as you have seen; there is only the correction of the copyists' mistakes. About those books you know I have had some hesitation, but you must look to it. The copyists have in hand, too, those I am dedicating to Brutus.
Carry out my instructions as you say. However what about that abatement?[128] Trebatius says everybody is taking advantage of it. What do you suppose my debtors will do? You know the gang.[129] So settle the matter accommodatingly. You would never believe how little I care about such things. I give you my solemn word for it, and I hope you will believe me, that the little I have causes me more annoyance than pleasure. For I am more grieved at having no one to leave it to than pleased at having enough for my own enjoyment. Trebatius tells me he told you so; but perhaps you feared I should be sorry at the news. That was certainly kind of you; but, believe me, I don't care about such things now. So get you to your conferences, hack away at it and finish the business; and in talking with Polla consider you are talking with that fellow Scaeva,[130] and Footnote 128: By the Julian law of 49 B.C. debtors could make over property to their creditors on the valuation it had before the Civil war, and could deduct all interest already paid from the debt.
Footnote 129: _Domum_ may refer to some house offered in payment of a debt to Cicero, or it may possibly be used in the sense I, following most editors, have given it, for which however _familia_ is commoner. Reid would read _dominum_, referring it to Caesar.
Footnote 130: Caesar had a favourite centurion named Scaeva, and that may be the person here referred to. If so it means "remember they are all people who have shared Caesar's plunder." But many regard the name and the words _da_ to _confice_ as a quotation from some play.
* * * * * Page 156 putes, nec existimes eos, qui non debita consectari soleant, quod debeatur, remissuros. De die tantum videto et id ipsum bono modo.
XXIV CICERO ATTICO SAL.
[Sidenote: _Scr. in Tusculano V Id. Quint. a. 709_] Quid est, quod Hermogenes mihi Clodius Andromenem sibi dixisse se Ciceronem vidisse Corcyrae? Ego enim audita tibi putaram. Nil igitur ne ei quidem litterarum? An non vidit? Facies ergo, ut sciam.
Quid tibi ego de Varrone rescribam? Quattuor διφθέραι sunt in tua potestate. Quod egeris, id probabo. Nec tamen "αἰδέομαι Τρῶας." Quid enim? Sed, ipsi quam res illa probaretur, magis verebar. Sed, quoniam tu suscipis, in alteram aurem.
De retentione rescripsi ad tuas accurate scriptas litteras. Conficies igitur, et quidem sine ulla dubitatione aut retrectatione. Hoc fieri et oportet et opus est.
XXV CICERO ATTICO SAL.
[Sidenote: _Scr. in Tusculano IV Id. Quint. a. 709_] De Andromene, ut scribis, ita putaram. Scisses enim mihique dixisses. Tu tamen ita mihi de Bruto scribis, ut de te nihil. Quando autem illum putas? Nam ego Romam pridie Idus. Bruto ita volui scribere * * * * * Page 157 don't imagine that those who are in the habit of taking what is not owing to them, will abate anything that is. Only be careful that they pay up to time and allow some latitude there too.
XXIV CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.
What am I to make of this? Hermogenes Clodius tells me that Andromenes said he saw my son at Corcyra. For I supposed you had heard of it. Then didn't he give any letter even to him? Or perhaps he didn't see him. You must let me know, please.
What answer am I to give you about Varro? You have the four parchment rolls: and whatever you do I shall approve. It is not that "I fear the Trojans."[131] Why should I? But I am more afraid how he may regard it.
However, as you undertake the matter, I shall sleep in peace.[132] Footnote 131: Cf. _Att._ XIII. 13.
Footnote 132: Lit. "on both ears." Supply _dormire licet_.
About the abatement I have answered your careful letter. You must get the matter over, and that too without any hesitation or refusal. That ought to be and must be done.
XXV CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.
About Andromenes I thought exactly what you say, for you would have known and told me. However, you have written such a lot about Brutus that you say nothing of yourself. But when do you think he is coming?
