letters of cicero-第7章

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d　to　your　reader　Protogenes；　so　long　at　least　as　he　read　anything　rather　than　my　speeches；　surely　you　had　far　greater　pleasure　than　any　one　of　us。　For　I　don't　suppose　you　wanted　to　see　Greek　or　Oscan　plays；　especially　as　you　can　see　Oscan　farces　in　your　senate…house　over　there；　while　you　are　so　far　from　liking　Greeks；　that　you　generally　won't　even　go　along　the　Greek　road　to　your　villa　Why；　again；　should　I　suppose　you　to　care　about　missing　the　athletes；　since　you　disdained　the　gladiators？　in　which　even　Pompey　himself　confesses　that　he　lost　his　trouble　and　his　pains。　There　remain　the　two　wild…beast　hunts；　lasting　five　days；　magnificentnobody　denies　itand　yet；　what　pleasure　can　it　be　to　a　man　of　refinement；　when　either　a　weak　man　is　torn　by　an　extremely　powerful　animal；　or　a　splendid　animal　is　transfixed　by　a　hunting　spear？　Things　which；　after　all；　if　worth　seeing；　you　have　often　seen　before；　nor　did　I；　who　was　present　at　the　games；　see　anything　the　least　new。　The　last　day　was　that　of　the　elephants；　on　which　there　was　a　great　deal　of　astonishment　on　the　part　of　the　vulgar　crowd；　but　no　pleasure　whatever。　Nay；　there　was　even　a　certain　feeling　of　compassion　aroused　by　it；　and　a　kitid　of　belief　created　that　that　animal　has　soniethirig　in　common　with　mankind。　However；　for　my　part；　during　this　day；　while　the　theatrical　exhibitions　were　on；　lest　by　chance　you　should　think　me　too　blessed；　I　almost　split　my　lungs　in　defending　your　friend　Caninius　Gallus。　But　if　the　people　were　as　indulgent　to　me　as　they　were　to　Aesop；　I　would；　by　heaven；　have　been　glad　to　abandon　my　profession　and　live　with　you　and　others　like　us。　The　fact　is　I　was　tired　of　it　before；　even　when　both　age　and　ambition　stirred　me　on；　and　when　I　could　also　decline　any　defence　that　I　didn't　like；　but　now；　with　things　in　the　state　that　they　are；　there　is　no　life　worth　having。　For；　on　the　one　hand；　I　expect　no　profit　of　my　labor；　and；　on　the　other；　I　am　sometimes　forced　to　defend　men　who　have　been　no　friends　to　me；　at　the　request　of　those　to　whom　I　am　under　obligations。　Accordingly；　I　am　on　the　look…out　for　every　excuse　for　at　last　managing　my　life　according　to　my　own　taste；　and　I　loudly　applaud　and　vehemently　approve　both　you　and　your　retired　plan　of　life：　and　as　to　your　infrequent　appearances　among　us；　I　am　the　more　resigned　to　that　because；　were　you　in　Rome；　I　should　be　prevented　from　enjoying　the　charm　of　your　society；　and　so　would　you　of　mine；　if　I　have　any；　by　the　overpowering　nature　of　my　engagements；　from　which；　if　I　get　any　relieffor　entire　release　I　don't　expectI　will　give　even　you；　who　have　been　studying　nothing　else　for　many　years；　some　hints　as　to　what　it　is　to　live　a　life　of　cultivated　enjoyment。　Only　be　careful　to　nurse　your　weak　health　and　to　continue　your　present　care　of　it；　so　that　you　may　be　able　to　visit　my　country　houses　and　make　excursions　with　me　in　my　litter。　I　have　written　you　a　longer　letter　than　usual；　from　superabundance；　not　of　leisure；　but　of　affection；　because；　if　you　remember；　you　asked　me　in　one　of　your　letters　to　write　you　something　to　prevent　you　feeling　sorry　at　having　missed　the　games。　And　if　I　have　succeeded　in　that；　I　am　glad：　if　not；　I　yet　console　myself　with　this　reflexion；　that　in　future　you　will　both　come　to　the　games　and　come　to　see　me；　and　will　not　leave　your　hope　of　enjoyment　dependent　on　my　letters。

