3

que Neapoli. Erat enim adscriptus in id municipium‘ ante civitatem sociis et Latinis datam3. Ejus frater Catinæ nuper mortuus est. Nullam omnino arbitramur de eâ hæredidate controversiam eum habiturum; et est hodie in bonis". Sed, quum habet præterea negotia vetera in Siciliâ sua: et hanc hæreditatem fraternam, et omnia ejus tibi commendo, in primisque ipsum virum optimum, mihique familiarissimum, his studiis literarum doctrinæque præditum, quibus ego maxime delector. Peto igitur abs te, ut eum, sive aderit, sive non venerit in Siciliam, in meis intimis, maximeque necessariis scias esse; itaque tractes, ut intelligat, meam commendationem sibi magno adjumento fuisse.

law, after having become a

of Neapolis: for no one could be a citizen of two towns or states.

3 A decurio in municipal towns had similar duties and privileges to those of a senator in Rome.

4 See Adams, on the nature of municipia, and the difference between them and coloniæ.

5 With sociis, supply Latini

city of Rome was conferred on the Latins and the socii Latini nominis, nearly the whole of Italy, by the Lex Julia, A. U. C. 663. Consequently the citizens of Naples, and Sosis among the rest, then obtained the honour.

6 He is now in legal possession of the property."

LII.

(ATT. XII. 21.)

Scr. Asturæ, Mense Martio, 708.

Cicero finds fault with certain erroneous expressions in a book Brutus had written in praise of the deceased Cato. On the purchase of some gardens, in which to erect a fane to the memory of Tullia. Some domestic details as to his divorced wife, Terentia ; and as to a debt due to one Ovia. Cicero gives his reasons for not resuming his forensic occupations.

CICERO ATTICO, S.

LEGI Bruti epistolam1, eamque tibi remisi, sane non prudenter rescriptam ad ea, quæ requisieras. Sed ipse

1 Atticus had sent Cicero a letter he had received from

Brutus; who was writing an eulogy on the deceased Cato.

viderit; quanquam illud turpiter ignorat. Catonem primum sententiam putat de animadversione dixisse"; quam omnes ante dixerant, præter Cæsarem3: et quum ipsius Cæsaris tam severa1 fuerit, qui tum prætorio loco dixerit, consularium putat leniores fuisse. * * * Cur ergo in sententiam Catonis. Quia verbis luculentioribus et pluribus rem eandem comprehenderat. Me autem hic laudat, quod retulerim, non quod patefecerim, quod cohortatus sim, quod denique ante, quam consulerem, ipse judicaverim. Quæ omnia, quia Cato laudibus extulerat in cœlum', perscribendaque censuerat; idcirco in ejus sententiam est facta discessio. Hic autem se

etiam tribuere multum mihi putat, quod scripserit, optimum consulem. Quis enim jejunius dixit inimicus? ad cætera vero tibi quemadmodum rescripsit? Tantum rogat, de senatus-consulto ut corrigas. Hoc quidem fecisset, etiamsi a Ranio admonitus esset. Sed hæc iterum ipse viderit.

De hortis, quoniam probas, effice aliquid. Rationes 1o

In a former letter, Brutus had requested Atticus to correct certain statements, if he found them incorrect. Atticus made corrections; and the letter here alluded to contains Brutus's answer.

2 This alludes to the discussion in the senate, which took place on the discovery of Catiline's conspiracy, and the arrest of the principal conspirators. See Sallust's Catiline, ad locum. After animadversione, supply in conjuratos.

3 Cæsar was prætor designate that year; Cato, tribune: ́owing, therefore, to his higher rank, Cæsar preceded Cato in delivering his opinion.

4 "And though Cæsar's own proposition was so seHe moved that the

vere.

meas nosti. Si vero etiam a Faberio aliquid accedit", nihil negotii est. Sed etiam sine eo posse videor contendere 12. Venales certe sunt Drusi 13; fortasse et Lamiani 14 et Cassiani; sed coram 15

14

De Terentiâ 16 non possum commodius scribere, quam tu scribis. Officium sit nobis antiquissimum. Si quid nos fefellerit, illius malo me, quam mei pœnitere. Oviæ C. Lollii curanda sunt H-S c.18 posse sine me credo, quod accipienda

17

19

Negat Eros

aliqua sit et danda æstimatio 20. Vellem tibi dixisset. Si enim res est, ut mihi scribit, parata; nec in eo ipso mentitur: per te confici potuit. Id cognoscas, et conficias velim.