For I shall come to Rome on the 14th. What I meant to say in my letter to * * * * * Page 158 (sed, quoniam tu te legisse scribis, fui fortasse ἀσαφέστερος), me ex tuis litteris intellexisse nolle eum me quasi prosequendi sui causa Romam nunc venire. Sed, quoniam iam adest meus adventus, fac, quaeso, ne quid eum Idus impediant, quo minus suo commodo in Tusculano sit. Nec enim ad tabulam eum desideraturus eram (in tali enim negotio cur tu unus non satis es?), sed ad testamentum volebam, quod iam malo alio die, ne ob eam causam Romam venisse videar. Scripsi igitur ad Brutum iam illud, quod putassem, Idibus nihil opus esse. Velim ergo totum hoc ita gubernes, ut ne minima quidem re ulla Bruti commodum impediamus.
Sed quid est tandem, quod perhorrescas, quia tuo periculo iubeam libros dari Varroni? Etiam nunc si dubitas, fac, ut sciamus. Nihil est enim illis elegantius. Volo Varronem, praesertim cum ille desideret; sed est, ut scis, [Sidenote: _Iliad_, xi. 654] "δεινὸς ἀνήρ· τάχα κεν καὶ ἀναίτιον αἰτιόῳτο."
Ita mihi saepe occurrit vultus eius querentis fortasse vel hoc, meas partis in iis libris copiosius defensas esse quam suas, quod me hercule non esse intelleges, si quando in Epirum veneris. Nam nunc Alexionis epistulis cedimus. Sed tamen ego non despero probatum iri Varroni, et id, quoniam impensam fecimus in macrocolla, facile patior teneri. Sed, etiam atque etiam dico, tuo periculo fiet. Quare, si addubitas, ad Brutum transeamus; est enim is quoque Antiochius.
* * * * * Page 159 Brutus was that I had gathered from your note that he did not wish me to come to Rome now just to pay my respects to him—but, as you say you have read the letter, perhaps I was not quite clear. However, as I am just on the point of coming, please see that my presence on the 15th does not prevent his coming to Tusculum at his convenience. For I shall not want him at the auction—surely in such a business you alone will be enough: but I do want him when I make my will. That I would rather postpone for another day now, so as not to seem to have come to Rome expressly for that purpose. So I have written to Brutus now that I shall not want him, as I had thought, on the 15th. I should like you to look after all this and see that we don't inconvenience Brutus in the least.
But what on earth is the reason why you are so frightened at my bidding you send the books to Varro on your own responsibility? Even now, if you have any doubts, let me know. Nothing could be more finished than they are. I want Varro, especially as he desires it: but, as you know, he is "a fearsome man; the blameless he would blame." I often picture him to myself complaining of this perhaps, that my side in the books is more fully defended than his own, though I assure you, if ever you come to Epirus, I will convince you it is not. For at present I have to give way to Alexio's[133] letters. However, I don't despair of winning Varro's approval; and, as I have gone to the expense of a large paper copy, I should like to stick to my plan. But I repeat again, it must be on your responsibility. So, if you have doubts, let us change to Brutus: he is also a Footnote 133: Atticus' steward.
* * * * * Page 160 O Academiam volaticam et sui similem! modo huc, modo illuc. Sed, quaeso, epistula mea ad Varronem valdene tibi placuit? Male mi sit, si umquam quicquam tam enitar. Ergo ne Tironi quidem dictavi, qui totas περιοχὰς persequi solet, sed Spintharo syllabatim.
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[Sidenote: _Scr. in Tusculano prid. Id. Mai. a. 709_] De Vergili parte valde probo. Sic ages igitur. Et quidem id erit primum, proximum Clodiae. Quodsi neutrum, metuo, ne turbem et inruam in Drusum.
Intemperans sum in eius rei cupiditate, quam nosti. Itaque revolvor identidem in Tusculanum. Quidvis enim potius, quam ut non hac aestate absolvatur.
