Letter 397

I must tell you my brother Quintus is jumping for joy. For his son has written saying that his reason for wanting to take refuge with Brutus is, that when Antony asked him to secure him the dictatorship and seize some fort, he refused, and the reason for recusasse autem se, ne patris animum offenderet; ex eo sibi illum hostem. "Tum me," inquit, "collegi verens, ne quid mihi ille iratus tibi noceret. Itaque eum placavi. Et quidem ¯CCCC¯ certa, reliqua in spe." Scribit autem Statius illum cum patre habitare velle (hoc vero mirum) et id gaudet. Ecquem tu illo certiorem nebulonem? Ἐποχὴν vestram de re Cani probo. Nihil eram suspicatus de tabulis, ἀκεραίως restitutam arbitrabar. Quae differs, ut mecum coram, exspectabo. Tabellarios, quoad voles, tenebis; es enim occupatus. Quod ad Xenonem, probe. Quod scribo, cum absolvero. Quinto scripsisti te ad eum litteras. Nemo attulerat. Tiro negat iam tibi placere Brundisium et quidem dicere aliquid de militibus. At ego iam destinaram Hydruntem quidem. Movebant me tuae quinque horae. Hic autem quantus πλοῦς! Sed videbimus. Nullas a te XI Kal. Quippe, quid enim iam novi? Cum primum igitur poteris, venies. Ego propero, ne ante Sextus; quem adventare aiunt. his refusal was that he did not want to hurt his father's feelings; and from that time Antony has been his enemy. "Then," he says, "I pulled myself together for fear that he should do you some mischief in his wrath with me; and so I smoothed him down, and indeed got £4,000 in cash, and have hopes of some more." Statius, however, says he wants to live with his father—which is a wonder—and my brother is delighted about it. Did you ever see a more thorough rascal? I approve of your hesitation in the arrangement with Canus. I had no idea about the documents; I thought her dowry had been paid back in full. I shall look forward to the matters you refrain from mentioning till we meet. Keep the messengers as long as you like, as you are busy. As to Xeno, quite right. What I am writing I will send when it is finished. You told Quintus you had sent him a letter, but none has been brought as yet. Tiro says you disapprove of Brundisium now, and indeed says something about soldiers. But I have already fixed upon Hydrus. Your saying that it was only a fivehour passage decided me. Think of the endless voyage from here. But we shall see. I had no letter from you on the 21st. Of course, for what news can there be now? Come, then, as soon as you can. I am in a hurry, for Sextus may get here before I leave. They say he is coming.

xvii Kal. etsi satis videbar scripsisse ad te quid mihi opus esset et quid te facere vellem, si tibi commodum esset, tamen cum profectus essem et in lacu navigarem, Tironem statui ad te esse mittendum, ut iis negotiis quae agerentur interesset, atque etiam scripsi ad Dolabellam me, si ei videretur, velle proficisci petiique ab eo de mulis vecturae. [2] ut in his (quoniam intellego te distentissimum esse qua de Buthrotiis qua de Bruto, cuius etiam ludorum sumptuosorum curam et administrationem suspicor ex magna parte ad te pertinere) ut ergo in eius modi re tribues nobis paulum operae; nec enim multum opus est. mihi res ad caedem et eam quidem propinquam spectare videtur. vides homines, vides arma. prorsus non mihi videor esse tutus. sin tu aliter sentis, velim ad me scribas. domi enim manere, si recte possum, multo malo.