Dies feriarum mihi additos video, sed quam multos, fac, si me amas, sciam. De Baebio poteris et de altero vicino Egnatio.
Quod me hortaris, ut eos dies consumam in philosophia explicanda, currentem tu quidem; sed cum Dolabella vivendum esse istis diebus vides. Quodnisi me Torquati causa teneret, satis erat dierum, ut Puteolos excurrere possem et ad tempus redire. Lamia quidem a Balbo, ut videbatur, audiverat multos nummos domi esse numeratos, quos oporteret quam primum dividi, magnum pondus argenti; auctionem praeter praedia primo quoque tempore fieri oportere. Scribas ad me velim, quid tibi placeat.
friendly with the Ligarii; but I see he was dead before the trial. So please get Pharnaces, Antaeus and Salvius to erase the name from all copies.
XLV
CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.
Tusculum, Aug. 11, B.C. 45
Lamia was with me after you left, and brought me a letter Caesar had sent to him. Though it was despatched earlier than those of Diochares, still it asserted plainly that he would come before the Roman games.[[175]] At the end he told him to make all preparations for the games and not let him hurry back for nothing. From this letter there certainly seemed no doubt that he would come before that date; and Lamia said that Balbus thought so too, when he read the letter.
[175]. September 15-19.
I see I have some additional days' holiday, but please let me know how many. You can find out from Baebius or your other neighbour Egnatius.
In exhorting me to spend the days in an exposition of philosophy, you are only spurring a willing horse; but note that I have to spend those days with Dolabella. Now, if I had not been detained on Torquatus' business, there would have been time enough to make an excursion to Puteoli and return in time. Lamia has heard from Balbus, it appears, that there is a good deal of ready money in the house, which ought to be divided as soon as possible, and a considerable amount of silver plate, and that the auction of all but the real property ought to take place at the earliest opportunity. Please write and tell me what you think. Upon
200Equidem, si ex omnibus esset eligendum, nec diligentiorem nec officiosiorem nec mehercule nostri studiosiorem facile delegissem Vestorio; ad quem accuratissimas litteras dedi; quod idem te fecisse arbitror. Mihi quidem hoc satis videtur. Tu quid dicis? Unum enim pungit, ne neglegentiores esse videamur. Exspectabo igitur tuas litteras.