Ego, ut tempus est nostrum, locum habeo nullum, ubi facilius esse possim quam Asturae. Sed, quia, qui mecum sunt, credo, quod maestitiam meam non ferunt, domum properant, etsi poteram remanere, tamen, ut scripsi tibi, proficiscar hinc, ne relictus videar. Quo autem? Lanuvio conor equidem in Tusculanum. Sed faciam te statim certiorem. Tu litteras conficies.
Equidem credibile non est quantum scribam, quin etiam noctibus. Nihil enim somni. Heri etiam effeci epistulam ad Caesarem; tibi enim placebat.
Quam non fuit malum scribi, si forte opus * * * * * Page 161 follower of Antiochus. O that fickle Academy, always the same, now one thing, now another.[134] But pray tell me, were you very pleased with my letter to Varro. May I be hanged if I ever take so much trouble with anything again. So I did not even dictate it to Tiro, who can follow whole sentences as dictated, but syllable by syllable to Spintharus.
Footnote 134: Like Cicero's treatise, which had already been rewritten twice: cf.
XIII. 16.
XXVI CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.
About Vergilius'[135] share I approve; so arrange it like that. And indeed it will be my first choice, next to Clodia's. If neither, I fear I shall run amuck and make a dash for Drusus. As you know, I have lost control of myself in my desire for this. So I keep coming back to the idea of my place at Tusculum. For anything is better than not getting it finished this summer.
Footnote 135: Vergilius was one of the four co-heirs of Scapula. Cf. XII. 38a.
Under the present circumstances I am as comfortable at Astura as I could be anywhere. But as those who are with me are in a hurry to go home, I suppose because they cannot put up with my melancholy, though I might remain, I shall leave here, as I told you, so as not to seem deserted.
But where am I to go? From Lanuvium I am trying to bring myself to go to Tusculum. But I will let you know soon. Please write the letters. You wouldn't believe how much writing I get done by night as well as day, for I cannot sleep. Yesterday I even composed a letter to Caesar, as you desired. There was no harm in writing it in case you thought it necessary: as * * * * * Page 162 esse putares; ut quidem nunc est, nihil sane est necesse mittere. Sed id quidem, ut tibi videbitur. Mittam tamen ad te exemplum fortasse Lanuvio, nisi forte Romam. Sed eras scies.
XXVII CICERO ATTICO SAL.
[Sidenote: _Scr. in Tusculano VIII K. Iun. a. 709_] De epistula ad Caesarem nobis vero semper rectissime placuit, ut isti ante legerent. Aliter enim fuissemus et in hos inofficiosi, et in nosmet ipsos, si illum offensuri fuimus, paene periculosi. Isti autem ingenue; mihique gratum, quod, quid sentirent, non reticuerunt, illud vero vel optime, quod ita multa mutari volunt, ut mihi de integro scribendi causa non sit. Quamquam de Parthico bello quid spectare debui, nisi quod illum velle arbitrabar? Quod enim aliud argumentum epistulae nostrae nisi κολακεία fuit? An, si ea, quae optima putarem, suadere voluissem, oratio mihi defuisset? Totis igitur litteris nihil opus est. Ubi enim ἐπίτευγμα magnum nullum fieri possit, ἀπότευγμα vel non magnum molestum futurum sit, quid opus est παρακινδυνεύειν? praesertim cum illud occurrat, illum, cum antea nihil scripserim, existimaturum me nisi toto bello confecto nihil scripturum fuisse. Atque etiam vereor, ne putet me hoc quasi Catonis μείλιγμα esse voluisse. Quid quaeris? valde me paenitebat, nec mihi in hac quidem re quicquam magis ut vellem accidere potuit, quam quod σπουδὴ nostra non est probata. Incidissimus etiam in illos, in eis in cognatum tuum.
* * * * * Page 163 things are, there is certainly no need to send it. But let that be as you like. However, I will send you a copy, perhaps from Lanuvium, unless I happen to come to Rome. But you shall know to-morrow.
XXVII CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.