XIII

To　His　BROTHER　QUINTUS　（IN　THE　COUNTRY）

ROME　（FEBRUARY）

YOUR　note　by　its　strong　language　has　drawn　out　this　letter。　For　as　to　what　actually　occurred　on　the　day　of　your　start；　it　supplied　me　with　absoutely　no　subject　for　writing。　But　as　when　we　are　together　we　are　never　at　a　loss　for　something　to　say；　so　ought　our　letters　at　times　to　digress　into　loose　chat。　Well　then；　to　begin；　the　liberty　of　the　Tenedians　has　received　short　shrift；　no　one　speaking　for　them　except　myself；　Bibulus；　Calidius；　and　Favonius。　A　complimentary　reference　to　you　was　made　by　the　legates　from　Magnesia　and　Sipylum；　they　saying　that　you　were　the　man　who　alone　had　resisted　the　demand　of　L。　Sestius　Pansa。　On　the　remaining　days　of　this　business　in　the　senate；　if　anything　occurs　which　you　ought　to　know；　or　even　if　there　is　nothing；　I　will　write　you　something　every　day。　On　the　12th　I　will　not　fail　you　or　Pomponius。　The　poems　of　Lucretius　are　as　you　say　with　many　flashes　of　genius；　yet　very　technical。　But　when　you　return；　。　。　。　if　you　succeed　in　reading　the　Empedoclea　of　Sallustius；　I　shall　regard　you　as　a　hero；　yet　scarcely　human。

XLV

To　His　BROTHER　QUINTUS　（IN　BRITAIN）　

ARPINUM　AND　ROME；　28　SEPTEMBER

AFTER　extraordinary　hot　weatherI　never　remember　greater　heatI　have　refreshed　myself　at　Arpinum；　and　enjoyed　the　extreme　loveliness　of　the　river　during　the　days　of　the　games；　having　left　my　tribesmen　under　the　charge　of　Philotimus。　I　was　at　Arcanum　on　the　ioth　of　September。　There　I　found　Mescidius　and　Philoxenus；　and　saw　the　water；　for　which　they　were　making　a　course　not　far　from　your　villa；　running　quite　nicely；　especially　considering　the　extreme　drought；　and　they　said　they　were　going　to　collect　it　in　much　greater　abundance。　Everything　is　right　with　Herus。　In　your　Manilian　property　I　came　across　Diphilus　outdoing　himself　in　dilatoriness。　Still；　he　had　nothing　left　to　construct；　except　baths；　and　a　promenade；　and　an　aviary。　I　liked　that　villa　very　much；　because　its　paved　colonnade　gives　it　an　air　of　very　great　dignity。　I　never　appreciated　this　till　now　that　the　colonnade　itself　has　been　all　laid　open；　and　the　columns　have　been　polished。　It　all　dependsand　this　I　will　look　toupon　the　stuccoing　being　prettily　done。　The　pavements　seemed　to　be　being　well　laid。　Certain　of　the　ceilings　I　did　not　like；　and　ordered　them　to　be　changed。　As　to　the　place　in　which　they　say　that　you　write　word　that　a　small　entrance　hall　is　to　be　builtnamely；　in　the　colonnadeI　liked　it　better　as　it　is。　For　1　did　not　think　there　was　space　sufficient　for　an　entrance　hall；　nor　is　it　usual　to　have　one；　except　in　those　buildings　which　have　a　larger　court；　nor　could　it　have　bedrooms　and　apartments　of　that　kind　attached　to　it。　As　it　is；　from　the　very　beauty　of　its　arched　roof；　it　will　serve　as　an　admirable　summer　room。　However；　if　you　think　differently；　write　back　word　as　soon　as　possible。　In　the　bath　I　have　moved　the　hot　chamber　to　the　other　corner　of　the　dressing…room；　because　it　was　so　placed　that　its　steampipe　was　immediately　under　the　bedrooms。　A　fair…sized　bed…room　and　a　lofty　winter　one　I　admired　very　much；　for　they　were　both　spacious　and　well…situatedon　the　side　of　the　promenade　nearest　to　the　bath。　Diphilus　had　placed　the　columns　out　of　the　perpendicular；　and　not　opposite　each　other。　These；　of　course；　he　shall　take　down；　he　will　learn　some　day　to　use　the　plumb…line　and　measure。　On　the　whole；　I　hope　Diphilus's　work　will　be　completed　in　a　few　months：　for　Qesius；　who　was　with　me　at　the　time；　keeps　a　very　sharp　look…out　upon　him。

