[846] These coloni of course owned their farms; that is, were domini. Odes III 4 lines 37-8, Sat II 6 55-6.
[847] Odes I 1 mercator ... indocilis pauperiem pati, cf III 2.
[848] So Cicero’s estate at Arpinum is spoken of ad Att XIII 9 § 2 as praediola and was perhaps let in the same way.
[849] Cf Seneca epist 47 § 14, 86 § 14.
[850] The ownership of the slaves is another matter, for in letting farms the dominus often supplied the slaves. See Index, [instrumentum].
[851] I find that Mr Warde Fowler, The death of Turnus p 105, also takes this view. But he understands pater to imply that the man brought up a family, which I do not. I agree that it gives the idea of headship of a household.
[852] Italische Landeskunde II p 615.
[853] The description of such an agellus in Plin epist I 24 illustrates the wants of a literary landowner excellently.
[854] Tibullus II 1 51 agricola adsiduo ... satiatus aratro.
[855] Tibullus II 6 25-6.