As for the letter to Caesar, I was always ready to let your friends read it first. If I had not been, I should not have done my duty by them, and should very nearly have imperilled myself, if I were likely to offend him. But they have acted frankly, and I am thankful to them for not concealing their feelings; but the best thing of all is that they want to make so many alterations that there is no sense in my writing it all over again. However, what view ought I to have taken of the Parthian war except what I thought he wanted? Indeed what other purpose had my letter save to kowtow to him? Do you suppose I should have been at a loss for words, if I had wanted to give him the advice which I really thought best? So the whole letter is unnecessary. For, when I cannot make a _coup_, and a fiasco, however slight, would be unpleasant, why should I run unnecessary risk? Especially as it occurs to me that, as I have not written before, he would think I should not have written until the whole war were over. Besides I am afraid he may think it is to sugar the pill of my Cato. In fact I am very sorry I wrote it, and nothing could suit my wishes better than that they do disapprove of my zeal. I should have fallen foul of[136] Caesar's party, and among them your relative.
Footnote 136: Or "come into contact with." _Cognatum_ refers to young Quintus.
* * * * * Page 164 Sed redeo ad hortos. Plane illuc te ire nisi tuo magno commodo nolo; nihil enim urget. Quicquid erit, operam in Faberio ponamus. De die tamen auctionis, si quid scies. Eum, qui e Cumano venerat, quod et plane valere Atticam nuntiabat et litteras se habere aiebat, statim ad te misi.
XXVIII CICERO ATTICO SAL.
[Sidenote: _Scr. in Tusculano VII K. Iun. a. 709_] Hortos quoniam hodie eras inspecturus, quid visum tibi sit, eras scilicet. De Faberio autem, cum venerit. De epistula ad Ceasaremiurato, mihi crede, non possum; nec me turpitudo deterret, etsi maxime debebat.
Quam enim turpis est adsentatio, cum vivere ipsum turpe sit nobis! Sed, ut coepi, non me hoc turpe deterret. Ac vellem quidem (essem enim, qui esse debebam), sed in mentem nihil venit. Nam, quae sunt ad Alexandrum hominum eloquentium et doctorum suasiones, vides, quibus in rebus versentur. Adulescentem incensum cupiditate verissimae gloriae, cupientem sibi aliquid consilii dari, quod ad laudem sempiternam valeret, cohortantur ad decus. Non deest oratio; ego quid possum? Tamen nescio quid e quercu exsculpseram, quod videretur simile simulacri. In eo quia non nulla erant paulo meliora quam ea, quae fiunt et facta sunt, reprehenduntur; quod me minime paenitet. Si enim pervenissent istae litterae, mihi crede, nos paeniteret. Quid? tu non * * * * * Page 165 But to return to the gardens. I don't in the least want you to go there, unless it is quite convenient to you: for there is no hurry. Whatever happens let us direct our efforts towards Faberius. However send me the date of the auction, if you know it. I have sent this man, who came from Cumae, straight on to you, as he said Attica was quite well and he had letters.
XXVIII CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.
As you are going to look at the garden to-day, I shall of course hear from you to-morrow what you think of it; and about Faberius, when he has come. About the letter to Caesar, I give you my word of honour I cannot; it is not the shame of the thing that prevents me, though that is just what ought. Ah, how shameful is flattery, when life alone is a disgrace!
But, as I was beginning to say, it is not the shame of it that prevents me—I only wish it were, for then I should be the man I ought to be—but I cannot think of anything to write. Just consider the subjects of the letters of advice addressed to Alexander by men of eloquence and learning. Here was a youth fired by a desire for the truest glory and desiring to have some advice given him on the subject of eternal fame, and they exhort him to follow honour. There is plenty to say on that: but what can I say? However, from hard material I had rough hewn something that seemed to me to take shape. Because there were a few touches in it a little better than the actual facts past or present, fault is found with them; and I don't regret it a bit. For, if the letter had reached its destination, believe me, I should have regretted it. Why, don't you * * * * * Page 166 vides ipsum illum Aristoteli discipulum summo ingenio, summa modestia, posteaquam rex appellatus sit, superbum, crudelem, immoderatum fuisse?