Thence　I　started　straight　along　the　via　Vitularia　to　your　Fufidianum；　the　estate　which　we　bought　for　you　a　few　weeks　ago　at　Arpinum　for　100；000　sesterces　（about　8oo　pounds）。　I　never　saw　a　shadier　spot　in　summerwater　springs　in　many　parts　of　it；　and　abundant　into　the　bargain。　In　short；　Caesius　thought　that　you　would　easily　irrigate　fifty　iugera　of　the　meadow　land。　For　my　part；　I　can　assure　you　of　this；　which　is　more　in　my　line；　that　you　will　have　a　villa　marvellously　pleasant；　with　the　addition　of　a　fish…pond；　spouting　fountains；　a　pakestra；　and　a　shrubbery。　I　am　told　that　you　wish　to　keep　this　Bovillae　estate。　You　will　determine　as　you　think　good。　Calvus　said　that；　even　if　the　control　of　the　water　were　taken　from　you；　and　the　right　of　drawing　it　off　were　established　by　the　vendor；　and　thus　an　easement　were　imposed　on　that　property；　we　could　yet　maintain　the　price　in　case　we　wish　to　sell。　He　said　that　he　had　agreed　with　you　to　do　the　work　at　three　sesterces　a　foot；　and　that　he　had　stepped　it；　and　made　it　three　miles。　It　seemed　to　me　more。　But　I　will　guarantee　that　the　money　could　nowhere　be　better　laid　out。　I　had　sent　for　Cillo　from　Venafrum；　but　on　that　very　day　four　of　his　fellow　servants　and　apprentices　bad　been　crushed　by　the　falling　in　of　a　tunnel　at　Venafrum。　On　the　23th　of　September　I　was　at　Laterium。　I　examined　the　road；　which　appeared　to　me　to　be　so　good　as　to　Seem　almost　like　a　high　road；　except　a　hundred　and　fifty　pacesfor　I　measured　it　myself　from　the　little　bridge　at　the　temple　of　Furina；　in　the　direction　of　Satricum。　There　they　had　put　down　dust；　not　gravel　（this　shall　he　changed）；　and　that　part　of　the　road　is　a　very　steep　incline。　But　I　understood　that　it　could　not　be　taken　in　any　other　direction；　particularly　as　you　did　not　wish　it　to　go　through　the　property　of　Locusta　or　Varro。　The　latter　alone　had　made　the　road　very　well　where　it　skirted　his　own　property。　Locusta　hadn't　touched　it；　but　I　will　call　on　him　at　Rome；　and　think　I　shall　be　able　to　stir　him　up；　and　at　the　same　tune　I　think　I　shall　ask　M。　Tarus；　who　is　now　at　Rome；　and　whom　I　am　told　promised　to　allow　you　to　do　so；　about　making　a　watercourse　through　his　property。　I　much　approved　of　your　steward　Nicephorius　and　I　asked　him　what　orders　you　had　given　about　that　small　building　at　Laterium；　about　which　you　spoke　to　me。　He　told　me　in　answer　that　he　had　himself　contracted　to　do　the　work　for　sixteen　sestertia　（about　128　pounds）；　but　that　you　had　afterwards　made　many　additions　to　the　work；　but　nothing　to　the　price；　and　that　he　had　therefore　given　it　up。　I　quite　approve　by　Hercules；　of　your　making　the　additions　you　had　determined　upon；　although　the　villa　as　it　stands　seems　to　have　the　air　of　a　philosopher；　meant　to　rebuke　the　extravagance　of　other　villas。　Yet；　after　all；　that　addition　will　be　pleasing。　I　praised　your　landscape　gardener：　he　has　so　covered　everything　with　ivy；　both　the　foundation…wall　of　the　villa　and　the　spaces　between　the　columns　of　the　walk；　that；　upon　my　word；　those　Greek　statues　seemed　to　be　engaged　in　fancy　gardening；　and　to　be　shewing　off　the　ivy。　Finally；　nothing　can　be　cooler　or　more　mossy　than　the　dressing…room　of　the　bath。　That　is　about　all　I　have　to　say　about　country　matters。　The　gardener；　indeed；　as　well　as　Philotimus　and　Cincius　are　pressing　on　the　ornamentation　of　your　town　house；　but　I　also　often　look　in　upon　it　myself；　as　I　can　do　without　difficulty。　Wherefore　don't　be　at　all　anxious　about　that。

As　to　your　always　asking　me　about　your　son；　of　course　I　〃excuse　you〃；　but　I　must　ask　you　to　〃excuse〃　me　also；　for　I　don't　allow　that　you　love　him　more　than　I　do。　And　oh　that　he　had　been　with　me　these　last　few　days　at　Arpinum；　as　he　had　himself　set　his　heart　on　being；　and　as　I　had　no　less　done！　As　to　Pomponia；　please　write　and　say　that；　when　I　go　out　of　town　anywhere；　she　is　to　come　with　me　and　bring　the　boy。　I'll　do　wonders　with　him；　if　I　get　him　to　myself　when　I　am　at　leisure：　for　at　Rome　there　is　no　time　to　breathe。　You　know　I　formerly　promised　to　do　so　for　nothing。　What　do　you　expect　with　such　a　reward　as　you　promise　me？　I　now　come　to　your　letters　which　I　received　in　several　packets　when　I　was　at　Arpinum。　For　I　received　three　from　you　in　one　day；　and；　indeed；　as　it　seemed；　despatched　by　you　at　the　same　timeone　of　considerable　length；　in　which　your　first　point　was　that　my　letter　to　you　was　dated　earlier　than　that　to　Caesar。　Oppius　at　times　cannot　help　this：　the　reason　is　that；　h