Avide tuum consilium exspecto. Timeo, ne absim, cum adesse me sit honestius; temere venire non audeo. De Antoni itineribus nescio quid aliter audio, atque ut ad te scribebam. Omnia igitur velim explices et ad me certa mittas.
De reliquo quid tibi ego dicam? Ardeo studio historiae (incredibiliter enim me commovet tua cohortatio); quae quidem nec institui nec effici potest sine tua ope. Coram igitur hoc quidem conferemus. In praesentia mihi velim scribas, quibus consulibus C. Fannius M. f. tribunus pl. fuerit. Videor mihi audisse P. Africano, L. Mummio censoribus. Id igitur quaero. Tu mihi de iis rebus, quae novantur, omnia certa, clara. III Idus ex Arpinati.
you think I can come nearer Rome—for I should prefer to be at Tusculum or somewhere in the neighbourhood of Rome—or whether I ought to go further off. Write frequently about it. There will be someone to give a letter to every day. You ask my advice too as to what I think you ought to do. It is difficult to say, when I am not at Rome. However, if the two[[331]] seem equal, keep quiet; if not, the news will spread even here; then we will take common counsel.
[331]. Antony and Octavian.
XIIIc
CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.
Arpinum, Nov. 11, B.C. 44
I am expecting your advice eagerly. I fear I may be absent, when honour demands my presence; yet I dare not come rashly. About Antony's march I hear now rather a different tale from what I wrote. So I wish you would unravel the whole mystery and send me certain news.
For the rest what can I say? I have a burning passion for history—for your suggestion has had a wonderful effect upon me—but it is not easy to begin or to carry it out without your assistance. So we will discuss it when we meet. At the present moment I wish you would tell me in what year C. Fannius, son of Marcus, was tribune. I think I have been told it was in the censorship of Africanus and Mummius. So that is what I want to know. Please send me clear and certain details of all the changes in the constitution. Arpinum, Nov. 11.
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