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,
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.
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
[133]. Atticus' steward.
160O 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.