Quid? tu hunc de pompa Quirini contubernalem his nostris moderatis epistulis laetaturum putas? Ille vero potius non scripta desideret quam scripta non probet. Postremo ut volet. Abiit illud, quod tum me stimulabat, cum tibi dabam πρόβλημα Ἀρχιμήδειον. Multo mehercule magis nunc opto casum illum, quem tum timebam, vel quem libebit.
Nisi quid te aliud impediet, mi optato veneris. Nicias a Dolabella magno opere arcessitus (legi enim litteras), etsi invito me, tamen eodem me auctore, profectus est.
Hoc manu mea. Cum quasi alias res quaererem de philologis e Nicia, incidimus in Talnam. Ille de ingenio nihil nimis, modestum et frugi. Sed hoc mihi non placuit. Se scire aiebat ab eo nuper petitam Cornificiam, Q. filiam, vetulam sane et multarum nuptiarum; non esse probatum mulieribus, quod ita reperirent, rem non maiorem ¯DCCC¯. Hoc putavi te scire oportere.
XXIX CICERO ATTICO SAL.
[Sidenote: _Scr. in Tusculano VI K Iun. a. 709_] De hortis ex tuis litteris cognovi et Chrysippo. In villa, cuius insulsitatem bene noram, video nihil * * * * * Page 167 see that even that pupil of Aristotle, in spite of his high ability and his high character, became proud, cruel, and ungovernable, after he got the title of king? How do you suppose this puppet messmate of Quirinus[137] will like my moderate letters? Let him rather look for what I do not write than disapprove of what I have written. In short let it be as he pleases. What was spurring me on when I put that insoluble problem[138] before you has all gone now. Upon my word now I should far rather welcome the misfortune I feared then or any other.
Footnote 137: Caesar. Cf. _Att._ XII. 45, 3.
Footnote 138: What to write to Caesar. Cf. _Att._ XII. 40, 2.
If there is nothing to prevent you, come to me and welcome. Nicias at Dolabella's urgent request (for I read the letter) has gone, against my will though not against my advice.
The rest I have written myself. When I was discussing men of learning with Nicias, we chanced to speak of Talna. He had not much to say for his intelligence, though he gave him a good and steady character. But there was one thing that seemed to me unsatisfactory. He said he knew he had lately sought in marriage Cornificia, Quintus' daughter, though quite an old woman and married more than once before; but the ladies would not agree as they found he was not worth more than 7,000 guineas.[139] I thought you ought to know this.
Footnote 139: 800,000 sesterces.
XXIX CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.
I have heard all about the gardens from your letter and from Chrysippus.
I was well aware of the bad taste shown in the house, and I see there * * * * * Page 168 aut pauca mutata; balnearia tamen laudat maiora, de minoribus ait hiberna effici posse. Tecta igitur ambulatiuncula addenda est; quam ut tantam faciamus, quantam in Tusculano fecimus, prope dimidio minoris constabit isto loco. Ad id autem, quod volumus, ἀφίδρυμα nihil aptius videtur quam lucus, quem ego noram; sed celebritatem nullam tum habebat, nunc audio maximam. Nihil est, quod ego malim. In hoc τὸν τῦφόν μου πρὸς θεῶν τροποφόρησον. Reliquum est, si Faberius nobis nomen illud explicat, noli quaerere, quanti; Othonem vincas volo. Nec tamen insaniturum illum puto; nosse enim mihi hominem videor. Ita male autem audio ipsum esse tractatum, ut mihi ille emptor non esse videatur. Quid enim? pateretur?
Sed quid argumentor? Si Faberianum explicas, emamus vel magno; si minus, ne parvo quidem possumus. Clodiam igitur. A qua ipsa ob eam causam sperare videor, quod et multo minoris sunt, et Dolabellae nomen tam expeditum videtur, ut etiam repraesentatione confidam. De hortis satis.
Cras aut te aut causam; quam quidem puto[140] futuram Faberianam. Sed, si poteris.
