It had occurred to me to advise you to do exactly what you are doing. For I thought you could get that particular business over more conveniently at home without any fear of interruption.
As I said before, I intend to stop at Lanuvium on the 16th, and then either at Rome or Tusculum. You shall know in advance which. You are right in saying that will lighten my sorrow, but believe me it will do so to an extent which you cannot imagine. How eagerly I desire it you can judge from my daring to confess it to you, though I think you do not very much approve of it. But you must bear with my aberration. Bear with it? Nay you must help me in it. I have doubts about Otho, perhaps because I am eager for his place. But anyhow the property is beyond my means, especially
92praesertim adversario et cupido et locuplete et herede. Proximum est, ut velim Clodiae. Sed, si ista minus confici possunt, effice quidvis. Ego me maiore religione, quam quisquam fuit ullius voti, obstrictum puto. Videbis etiam Trebonianos, etsi absunt domini. Sed, ut ad te heri scripsi, considerabis etiam de Tusculano, ne aestas effluat; quod certe non est committendum.
XLIV
CICERO ATTICO SAL.
Scr. Asturae III Id. Mai. a. 709
Et Hirtium aliquid ad te συμπαθῶς de me scripsisse facile patior (fecit enim humane) et te eius epistulam ad me non misisse multo facilius; tu enim etiam humanius. Illius librum, quem ad me misit de Catone, propterea volo divulgari a tuis, ut ex istorum vituperatione sit illius maior laudatio.
Quod per Mustelam agis, habes hominem valde idoneum meique sane studiosum iam inde a Pontiano. Perfice igitur aliquid. Quid autem aliud, nisi ut aditus sit emptori? quod per quemvis heredem potest effici. Sed Mustelam id perfecturum, si rogaris, puto. Mihi vero et locum, quem opto, ad id, quod volumus, dederis et praeterea ἐγγήραμα. Nam illa Sili et Drusi non satis οἰκοδεσποτικὰ mihi videntur. Quid enim? sedere totos dies in villa? Ista igitur malim, primum Othonis, deinde Clodiae. Si nihil fiet, aut Druso ludus est suggerendus aut utendum Tusculano.
when we have to bid against a man, who is eager for the place, wealthy and one of his heirs. What I should prefer after that is Clodia's. But, if nothing can be done about those, do anything. I count myself more bound by sacred obligation than anyone ever was by any vow. Look into Trebonius' place too, though the owners are away. But, as I wrote yesterday, consider my Tusculan place too, that the summer may not slip away. That certainly must not happen.
XLIV
CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.
Astura, May 13, B.C. 45