DCLXIV (A XIII, 50)
TO ATTICUS (AT ROME)
TUSCULUM (22 AUGUST)
YOU gave me a hint in one of your letters,
that I should set about writing a letter to Caesar
on a larger scale. Balbus also recently, at our
meeting at Lanuvium, informed me that he and
Oppius had written to tell Caesar that I had read
his books against Cato and warmly admired them.
Accordingly, I have composed an epistle to Caesar
to be transmitted to Dolabella. But I sent a copy
of it to Oppius and Balbus, and wrote also to
them, saying that they should only order it to be
transmitted to Dolabella, if they themselves
approved of the copy. So they have written back to
say that they never read anything better, and they
have ordered my letter to be delivered to
Dolabella. Vestorius has
written to ask me to authorize the
conveyance—as far as I am
concerned—of the estate of Brinnius to a
slave of their own for a certain Hetereius, to
enable him to make the conveyance himself in due
form to Hetereius at Puteoli. 1 If you think it is all right
send that slave to me. For I presume that
Vestorius has written to you also. As to Caesar's arrival, I have had
the same information in a letter from Oppius and
Balbus as from you. I am surprised that you have
not yet had any conversation with
Tigellius. For instance, I should much like to
know how much he got-yet, after all, I don't care
a straw. Where do you think I ought to go, 2 if
it is not to be Alsium? And in fact I have written
to Murena to ask him to put me up, but I think he
has started with Matius. Sallustius therefore
shall have the burden of my entertainment.
After I had written the
above line, Eros informed me that Murena had
answered him with the greatest kindness. Let him
be our host, therefore. For Silius has no
cushions: while Dida, I believe, has given up his
whole villa to guests.
TUSCULUM (22 AUGUST)