Oviae exerceri moleste fero. De Bruto nostro perodiosum, sed vita fert. Mulieres autem vix satis humane, quae iniquo animo ferant, cum utraque * * * * * Page 151 XXII CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.
I have my reasons for asking so persistently for your opinion about Varro. Some objections occur to me; but of those when we meet. Your name I introduced with the greatest pleasure and I shall do so more frequently, for I see for the first time from your last letter that you do not disapprove. About Marcellus Cassius had already written to me, and Servius sent some details.[123] What a sad thing! I return to my former point. There are no hands in which I would rather have my writings than in yours, but I should prefer them not to leave your hands till we have agreed on it. I acquit your copyists of fault and I bring no charge against you; but there was something different that I did mention in a letter, that Caerellia had some things she could only have got from you. In Balbus' case I realize of course that you had to satisfy him; only I am sorry that Brutus should get anything stale or Balbus anything unfinished. I will send to Varro, as soon as I have seen you, if you agree. Why I have hesitated, you shall know, when I do see you.
Footnote 123: M. Marcellus, consul in 51 B.C. and a partisan of Pompey, had just been murdered by M. Magius Cibo at Athens out of jealousy for the favour shown him by Caesar, who had granted him permission to return to Rome, an event celebrated in Cicero's speech _Pro Marcello_.
Servius' letter is preserved, _Ad Fam._ IV. 12, and gives full details of the murder. Cf. also _Att._ XIII. 10.
I strongly approve of your calling in those debts which have been transferred to me. I am sorry you are being bothered about Ovia's estate. About Brutus it is a great nuisance, but such is life. The ladies, however, are not very considerate in being annoyed, though both of them observe the proprieties.[124] Footnote 124: Cato's daughter Porcia, to whom Brutus was to be married, and his mother Servilia, who being a partisan of Caesar opposed the marriage.
Most editors however adopt Orelli's reading _in utraque_, in which case it would mean "though Brutus is attentive to both."
* * * * * Page 152 officio pareat. Tullium scribam nihil fuit quod appellares; nam tibi mandassem, si fuisset. Nihil enim est apud eum positum nomine voti, sed est quiddam apud illum meum. Id ego in hanc rem statui conferre. Itaque et ego recte tibi dixi, ubi esset, et tibi ille recte negavit. Sed hoc quoque ipsum continuo adoriamur. Lucum hominibus non sane probo, quod est desertior, sed habet εὐλογίαν. Verum hoc quoque, ut censueris, quippe qui omnia. Ego, ut constitui, adero, atque utinam tu quoque eodem die! Sin quid (multa enim), utique postridie. Etenim coheredes: a quibus sine tua opprimi malitia. Est[125] alteris iam litteris nihil ad me de Attica. Sed id quidem in optima spe pono; illud accuso non te, sed illam, ne salutem quidem. At tu et illi et Piliae plurimam, nec me tamen irasci indicaris. Epistulam Caesaris misi, si minus legisses.
Footnote 125: a quis sine te opprimi militia est _MSS.: the reading I have adopted is that of Tyrrell_.
XXIII CICERO ATTICO SAL.
[Sidenote: _Scr. in Tusculano VI Id. Quint. a. 709_] Antemeridianis tuis litteris heri statim rescripsi; nunc respondeo vespertinis. Brutus mallem me arcesseret.
* * * * * Page 153 There was no necessity for you to dun my secretary Tullius; I should have told you, if there had been. For he has nothing of mine towards carrying out my vow.[126] But he has some of my money, and that I am thinking of devoting to that purpose. So we were both right, I in telling you where it was, and he in denying he had it. But let us get hold of this same money also at once. I do not very much approve of a grove for mortals, as it is not much frequented; but there is something to say for it. However, let that too be as you like, since you decide everything. I shall come to town when I arranged, and I hope to goodness you will be there the same day. But, if anything prevents you, and lots of things may, the next day at any rate. For there are my co-heirs, and without your shrewdness I shall be done for. This is the second letter with no news of Attica. But that I take as a hopeful sign. There is one thing I have a grievance about, not against you, but against her, that she does not even send her regards. But pay my best respects to her and to Pilia, and don't hint that I am angry anyhow. I am sending Caesar's letter, in case you should not have read it.
Footnote 126: _i.e._ no money deposited with him towards the building of the shrine.
XXIII CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.
The morning's letter I answered yesterday at once, now I am answering yours of the evening. I would rather Brutus had asked me to Rome. It * * * * * Page 154 Et aequius erat, cum illi iter instaret et subitum et longum, et me hercule nunc, cum ita simus adfecti, ut non possimus plane simul vivere (intellegis enim profecto, in quo maxime posita sit συμβίωσις), facile patiebar nos potius Romae una esse quam in Tusculano.
Libri ad Varronem non morabantur, sunt enim detexti, ut vidisti; tantum librariorum menda tolluntur. De quibus libris scis me dubitasse, sed tu videris. Item, quos Bruto mittimus, in manibus habent librarii.
Mea mandata, ut scribis, explica. Quamquam ista retentione omnes ait uti Trebatius; quid tu istos putas? Nosti domum. Quare confice εὐαγώγως.
Incredibile est, quam ego ista non curem. Omni tibi adseveratione adfirmo, quod mihi credas velim, mihi maiori offensioni esse quam delectationi possessiunculas meas. Magis enim doleo me non habere, cui tradam, quam gaudeo[127] habere, qui utar. Atque illud Trebatius se tibi dixisse narrabat; tu autem veritus es fortasse, ne ego invitus audirem.
Fuit id quidem humanitatis, sed, mihi crede, iam ista non curo. Quare da te in sermonem et perseca et confice, et ita cum Polla loquere, ut te cum illo Scaeva loqui Footnote 127: gaudeo _added by Gronovius_.
* * * * * Page 155 would have been fairer, as he is on the point of a sudden long journey, and upon my soul I should have much preferred that we should meet in Rome rather than in my house at Tusculum, now that the state of our feelings prevents us from living together at all, for of course you understand what constitutes good company.
There is no delay about the books dedicated to Varro. They are finished,