You say Terentia is talking about the witnesses to my will. In the first place bear in mind that I am not troubling my head about those things, and this is no time for any new or unimportant business. But anyhow are the two cases parallel? She did
38adhibuit, quos existimavit quaesituros, nisi scissent, quid esset. Num id etiam mihi periculi fuit? Sed tamen faciat illa quod ego. Dabo meum testamentum legendum, cui voluerit; intelleget non potuisse honorificentius a me fieri de nepote, quam fecerim. Nam, quod non advocavi ad obsignandum, primum mihi non venit in mentem, deinde ea re non venit, quia nihil attinuit. Tute scis, si modo meministi, me tibi tum dixisse, ut de tuis aliquos adduceres. Quid enim opus erat multis? Equidem domesticos iusseram. Tum tibi placuit, ut mitterem ad Silium. Inde est natum, ut ad Publilium; sed necesse neutrum fuit. Hoc tu tractabis, ut tibi videbitur.
XIX
CICERO ATTICO SAL.
Scr. Asturae prid. Id. Mart. a. 709
Est his quidem locus amoenus et in mari ipso, qui et Antio et Circeiis aspici possit; sed ineunda nobis ratio est, quem ad modum in omni mutatione dominorum, quae innumerabiles fieri possunt in infinita posteritate, si modo haec stabunt, illud quasi consecratum remanere possit. Equidem iam nihil egeo vectigalibus et parvo contentus esse possum. Cogito interdum trans Tiberim hortos aliquos parare et quidem ob hanc causam maxime: nihil enim video, quod tam celebre esse possit. Sed quos, coram videbimus, ita tamen, ut hac aestate fanum absolutum sit. Tu tamen cum Apella Chio confice de columnis.
not invite anyone she thought would ask questions, if they did not know the contents of the will. Was I likely to be afraid of anything of the kind? However let her do what I do. I will hand over my will to anyone she likes, to read. She will find I could not have treated my grandson more handsomely than I have. As to my not calling certain people as witnesses, in the first place it never entered my mind, and in the second the reason why it never entered it, was because it was of no importance. You know, if you remember, that I told you to bring some of your friends. What need was there of many? I had asked members of my household. Then you thought I ought to send for Silius. Hence it came about that I sent for Publilius. But neither of them was necessary. Manage the point as you think fit.
XIX
CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.
Astura, March 14, B.C. 45
This is certainly a delightful place, right on the sea and within sight of Antium and Circeii. But we must remember how it may change hands an infinite number of times in the countless years to come, if our empire last, and must arrange that that shrine may remain as consecrated ground. For my part I don't want a large income now and can be contented with little. I think at times of buying some gardens across the Tiber, especially for this reason: I don't see any other place that can be so much frequented. But what gardens, we will consider together; provided only that the shrine must be completed this summer. However settle with Apella of Chios about the columns.
40De Cocceio et Libone quae scribis, approbo, maxime quod de iudicatu meo. De sponsu si quid perspexeris, et tamen quid procuratores Cornifici dicant, velim scire, ita ut in ea re te, cum tam occupatus sis, non multum operae velim ponere. De Antonio Balbus quoque ad me cum Oppio conscripsit, idque tibi placuisse, ne perturbarer. Illis egi gratias. Te tamen, ut iam ante ad te scripsi, scire volo me neque isto nuntio esse perturbatum nec iam ullo perturbatum iri. Pansa si hodie, ut putabas, profectus est, posthac iam incipito scribere ad me, de Bruti adventu quid exspectes, id est quos ad dies. Id, si scies, ubi iam sit, facile coniectura adsequere.