DCCLXV (A XV, 29)
TO ATTICUS (AT ROME)
FORMIAE, 6 JULY
I send you Brutus's letter. Good heavens, what
helplessness! You will understand when you have
read it. About the celebration of Brutus's games I
agree with you. No, don't go to see M. Aelius at
his house, but speak to him wherever you may
chance to meet him. About the moiety of Tullius's
debt consult Marcus Axianus, as you suggest. Your
arrangement with Cosianus—first rate!
For your disentanglement of my own affairs and
yours at the same time—thanks! I am glad
my legation is approved. Heaven send that your
promises are fulfilled! For what could be more
gratifying to me and mine? But I feel misgiving
about her, of whom you make an exception. 1 When I have met Brutus, I will send you a
full account. About Plancus and Decimus, I wish it
may be so ! 2 I
wouldn't have Sextus throw away his
shield. 3 About
Mundus tell me anything you learn. So I have answered all your news. Now
for my own. The younger Quintus is going to escort
me as far as Puteoli—what an admirable
loyalist! you might call him a
Favonius—Asinius. 4 He
has two motives for doing so: my society, and a
wish to make terms with Brutus and Cassius. But
what say you? For I know you are intimate with the
Othones. Quintus says that Tutia offers herself to
him, as a divorce has been arranged. His father
asked me what sort of reputation she had. I
said—for I didn't know why he asked the
question—that I had never heard anything
except about her looks and her father. "But why do
you ask?" said I. Then he said that his son wanted
her. Thereupon, though I felt disgusted, I said
that I didn't believe those stories. His
aim—for that is the truth—is
to make our friend no allowance. But the lady says
she won't be baulked by the like of him. 5
However, I suspect young Quintus is, as usual,
romancing. But please make inquiries—for
you can easily do so—and let me know.
Pray what's this all
about? When I had already sealed this letter some
Formians who were dining with me told me that the
day before I write this—that is, on the
5th—they had seen our Buthrotian
commissioner Plancus 6
“With downcast look and bare of
ornament;” and that his poor slaves said
that he and the land-grabbers had
been turned out of the Country by the Buthrotians.
Well done they I But please write me a full
account of the whole affair.
FORMIAE, 6 JULY
