16Venio ad Tyrannionem. Ain tu? verum hoc fuit, sine me? At ego quotiens, cum essem otiosus, sine te tamen nolui? Quo modo hoc ergo lues? Uno scilicet, si mihi librum miseris; quod ut facias, etiam atque etiam rogo. Etsi me non magis liber ipse delectabit, quam tua admiratio delectavit. Amo enim πάντα φιλειδήμονα teque istam tam tenuem θεωρίαν tam valde admiratum esse gaudeo. Etsi tua quidem sunt eius modi omnia. Scire enim vis; quo uno animus alitur. Sed, quaeso, quid ex ista acuta et gravi refertur ad τέλος?
Sed longa oratio est, et tu occupatus es in meo fortasse aliquo negotio. Et pro isto asso sole, quo tu abusus es in nostro pratulo, a te nitidum solem unctumque repetemus. Sed ad prima redeo. Librum, si me amas, mitte. Tuus est enim profecto, quoniam quidem est missus ad te.
VIa
CICERO ATTICO SAL.
Scr. in Tusculano m. interc. post. a. 708
"Chremés, tantumne ab ré tua est otí tibi," ut etiam Oratorem legas? Macte virtute! Mihi quidem gratum, et erit gratius, si non modo in tuis libris, sed etiam in aliorum per librarios tuos "Aristophanem" reposueris pro "Eupoli." Caesar autem
Tyrannio. Do you really mean it?[[44]] How unfair, without me! Think how often, even when I had plenty of time, I refused without you. How are you going to atone for your crime then? There is only one way: you must send me the book. I earnestly entreat you to do so; though the book itself will not delight me more than your admiration of it has. For I love everyone who loves learning and I am glad you admired so strongly an essay on so minute a point. But that is you all over. You want knowledge, which is the only mental food. But please tell me what there was in that acute and grave treatise which contributed to your summum bonum.
[44]. Atticus had read the book of Tyrannio, which was referred to in XII. 2.
However I'm making a long story of it, and you may be busy about some of my business. And in return for that dry basking in the sun, in which you revelled in my meadow, I shall claim from you a richer and a warmer glow.[[45]] But to return to my first point. If you love me, send me the book: for it is yours of course, as it was sent to you.
[45]. Cicero refers to the introduction of Atticus in his Brutus (24) in pratulo propter Platonis statuam; but his meaning is not very clear. Probably he only means that he is expecting to enjoy Atticus' hospitality soon.