Quod me in forum21 vocas; eo vocas, unde, etiam bonis meis rebus 22, fugiebam. Quid enim mihi cum foro, sine judiciis 23, sine curiâ, in oculos incurrentibus iis, quos æquo animo videre non possum? Quod autem homines a me postulare scribis, ut Romæ sim, neque mihi, ut absim, concedere, jam primum scito esse; quum unum te pluris, quam omnes illos, putem; ne me quidem contemno; meoque judicio multo stare malo, quam omnium reliquorum. Neque tamen progredior longius, quam

mihi doctissimi homines concedunt; quorum scripta omnia, quæcunque sunt in eam sententiam, non legi solum, quod ipsum erat fortis ægroti, accipere medicinam, sed in mea etiam scripta transtuli, quod certe afflicti et fracti animi non fuit. Ab his me remediis noli in istam turbam vocare, ne recidam 24.

24 Lest I have a tumble." A metaphor taken from gladiatorial practice.

LIII.

(ATT. XII. 32.)

Scr. Asturæ, exeunte Martio, 708.

Cicero explains his dislike of any interview with Publilia, and her mother and brother.-On the sum to be assigned his son, for his academic expenses at Athens.

CICERO ATTICO, S.

PUBLILIA' ad me scripsit, matrem suanı cum Publilio' ad me venturam, et se una, si ego paterer: orat multis et supplicibus verbis, ut liceat, et ut sibi rescribam. Res quam molesta sit, vides. Rescripsi, me etiam gravius esse affectum, quam tum, quum illi dixissem, me solum esse velle; quare nolle me hoc tempore eam ad me venire. Putabam, si nihil rescripsissem, illam cum matre venturam: nunc non puto. Apparebat enim, illas literas non esse ipsius3. Illud autem, quod fore video, ipsum volo vitare, ne illi ad me veniant. Et una est vitatio, ut ego absim. Nolim: sed necesse est. Te

'Cicero's new-married wife, from whom he now wished to be separated, paying her back her large fortune.

2 Publilia's brother. 3 Not Publilia's own, but her mother's.

4 Publilius.

5 There is but one way of avoiding an interview; viz. my absence." Ut, which is generally caused by a verb, here is caused by the active substantive, vitatio.

hoc nunc rogo ut explores, ad quam diem hic ita possim esse, ut ne opprimar. Ages, ut scribis, temperate.

12

Ciceroni' velim hoc proponas, (ita tamen, si tibi non iniquum videbitur), ut sumptus hujus peregrinationis, quibus, si Romæ esset, domumque conduceret, quod facere cogitabat, facile contentus futurus erat, accommodet ad mercedes Argileti et Arentini: et quum ei proposueris, ipse 10 velim reliqua moderere, quemadmodum ex iis mercedibus suppeditemus ei quod opus sit. Præstabo", nec Bibulum nec Acidinum, nec Messalam, quos Athenis futuros audio, majores sumptus facturos, quam quod ex eis mercedibus recipietur. Itaque velim videas, primum, conductores 13 qui sint, et quanti; deinde, ut sit, qui ad diem solvat; et, quid viatici 1, quid instrumenti satis sit. Jumento certe Athenis nihil opus est. Quibus autem in viâ utatur, domi 16 sunt plura, quam opus erat: quod etiam tu animadvertis.

13

6" That I may not be surprised, at home."

The young Cicero, who was going to Athens, for his education.

8 Residence from home, at Athens.

9 Cicero had purchased several houses with shops in this quarter of Rome (see a Map); and had promised his son the rent of them, if he wished to live in Rome. He now proposes that the proceeds should go toward the expenses of his stay at Athens, and that his son should limit himself to that sum.

10 Tu, is understood. After velim, as usual, the ut is

omitted.

11 I will pledge myself," or "make good."

12 These were three noble youths who were going to Athens at the same time, for the purposes of education.

13 Who are the renters or occupiers, and at what rent they occupy the houses."

An agent to pay the renta! at a fixed day.

15 Viaticum, expenses on the journey." Instrumentum, "equipment."

16 In Cicero's house would be found articles enough for the journey, without the necessity of purchasing..