CCXLII (F VIII, 7)
M. CAELIUS RUFUS TO CICERO (IN
CILICIA)
ROME (FEBRUARY)
How soon you want to quit your province I
don't know; for myself, the greater your success
up to now, the more shall I be tormented by the
danger of a Parthian war, as long as you remain
where you are, for fear some alarm should
dissipate the laughter in which I usually indulge.
This letter is shorter than usual, but the
letter-carrier of the publicani was in a hurry,
and I was suddenly called upon for it. I had
already delivered a longer one to your freedman.
Moreover, absolutely nothing new has happened,
unless you would like my letter to be filled with
such anecdotes as the following (and I am sure you
would): The younger Cornificius has betrothed
himself to Orestilla's daughter Paulla Valeria,
sister of Triarius, has divorced her husband
without cause alleged, on the very day he was to
arrive from his province. She is going to marry D.
Brutus. She has yet given no notice to the
pontifices. 1 Servius Ocella would never have convinced
anybody that he was an adulterer, if he had not
been twice caught in three days. You will ask
where? In the last place, by Hercules, I should
have wished! I leave you something to find out
from others. And I rather like the idea of an
imperator questioning one person after another
with what woman so-and—so has been
caught.
ROME (FEBRUARY)