Footnote 140: puto _added by Wesenberg_.
Ciceronis epistulam tibi remisi. O te ferreum, qui illius periculis non moveris! Me quoque accusat. Eam tibi epistulam misi semissem.[141] Nam illam alteram Footnote 141: misi semissem _Purser_: misissem _MSS._ * * * * * Page 169 has been little or no alteration; however, he praises the larger bath and thinks the smaller could be made into a winter snuggery. So a covered passage would have to be added, and, if I made one the same size as that at my place at Tusculum, the cost would be about half as much in that district. However, for the erection we want to make nothing could be more suitable than the grove, which I used to know well; then it was not at all frequented, now I hear it is very much so. There is nothing I should prefer. In this, humour my whim, in heaven's name. For the rest, if Faberius pays that debt, don't bother about the cost; I want you to outbid Otho: and I don't think he will bid wildly, for I fancy I know the man. Besides I hear he has had such bad luck that I doubt if he will buy. For would he put up with it, if he could help it?[142] But what is the good of talking? If you get the money from Faberius, let us buy even at a high price; if not, we cannot even at a low. So then we must fall back on Clodia. In her case I see more grounds for hope, as her property is worth much less, and Dolabella's debt seems so safe that I feel confident of being able to pay in ready money. Enough about the gardens.
To-morrow I shall either see you or hear the reason why not. I expect that will be the business with Faberius. But come, if you can.
Footnote 142: Probably, as Manutius suggests, this means "would he endure the wrong he has suffered, if he had any means left."
I am sending young Quintus' letter. How hard-hearted of you not to tremble at his hair-breadth escapes. He complains about me too. I have sent you half the letter. The other half about his * * * * * Page 170 de rebus gestis eodem exemplo puto. In Cumanum hodie misi tabellarium.
Ei dedi tuas ad Vestorium, quas Pharnaci dederas.
XXX CICERO ATTICO SAL.
[Sidenote: _Scr. in Tusculano V K. Iun. post ep. XXXI a. 709_] Commodum ad te miseram Demean, cum Eros ad me venit. Sed in eius epistula nihil erat novi nisi auctionem biduum. Ab ea igitur, ut scribis, et velim confecto negotio Faberiano; quem quidem negat Eros hodie, cras mane putat. A te colendus est; istae autem κολακεῖαι non longe absunt a scelere. Te, ut spero, perendie.
Mi, sicunde potes, erues, qui decem legati Mummio fuerint. Polybius non nominat. Ego memini Albinum consularem et Sp. Mummium; videor audisse ex Hortensio Tuditanum. Sed in Libonis annali XIIII annis post praetor est factus Tuditanus quam consul Mummius. Non sane quadrat. Volo aliquem Olympiae aut ubi visum πολιτικὸν σύλλογον more Dicaearchi, familiaris tui.
XXXI CICERO ATTICO SAL.
[Sidenote: _Scr. in Tusculano eodem die quo ep. XXX paulo ante a. 709_] V Kal. mane accepi a Demea litteras pridie datas, ex quibus aut hodie aut eras exspectare te deberem. Sed, ut opinor, idem ego, qui exspecto tuum adventum, morabor te. Non enim puto tam expeditum Faberianum negotium futurum, etiamsi est futurum, * * * * * Page 171 adventures I think you have in duplicate. I have sent a messenger to-day to Cumae. I have given him your letter to Vestorius, which you had given to Pharnaces.
XXX CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.
I had just sent Demeas to you, when Eros arrived. But in his letter there was no news except that the auction lasts two days. So you will come after it, as you say, and I hope the business with Faberius will be settled. Eros thinks he will not settle up to-day, but will to-morrow morning. You must be polite to him; though such kowtowing is almost criminal. I hope you will come the day after to-morrow.
Dig out for me from somewhere, if you can, the names of Mummius' ten legates. Polybius does not give them. I remember Albinus the ex-consul and Sp. Mummius; and I think Hortensius told me Tuditanus. But in Libo's annals Tuditanus was praetor fourteen years after Mummius' consulship.
