CDLX (F IX, 7)
TO M. TERENTIUS VARRO (AT
TUSCULUM)
ROME (MAY)
I was dining with Seius when a letter was
delivered to each of us from you. Yes, I really
think it is high time. For as to the personal
motive in what I said before, I will own the
cunning of my heart—I wanted you to be
somewhere near in case of anything good turning
up: "two heads," 1 you know. At present, seeing that it is
all over and done, we should not hesitate to go
over, horse, foot, and artillery! For when I heard
about L. Caesar the younger, I said to myself:
“What will he do for me, his sire?”
2 Accordingly, I do not
cease dining out with the members of the party now
in power. What else should I do? One must go with
the times. But a truce to jesting, especially as
we have nothing to laugh at: “With fearsome
tumult shakes wild Afric's shore.”
3 Accordingly, there is nothing
"undesirable" 4 which I do not fear. But, in
answer to your question as to when, by what road,
and whither 5 —I as yet know
nothing. You suggest Baiae—but some
doubt whether he will not come by way of Sardinia.
6 For that
particular one of his estates he has not inspected
as yet. It is the worst of them all, 7 nevertheless he does not
despise it. For my part, I am on the whole more
inclined to think that he will come through Sicily
to Velia: but we shall know directly; for
Dolabella is on his way home: he, I suppose, will
be our instructor: "Scholars are often wiser than
their teachers." 8
But nevertheless, if I can ascertain what you have
settled, I will accommodate my policy to yours
before anyone else's. Wherefore I am anxious for a
letter from you.
ROME (MAY)