Yes, I will take advantage of the postponement of the day of sale; and it was very kind of you to inform me of it, especially to let me have a letter, when I did not expect one, and to write it at the games. There are, to be sure, some things I have to do at Rome; but I will attend to them two days later.
XLIV
CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.
Tusculum, July 20 or 21, B.C. 45
What a delightful letter yours was! Though the procession[[173]] was unpleasant news; still it is not unpleasant to know everything, even about Cotta.[[174]] The people were splendid not even to clap Victory because of her bad neighbour. Brutus was staying with me and highly approved of my writing something to Caesar. I assented; but the procession puts me off. Have you really dared to send my book to Varro! I am eager for his opinion. But when will he finish reading it? I agree about Attica. It is something that the spirits are relieved by the spectacle and by the general feeling of religious associations. I wish you would send me Cotta; I have Libo and before that I had Casca. Brutus brought me a message from T. Ligarius that the mention of L. Corfidius in my speech for Ligarius is a mistake. But it is a lapsus memoriae, as they say. I knew that Corfidius was extremely
[173]. A procession at the Ludi Circenses, in which Caesar's image was carried among the gods, next to Victory.
[174]. Cotta had suggested that Caesar should adopt the title of king, stating that the Sibylline books said Parthia could only be conquered by a king.
198sed eum video ante esse mortuum. Da igitur, quaeso, negotium Pharnaci, Antaeo, Salvio, ut id nomen ex omnibus libris tollatur.
XLV
CICERO ATTICO SAL.
Scr. in Tusculano III Id. Sext. a. 709
Fuit apud me Lamia post discessum tuum epistulamque ad me attulit missam sibi a Caesare. Quae quamquam ante data erat quam illae Diocharinae, tamen plane declarabat illum ante ludos Romanos esse venturum. In qua extrema scriptum erat, ut ad ludos omnia pararet, neve committeret, ut frustra ipse properasset. Prorsus ex his litteris non videbatur esse dubium, quin ante eam diem venturus esset, itemque Balbo, cum eam epistulam legisset, videri Lamia dicebat.