That does not square at all. I am thinking of writing a kind of political conference, held at Olympia or wherever you like, like that of your friend Dicaearchus.
XXXI CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.
On the 28th in the morning Demeas delivered a letter dated the day before, from which I ought to expect you either to-day or to-morrow.
But, I suppose, I who am looking forward to your coming, shall be the very person who will delay it. For I don't expect the business with Faberius will be so far settled, even if it is to be settled, that it will not * * * * * Page 172 ut non habeat aliquid morae. Cum poteris igitur. Quoniam etiamnum abes, Dicaearchi, quos scribis, libros sane velim mi mittas, addas etiam κατάβασεως.
De epistula ad Caesarem κέκρικα; atqui[143] id ipsum, quod isti aiunt illum scribere, se nisi constitutis rebus non iturum in Parthos, idem ego suadebam in illa epistula. Utrum liberet, facere posse auctore me.
Hoc enim ille exspectat videlicet neque est facturus quicquam nisi de meo consilio. Obsecro, abiciamus ista et semiliberi saltem simus; quod adsequemur et tacendo et latendo.
Footnote 143: atqui _Wesenberg_: atque _MSS._ Sed adgredere Othonem, ut scribis. Confice, mi Attice, istam rem. Nihil enim aliud reperio, ubi et in foro non sim et tecum esse possim. Quanti autem, hoc mihi venit in mentem. C. Albanius proximus est vicinus. Is CIↃ iugerum de M. Pilio emit, ut mea memoria est, HS ¯CXV¯. Omnia scilicet nunc minoris. Sed accedit cupiditas, in qua praeter Othonem non puto nos ullum adversarium habituros. Sed eum ipsum tu poteris movere, facilius etiam, si Canum haberes. O gulam insulsam! Pudet me patris.
Rescribes, si quid voles.
* * * * * Page 173 cause some delay. So come when you can. Since you are still away, I should like you to send me the books of Dicaearchus, which you mention, with the _Descent_.[144] Footnote 144: So called because it described a visit to the cave of Trophonius in Arcadia.
As for the letter to Caesar I have made up my mind; and yet precisely what they say he says in his letter, that he will not go against the Parthians until affairs are arranged here, is what I advised in my letter. I told him he could do whichever he chose with my full leave.
For of course he wants that and won't do anything without my advice. For heaven's sake let us give up flattery and be at least half-free; and that we can manage by keeping quiet and out of sight.
But approach Otho, as you say, and finish that business, my dear Atticus. For I don't see any other way of keeping away from the forum and yet being with you. As to the price, this has just occurred to me.
The nearest neighbour is C. Albanius. He bought some 600 acres[145] of M. Pilius, so far as I can recollect for £110,000.[146] Of course everything has gone down in value now. But on the other side counts our eagerness to purchase, though I don't suppose we shall have anyone bidding against us except Otho. Him however you can influence personally, and could still more easily, if you had Canus with you. What senseless gluttony![147] Shame on his father! Answer, if you want to say anything.
Footnote 146: 11,500,000 sesterces.
Footnote 147: Probably this refers to some act of young Quintus Cicero.
[Sidenote: _Scr. in Tusculano IV K. Iun. a. 709_] Alteram a te epistulam cum hodie accepissem, nolui te una mea contentum.
Tu vero age, quod scribis, de Faberio. In eo enim totum est positum id, quod cogitamus; quae cogitatio si non incidisset, mihi crede, istuc ut cetera non laborarem. Quam ob rem, ut facis (istuc enim addi nihil potest), urge, insta, perfice.
Dicaearchi περὶ ψυχῆς utrosque velim mittas et καταβάσεως. Τριπολιτικὸν non invenio et epistulam eius, quam ad Aristoxenum misit. Tres eos libros maxime nunc vellem; apti essent ad id, quod cogito. Torquatus Romae est. Misi, ut tibi daretur. Catulum et Lucullum, ut opinor, antea.
