Tironem habeo citius, quam verebar. Venit etiam Nicias, et Valerium hodie audiebam esse venturum. Quamvis multi sint, magis tamen ero solus, quam si unus esses. Sed exspecto te, a Peducaeo utique, tu autem significas aliquid etiam ante. Verum id quidem, ut poteris.
De Vergilio, ut scribis. Hoc tamen velim scire, quando auctio. Epistulam ad Caesarem mitti video tibi placere. Quid quaeris? mihi quoque hoc idem maxime placuit, et eo magis, quod nihil est in ea nisi optimi civis, sed ita optimi, ut tempora; quibus parere omnes πολιτικοὶ praecipiunt. Sed scis ita nobis esse visum, ut isti ante legerent. Tu igitur id curabis. Sed, nisi plane iis intelleges placere, mittenda non est. Id autem utrum illi sentiant anne simulent, tu intelleges. Mihi simulatio pro repudiatione fuerit. Τοῦτο δὲ μηλώσῃ.
L
CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.
Tusculum, May 18, B.C. 45
Your departure has depressed me as much as your arrival cheered me. So, when you can, that is after you have attended Sextus' auction, visit me again. Even a single day will do me good, not to speak of the pleasure. I would come to Rome that we might be together, if I could make up my mind satisfactorily on a certain point.
LI
CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.
Tusculum, May 20, B.C. 45
I have Tiro back with me earlier than I expected. Nicias has come too and to-day I hear Valerius is coming. However many come, I shall be more lonely than if you alone were here. But I expect you, at any rate after you've finished with Peducaeus; and you give some hint of an even earlier date. But let that be as you can.
For Vergilius, as you say. I should however like to know when the auction is. I see you think the letter ought to be sent to Caesar. Well, I thought so too very strongly, especially as there is nothing in it that the most loyal of citizens might not have written; loyal, that is to say, in the present circumstances, to which all politicians tell us we should bow. But you know I thought your Caesarian friends ought to read it first: so you must see to that. But, unless you feel sure they approve of it, it must not be sent. You will know whether they really think so or are pretending. I shall count pretence as rejection. You must probe that point.
104De Caerellia quid tibi placeret, Tiro mihi narravit; debere non esse dignitatis meae, perscriptionem tibi placere: