230negotia chorumque illum, de quo scire vis, cum perspexero, tum scribam, ne quid ignores. Quid Galli, quid Hispani, quid Sextus agat, vehementer exspecto. Ea scilicet tu declarabis, qui cetera. Nauseolam tibi tuam causam otii dedisse facile patiebar. Videbare enim mihi legenti tuas litteras requiesse paulisper. De Bruto semper ad me omnia perscribito, ubi sit, quid cogitet. Quem quidem ego spero iam tuto vel solum tota urbe vagari posse. Verum tamen ——.
IX
CICERO ATTICO SAL.
Scr. Puteolis XV K. Mai, a. 710
De re publica multa cognovi ex tuis litteris; quas quidem multiiuges accepi uno tempore a Vestori liberto. Ad ea autem, quae requiris, brevi respondebo. Primum vehementer me Cluviana delectant. Sed quod quaeris, quid arcessierim Chrysippum, tabernae mihi duae corruerunt, reliquaeque rimas agunt, itaque non solum inquilini, sed mures etiam migraverunt. Hanc ceteri calamitatem vocant, ego ne incommodum quidem. O Socrates et Socratici viri! numquam vobis gratiam referam. Di immortales, quam mihi ista pro nihilo! Sed tamen ea ratio aedificandi initur consiliario quidem et auctore Vestorio, ut hoc damnum quaestuosum sit.
Hic turba magna est eritque, ut audio, maior.
will look into all that lot of fellows[[195]] at Baiae, about whom you wish to know, as you ask me, and will let you know all about them. I am very anxious to hear what the Gauls, and the Spaniards, and Sextus are doing. You will, of course, inform me of that as of other things. I am not sorry your slight attack of sickness gave you an excuse for rest, for, judging by your letters, you seem to have taken a little holiday. Always give me full news about Brutus, his movements and his intentions. I hope he will soon be able to walk about the whole city safely even by himself. However ——.
[195]. negotium here seems to be used as a contemptuous term in the sense of "fellow," for which cf. Att. I. 12 and V. 18; and to refer to Hirtius, Pansa, and Balbus who were idling at Baiae.
IX
CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.
Puteoli, April 17, B.C. 44
From your letters I have learned much about politics. I had a whole batch of them at the same time from the freedman of Vestorius. However, I will answer your questions shortly. Firstly, I am delighted about the Cluvian property. You ask why I sent for Chrysippus. Two of my shops have fallen down and the rest are cracking: so not only the tenants, but even the mice, have migrated. Other people call it a calamity, but I don't count it even a nuisance. O Socrates and followers of Socrates, I can never thank you sufficiently. Ye gods! how insignificant I count all such things. However, at the advice and on the suggestion of Vestorius I have adopted a plan of rebuilding which will make my loss a profit.