His libris nova prohoemia sunt addita, quibus eorum uterque laudatur.
Eas litteras volo habeas, et sunt quaedam alia. Et, quod ad te de decem legatis scripsi, parum intellexisti, credo, quia διὰ σημείων scripseram.
De C. Tuditano enim quaerebam, quem ex Hortensio audieram fuisse in decem. Eum video in Libonis praetorem P. Popilio, P. Rupilio coss. Annis XIIII ante, quam praetor factus est, legatus esse potuisset, nisi admodum sero quaestor esset factus? quod non arbitror. Video * * * * * Page 175 XXXII CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.
As I have received two letters from you to-day, I did not think it right that you should content yourself with only one of mine. Pray do as you say about Faberius. For on that depends entirely what I am thinking of.
And, if that idea had never occurred to me, believe me I should not bother about that any more than anything else. So continue your energy—for you cannot add to it—and push on and finish the matter.
Please send me Dicaearchus' two books _About the Soul_ and the _Descent_. I can't find the _Mixed Constitution_[148] and the letter he sent to Aristoxenus. I should much like to have those three books now; they would bear on what I am planning. Torquatus[149] is in Rome. I have sent orders for it to be given to you. Catulus and Lucullus I believe you have already. I have added new prefaces to the books, in which each of them is mentioned with honour. Those compositions I should like you to have, and there are some others too. What I said about the ten legates, you did not fully understand, I suppose because I wrote it in shorthand.[150] I was asking about C. Tuditanus, who Hortensius told me was one of them. I see in Libo that he was praetor in the consulship of P. Popilius and P. Rupilius. Could he have been legate fourteen years before he was praetor, unless he was very late in getting the quaestorship? I don't think that was the case; for Footnote 148: So called because it represented the ideal State as a mixture of monarchy, aristocracy, and democracy.
Footnote 149: _i.e._ _De Finibus_, Bk. I., in which Torquatus is the chief speaker.
Similarly, Catulus and Lucullus are the first two books of the _Academica_ in its first form.
Footnote 150: Or _demi-mots_, as Tyrrell renders it.
* * * * * Page 176 enim curules magistratus eum legitimis annis perfacile cepisse.
Postumium autem, cuius statuam in Isthmo meminisse te dicis, nesciebam fuisse. Is autem est, qui cos. cum L. Lucullo fuit; quem tu mihi addidisti sane ad illum σύλλογον personam idoneam. Videbis igitur, si poteris, ceteros, ut possimus πομπεῦσαι καὶ τοῖς προσώποις.
XXXIII CICERO ATTICO SAL.
[Sidenote: _Scr. in Tusculano III Non. Iun. a. 709_] O neglegentiam miram! Semelne putas mihi dixisse Balbum et Faberium professionem relatam? qui etiam eorum iussu miserim, qui profiteretur.
Ita enim oportere dicebant. Professus est Philotimus libertus. Nosti, credo, librarium. Sed scribes et quidem confectum. Ad Faberium, ut tibi placet, litteras misi, cum Balbo autem puto te aliquid fecisse hodie[151] in Capitolio. In Vergilio mihi nulla est δυσωπία. Nec enim eius causa sane debeo, et, si emero, quid erit, quod postulet? Sed videbis, ne is tum sit in Africa ut Caelius.
Footnote 151: De nomine tu videbis cum Cispio; sed, si Plancus destinat, tum habet res difficultatem. Te ad me venire uterque nostrum cupit; sed ista res nullo modo relinquenda est. Othonem quod speras posse * * * * * Page 177 I see he won the curule offices quite easily in the proper years. But I did not know that Postumius, whose statue you say you remember in the Isthmus, was one of them. He was the man who was consul with L.
Lucullus; and it is a very suitable person you have added to my conference. So please look up the others too, if you can, that I may make a show with my _dramatis personæ_, as well as my subject.
XXXIII CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.
What extraordinary carelessness! Do you think it was only once that I have been told by Balbus and Faberius that the return[152] had been