Letter 329

What extraordinary carelessness! Do you think it was only once that I have been told by Balbus and Faberius that the return had been made? Why it was at their suggestion that I sent a man to make it, for they said I ought to do so. It was my freedman Philotimus who made the return; you know him, I think, a copyist. But you must write and let me know it is finished. I have sent a letter as you advise to Faberius. With Balbus I think you have made some arrangement in the Capitol to-day. About Vergilius I have no scruples; for there is no reason why I should have in his case; and, if I buy, what claim will he have? But see that he may not be in Africa then like Caelius. The debt you must look into with Cispius; but, if Plancus intends to bid, there will be difficulties. That you should come to me would suit us both, but that business cannot possibly be thrown up. It is vinci, sane bene narras. De aestimatione, ut scribis, cum agere coeperimus; etsi nihil scripsit nisi de modo agri. Cum Pisone, si quid poterit. Dicaearchi librum accepi et καταβάσεως exspecto. ... negotium dederis, reperiet ex eo libro, in quo sunt senatus consulta Cn. Cornelio, L. Mummio coss. De Tuditano autem quod putas, εὔλογον est tum illum, quoniam fuit ad Corinthum (non enim temere dixit Hortensius), aut quaestorem aut tribunum mil. fuisse, idque potius credo. Tu de Antiocho scire poteris videlicet etiam, quo anno quaestor aut tribunus mil. fuerit; si neutrum, saltem, in praefectis an in contubernalibus fuerit, modo fuerit in eo bello. We were talking of Varro: talk of the devil, you know, for here he came and at such an hour that I had to ask him to stop. But I did not cling so closely to him as to "tear his cloak" (for I remember that phrase of yours), and there were a lot of them and I was unprepared. But what does that matter? Just afterwards came C. Capito and T. Carrinas. Their cloaks I hardly touched; but they stayed and it turned out all right. By chance Capito began sermo a Capitone de urbe augenda, a ponte Mulvio Tiberim duci secundum montes Vaticanos, campum Martium coaedificari, illum autem campum Vaticanum fieri quasi Martium campum. "Quid ais?" inquam; "at ego ad tabulam, ut, si recte possem, Scapulanos hortos." "Cave facias," inquit; "nam ista lex perferetur; vult enim Caesar." Audire me facile passus sum, fieri autem moleste fero. Sed tu quid ais? Quamquam quid quaero? Nosti diligentiam Capitonis in rebus novis perquirendis. Non concedit Camillo. Facies me igitur certiorem de Idibus. Ista enim me res adducebat. Eo adiunxeram ceteras, quas consequi tamen biduo aut triduo post facile potero. Te tamen in via confici minime volo; quin etiam Dionysio ignosco. De Bruto quod scribis, feci, ut ei liberum esset, quod ad me attineret. Scripsi enim ad eum heri Idibus eius opera mihi nihil opus esse.

v Kal. mane accepi a Demea litteras pridie datas ex quibus aut hodie aut cras <te> exspectare deberem. sed, ut opinor, idem ego qui exspecto tuum adventum morabor te. non enim puto tam expeditum Faberianum negotium futurum, etiam si est futurum ut <non> habeat aliquid morae. [2] cum poteris igitur. quoniam etiamnum abes, Dicaearchi quos scribis libros sane velim mi mittas, addas etiam kataba/sewj . [3] de epistula ad Caesarem kekrika ; atque 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. [4] 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 ci[c] iugerum de M. Pilio emit, ut mea memoria est, HS c_x_v_. 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.