I am not at all annoyed that Hirtius wrote to you about me in a sympathetic tone (he was acting kindly), and still less at your not sending his letter to me, in which you were acting even more kindly. The reason why I want your copyists to circulate the book he sent me about Cato, is that their abuse may enhance Cato's reputation.
You say you are negotiating through Mustela. He is a very suitable person and very devoted to me since the affair of Pontianus. So get something settled. But what is wanted except an opening for a purchaser? And that could be got through any of the heirs. But I think Mustela will manage that, if you ask him. You will have provided me not only with the very place I want for my purpose, but a place to grow old in besides. For Silius' and Drusus' places don't seem to me quite fit for a paterfamilias. Why, I should have to spend whole days in the country house. So I prefer the others, Otho's first and then Clodia's. If nothing comes of it, then we must play a trick on Drusus or fall back on the place at Tusculum.
94Quod domi te inclusisti, ratione fecisti; sed, quaeso, confice et te vacuum redde nobis. Ego hinc, ut scripsi antea, postridie Idus Lanuvi, deinde postridie in Tusculano. Contudi enim animum et fortasse vici, si modo permansero. Scies igitur fortasse eras, summum perendie.
Sed quid est, quaeso? Philotimus nec Carteiae Pompeium teneri (qua de re litterarum ad Clodium Patavinum missarum exemplum mihi Oppius et Balbus miserant, se id factum arbitrari) bellumque narrat reliquum satis magnum. Solet omnino esse Fulviniaster. Sed tamen, si quid habes. Volo etiam de naufragio Caniniano scire quid sit.
Ego hic duo magna συντάγματα absolvi; nullo enim alio modo a miseria quasi aberrare possum. Tu mihi, etiamsi nihil erit, quod scribas, quod fore ita video, tamen id ipsum scribas velim, te nihil habuisse, quod scriberes, dum modo ne his verbis.
XLV
CICERO ATTICO SAL.
Scr. in Tusculano XVI K. Iun. a. 709
De Attica optime. Ἀκηδία tua me movet, etsi scribis nihil esse. In Tusculano eo commodius ero, quod et crebrius tuas litteras accipiam et te ipsum non numquam videbo; nam ceteroqui ἀνεκτότερα erant Asturae. Nec haec, quae refricant, hic me magis
You have done wisely in shutting yourself up at home. But please get your business over and let me find you with some leisure again. As I said before, I am going from here to Lanuvium on the 16th, then on the 17th to Tusculum. For I have crushed down my feelings and perhaps have conquered them, if only it will last. So you shall hear to-morrow perhaps, at the latest the day after.
But what is this, pray? Philotimus says Pompey is not shut in at Carteia (about that Oppius and Balbus had sent me a copy of a letter to Clodius of Patavium, saying they thought he was) and that there is quite an important war yet to come. Of course he always is a parody of Fulvinius.[[81]] However have you any news? I want to know the facts about the shipwreck of Caninius too.