Letter 405

I am sending you Brutus' letter. Heavens, what a helpless condition he is in! You will understand when you have read it. I agree about the celebration of his games. Don't go to Aelius' house on any account, but speak to him if you happen to meet him. Take M. Axianus' advice about the half of Tullius' debt, as you suggest. What you have done with Cosianus is excellent. Thanks for clearing up my affairs and your own at the same time. I am glad you approve of my appointment. God grant your promises come true. For what could suit me and mine better? But I am afraid of the proviso excipis, metuo. Brutum cum convenero, perscribam omnia. De Planco et Decimo sane velim. Sextum scutum abicere nolebam. De Mundo, si quid scies. Rescripsi ad omnia tua; nunc nostra accipe. Quintus filius usque Puteolos (mirus civis, ut tu Favonium Asinium dicas) et quidem duas ob causas, et ut mecum et σπείσασθαι vult cum Bruto et Cassio. Sed tu quid ais? Scio enim te familiarem esse Othonum. Ait hic sibi Iuliam ferre; constitutum enim esse discidium. Quaesivit ex me pater, qualis esset fama. Dixi nihil sane me audisse (nesciebam enim, cur quaereret) nisi de ore et patre. "Sed quorsus?" inquam. At ille filium velle. Tum ego, etsi ἐβδελυττόμην, tamen negavi putare me illa esse vera. Σκοπὸς est enim huic nostro nihil praebere, illa autem οὐ παρὰ τοῦτον. Ego tamen suspicor hunc, ut solet, alucinari. Sed velim quaeras (facile autem potes) et me certiorem. Obsecro te, quid est hoc? Signata iam epistula Formiani, qui apud me cenabant, Plancum se aiebant hunc Buthrotium pridie, quam hoc scribebam, id est III Non., vidisse demissum, sine phaleris; servulos autem dicere eum et agripetas eiectos a Buthrotiis. Macte! Sed, amabo te, perscribe mihi totum negotium. you make about Attica's ill-health. When I meet Brutus I will tell you all about him. I hope you are right about Plancus and Decimus. I am sorry if Sextus is throwing down his shield. Give me news of Mundus if you have any. I have answered all your points: now for my own news. Young Quintus is coming with me as far as Puteoli—what a noble citizen! you might call him a Favonius Asinius. He has two reasons: he wants to be with me and to make peace with Brutus and Cassius. But what have you to say to this? For I know you are intimate with the Othones. He says that Julia proposed it herself, for a divorce has been arranged. His father has asked me what sort of reputation she has. Not knowing why he asked, I said I had never heard anything about her except about her looks and her father. "But why?" I asked: and he said his son wanted her. Then, though I was disgusted, I said I did not believe in those reports. My brother's point is not to offer him any allowance, but she says it is no business of his. I suspect, however, he is indulging in fairy tales as usual. Still I should like you to make enquiries, which will be no trouble to you, and let me know. What, pray, is this? When I had already sealed this letter, some Formians, who were dining with me, said they had seen Plancus—the one from Buthrotus—the day before I wrote this, that is, on the 5th, with downcast mien and unapparelled steed; and that his boys said he and the land-grabbers had been ejected by the Buthrotians. Well done they! But pray let me know all the circumstances.

de Quinti negotio video <a> te omnia facta. ille tamen dolet dubitans utrum morem gerat Leptae an fidem infirmet filio. inaudivi L. Pisonem velle exire legatum yeudeggra/fw? senatus consulto. velim scire quid sit. tabellarius ille quem tibi dixeram me ad Brutum esse missurum in Anagninum ad me venit ea nocte quae proxima ante Kal. fuit litterasque ad me attulit; in quibus unum alienum summa sua prudentia, idem illud, ut spectem ludos suos. rescripsi scilicet primum me iam profectum, ut <non> integrum sit; deinde a)topw/taton esse me qui Romam omnino post haec arma non accesserim neque id tam periculi mei causa fecerim quam dignitatis subito ad ludos venire. tali enim tempore ludos facere illi honestum est cui necesse est, spectare mihi ut non est necesse sic ne honestum. quidem est. equidem illos celebrari et esse quam gratissimos mirabiliter cupio idque ita futurum esse confido et tecum ago ut iam ab ipsa commissione ad me quem ad modum accipiantur hi ludi, deinde omnia reliquorum ludorum in dies singulos persequare. sed de ludis hactenus. [2] reliqua pars epistulae est illa quidem in utramque partem, sed tamen non nullos interdum iacit igniculos virilis. quod quale tibi videretur ut posses interpretari, misi ad te exemplum epistulae; quamquam mihi tabellarius noster dixerat tibi quoque se attulisse litteras a Bruto easque ad te e Tusculano esse delatas. [3] ego itinera sic composueram ut Nonis Quintilibus Puteolis essem; valde enim festino, ita tamen ut quantum homo possit quam cautissime navigem. [4] M. Aelium cura liberabis; me paucos pedes in extremo fundo et eos quidem subterraneos servitutis putasse aliquid habituros. id me iam iam nolle neque mihi aquam esse tanti. sed ut mihi dicebas, quam lenissime, potius ut cura liberetur quam ut me suscensere aliquid suspicetur. item de illo Tulliano capite libere cum Cascellio loquere. parva res est, sed tu bene attendisti. nimis callide agebatur. ego autem si mihi imposuisset aliquid, quod paene fecit nisi tua malitia adfuisset, animo iniquo tulissem. itaque, ut ut erit, rem impediri malo. octavam partem tuli luminarum medium ad strane memineris cui Caerellia videris mancipio dare ad eam summam quae sub praecone fuit maxima. id opinor esse C_C_C_L_X_X_X. _. [5] novi si quid erit atque etiam si quid prospicies quod futurum putes, scribas ad me quam saepissime velim, Varroni, quem ad modum tibi mandavi, memineris excusare tarditatem litterarum mearum. mundus iste cum M. Ennio quid egerit de testamento (curiosus <sum> enim) facias me velim certiorem. ex Arpinati vi non.