DLXVII (A XII, 31.3, 32)
TO ATTICUS (AT ROME)
ASTURA, 28 MARCH
EGNATIUS has written to me. If he has said
anything to you, as the matter can be settled most
conveniently through him, please write and tell
me. I think too that the negotiation should be
pressed. For I don't see any possibility of coming
to terms with Silius. Love to Pilia and Attica.
What follows is by my own
hand. Pray see what is to be done. Publilia has
written to tell me that her mother, on the advice
'of Publilius, is coming to see me with him and
that she will come with them if I will allow it:
she begs me in many words of intreaty that she may
be allowed to do so, and that I would answer her
letter. You see what an unpleasant business it is.
I wrote back to say that it would be even more
painful than it was when I told her that I wished
to be alone, and that therefore I did not wish her
to come to see me at this time. I thought that, if
I made no answer, she would come with her mother:
now I don't think she will. For it is evident that
her letter is not her own composition. Now this is
the very thing I wish to avoid, which I see will
occur-namely, that they will come to my house: and
the one way of avoiding it is to fly away. I would
rather not, but I must. I beg you to find out the
last day I can remain here without being caught.
Act, as you say, with moderation. I would have you propose to my son,
that is, if you think it fair, to adapt the
expenses of this sojourn abroad to what he would
have been quite content with, if; as he thought of
doing, he had remained at Rome and hired a
house—I mean to the rents of my property
in the Argiletum and Aventine And in making that
proposal to him, pray arrange the rest of the
business for our supplying him with what he needs
from those rents. I will guarantee that neither
Bibulus nor Acidinus nor Messalla, who I hear are
to be at Athens, will spend more
than the sum to be received from these rents.
Therefore, please investigate who the tenants are
and what their rent is, and take care that the
tenant is a man to pay to the day. See also what
journey money and outfit will suffice. There is
Certainly no need of a carriage and horses at
Athens. For such as he wants for the journey there
is enough and to spare at home, as you observe
yourself.
ASTURA, 28 MARCH
