I return to town affairs. Since you are staying in Rome, in heaven’s name, do support and establish my plea to be let off with one year of office without additions to the calendar. Execute all my commissions; particularly get over that hitch in my private affairs of which you are aware, and over the business with Caesar. It was you who led me to try to pay my debt, and I am glad. If you understand my penchant to know and trouble about what is happening in public life, or rather what is going to happen, write to me in full and with accuracy, especially whether there is any break-down at all in the trials that have been held or are going to be held. If you are interested about the aqueduct, and if the contractor is at work, please give it your attention.
XIV
CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.
Tralles, July 27, B.C. 51
You must not expect long letters from me nor always letters in my own handwriting, till I have settled down somewhere. When I have time, I will guarantee both. I am now engaged on a hot and dusty journey. I wrote yesterday from Ephesus; to-day
Epheso pridie; has dedi Trallibus. In provincia mea fore me putabam Kal. Sextilibus. Ex ea die, si me amas, παράπηγμα ἐνιαύσιον commoveto. Interea tamen haec mihi, quae vellem, adferebantur, primum otium Parthicum, dein confectae pactiones publicanorum, postremo seditio militum sedata ab Appio stipendiumque eis usque ad Idus Quinctiles persolutum.
Nos Asia accepit admirabiliter. Adventus noster nemini ne minimo quidem fuit sumptui. Spero meos omnes servire laudi meae. Tamen magno timore sum, sed bene speramus. Omnes iam nostri praeter Tullium tuum venerunt. Erat mihi in animo recta proficisci ad exercitum, aestivos menses reliquos rei militari dare, hibernos iuris dictioni.
Tu velim, si me nihilo minus nosti curiosum in re publica quam te, scribas ad me omnia, quae sint, quae futura sint. Nihil mihi gratius facere potes; nisi tamen id erit mihi gratissimum, si, quae tibi mandavi, confeceris imprimisque illud ἐνδόμυχον, quo mihi scis nihil esse carius. Habes epistulam plenam festinationis et pulveris; reliquae subtiliores erunt.
XV
CICERO ATTICO SAL.
Scr. Laodiceae III Non. Sext. a. 703
Laodiceam veni pridie Kal. Sextiles. Ex hoc die clavum anni movebis. Nihil exoptatius adventu meo,