Tusculum, Aug. 13, B.C. 45
"When from thee, Agamemnon, the message reached my ears," not "that I should come" (though I should have done that too, if it had not been for Torquatus), "straightway" I gave up what I had begun, threw down what I had in hand and made a rough sketch of what you ordered.[[179]] I should like you to find out from
[179]. i.e. he gave up working at the De Natura Deorum, and set about writing a letter to Caesar.
204rationes nostras sumptuarias. Turpe est enim nobis illum, qualiscumque est, hoc primo anno egere. Post moderabimur diligentius. Idem Pollex remittendus est, ut ille cernat. Plane Puteolos non fuit eundum, cum ob ea, quae ad te scripsi, tum quod Caesar adest. Dolabella scribit se ad me postridie Idus. O magistrum molestum!
XLVIIa
CICERO ATTICO SAL.
Scr. Asturae III K. Sext. a. 709
Lepidus ad me heri vesperi litteras misit Antio. Nam ibi erat. Habet enim domum, quam nos vendidimus. Rogat magno opere, ut sim Kal. in senatu; me et sibi et Caesari vehementer gratum esse facturum. Puto equidem nihil esse. Dixisset enim tibi fortasse aliquid Oppius, quoniam Balbus est aeger. Sed tamen malui venire frustra quam desiderari, si opus esset. Moleste ferrem postea. Itaque hodie Anti, cras ante meridiem domi. Tu velim, nisi te impedivisti, apud nos pr. Kal. cum Pilia.
Te spero cum Publilio confecisse. Equidem Kal. in Tusculanum recurram; me enim absente omnia cum illis transigi malo. Quinti fratris epistulam ad te misi, non satis humane illam quidem respondentem meis litteris, sed tamen quod tibi satis sit, ut equidem existimo. Tu videbis.
Pollex the state of my exchequer. It would be a disgrace to me that my son should run short of money in his first year, whatever he may deserve. Afterwards we will restrict him more carefully. Pollex also must be sent back, that Vestorius may accept the inheritance. Clearly I ought not to have gone to Puteoli, both on account of what you say, and because Caesar is getting near. Dolabella tells me he is coming to me on the 14th. What a tiresome school-master!