letters of cicero-第9节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


rve　as　an　admirable　summer　room。　However；　if　you　think　differently；　write　back　word　as　soon　as　possible。　In　the　bath　I　have　moved　the　hot　chamber　to　the　other　corner　of　the　dressing…room；　because　it　was　so　placed　that　its　steampipe　was　immediately　under　the　bedrooms。　A　fair…sized　bed…room　and　a　lofty　winter　one　I　admired　very　much；　for　they　were　both　spacious　and　well…situatedon　the　side　of　the　promenade　nearest　to　the　bath。　Diphilus　had　placed　the　columns　out　of　the　perpendicular；　and　not　opposite　each　other。　These；　of　course；　he　shall　take　down；　he　will　learn　some　day　to　use　the　plumb…line　and　measure。　On　the　whole；　I　hope　Diphilus's　work　will　be　completed　in　a　few　months：　for　Qesius；　who　was　with　me　at　the　time；　keeps　a　very　sharp　look…out　upon　him。

Thence　I　started　straight　along　the　via　Vitularia　to　your　Fufidianum；　the　estate　which　we　bought　for　you　a　few　weeks　ago　at　Arpinum　for　100；000　sesterces　（about　8oo　pounds）。　I　never　saw　a　shadier　spot　in　summerwater　springs　in　many　parts　of　it；　and　abundant　into　the　bargain。　In　short；　Caesius　thought　that　you　would　easily　irrigate　fifty　iugera　of　the　meadow　land。　For　my　part；　I　can　assure　you　of　this；　which　is　more　in　my　line；　that　you　will　have　a　villa　marvellously　pleasant；　with　the　addition　of　a　fish…pond；　spouting　fountains；　a　pakestra；　and　a　shrubbery。　I　am　told　that　you　wish　to　keep　this　Bovillae　estate。　You　will　determine　as　you　think　good。　Calvus　said　that；　even　if　the　control　of　the　water　were　taken　from　you；　and　the　right　of　drawing　it　off　were　established　by　the　vendor；　and　thus　an　easement　were　imposed　on　that　property；　we　could　yet　maintain　the　price　in　case　we　wish　to　sell。　He　said　that　he　had　agreed　with　you　to　do　the　work　at　three　sesterces　a　foot；　and　that　he　had　stepped　it；　and　made　it　three　miles。　It　seemed　to　me　more。　But　I　will　guarantee　that　the　money　could　nowhere　be　better　laid　out。　I　had　sent　for　Cillo　from　Venafrum；　but　on　that　very　day　four　of　his　fellow　servants　and　apprentices　bad　been　crushed　by　the　falling　in　of　a　tunnel　at　Venafrum。　On　the　23th　of　September　I　was　at　Laterium。　I　examined　the　road；　which　appeared　to　me　to　be　so　good　as　to　Seem　almost　like　a　high　road；　except　a　hundred　and　fifty　pacesfor　I　measured　it　myself　from　the　little　bridge　at　the　temple　of　Furina；　in　the　direction　of　Satricum。　There　they　had　put　down　dust；　not　gravel　（this　shall　he　changed）；　and　that　part　of　the　road　is　a　very　steep　incline。　But　I　understood　that　it　could　not　be　taken　in　any　other　direction；　particularly　as　you　did　not　wish　it　to　go　through　the　property　of　Locusta　or　Varro。　The　latter　alone　had　made　the　road　very　well　where　it　skirted　his　own　property。　Locusta　hadn't　touched　it；　but　I　will　call　on　him　at　Rome；　and　think　I　shall　be　able　to　stir　him　up；　and　at　the　same　tune　I　think　I　shall　ask　M。　Tarus；　who　is　now　at　Rome；　and　whom　I　am　told　promised　to　allow　you　to　do　so；　about　making　a　watercourse　through　his　property。　I　much　approved　of　your　steward　Nicephorius　and　I　asked　him　what　orders　you　had　given　about　that　small　building　at　Laterium；　about　which　you　spoke　to　me。　He　told　me　in　answer　that　he　had　himself　contracted　to　do　the　work　for　sixteen　sestertia　（about　128　pounds）；　but　that　you　had　afterwards　made　many　additions　to　the　work；　but　nothing　to　the　price；　and　that　he　had　therefore　given　it　up。　I　quite　approve　by　Hercules；　of　your　making　the　additions　you　had　determined　upon；　although　the　villa　as　it　stands　seems　to　have　the　air　of　a　philosopher；　meant　to　rebuke　the　extravagance　of　other　villas。　Yet；　after　all；　that　addition　will　be　pleasing。　I　praised　your　landscape　gardener：　he　has　so　covered　everything　with　ivy；　both　the　foundation…wall　of　the　villa　and　the　spaces　between　the　columns　of　the　walk；　that；　upon　my　word；　those　Greek　statues　seemed　to　be　engaged　in　fancy　gardening；　and　to　be　shewing　off　the　ivy。　Finally；　nothing　can　be　cooler　or　more　mossy　than　the　dressing…room　of　the　bath。　That　is　about　all　I　have　to　say　about　country　matters。　The　gardener；　indeed；　as　well　as　Philotimus　and　Cincius　are　pressing　on　the　ornamentation　of　your　town　house；　but　I　also　often　look　in　upon　it　myself；　as　I　can　do　without　difficulty。　Wherefore　don't　be　at　all　anxious　about　that。

As　to　your　always　asking　me　about　your　son；　of　course　I　〃excuse　you〃；　but　I　must　ask　you　to　〃excuse〃　me　also；　for　I　don't　allow　that　you　love　him　more　than　I　do。　And　oh　that　he　had　been　with　me　these　last　few　days　at　Arpinum；　as　he　had　himself　set　his　heart　on　being；　and　as　I　had　no　less　done！　As　to　Pomponia；　please　write　and　say　that；　when　I　go　out　of　town　anywhere；　she　is　to　come　with　me　and　bring　the　boy。　I'll　do　wonders　with　him；　if　I　get　him　to　myself　when　I　am　at　leisure：　for　at　Rome　there　is　no　time　to　breathe。　You　know　I　formerly　promised　to　do　so　for　nothing。　What　do　you　expect　with　such　a　reward　as　you　promise　me？　I　now　come　to　your　letters　which　I　received　in　several　packets　when　I　was　at　Arpinum。　For　I　received　three　from　you　in　one　day；　and；　indeed；　as　it　seemed；　despatched　by　you　at　the　same　timeone　of　considerable　length；　in　which　your　first　point　was　that　my　letter　to　you　was　dated　earlier　than　that　to　Caesar。　Oppius　at　times　cannot　help　this：　the　reason　is　that；　having　settled　to　send　letter…carriers；　and　having　received　a　letter　from　me；　he　is　hindered　by　something　turning　up；　and　obliged　to　despatch　them　later　than　he　had　intended；　and　I　don't　take　the　trouble　to　have　the　day　altered　on　a　letter　which　I　have　once　handed　to　him。　You　write　about　Caesar's　extreme　affection　for　us。　This　affection　you　must　on　your　part　keep　warm；　and　I　for　mine　will　endeavour　to　increase　it　by　every　means　in　my　power。　About　Pompey；　I　am　carefully　acting；　and　shall　continue　to　act；　as　you　advise。　That　my　permission　to　you　to　stay　longer　is　a　welcome　one；　though　I　grieve　at　your　absence　and　miss　you　exceedingly；　1　am　yet　partly　glad。　What　you　can　be　thinking　of　in　sending　for　such　people　as　Hippodamus　and　some　others；　I　do　not　understand。　There　is　not　one　of　those　fellows　that　won't　expect　a　present　from　you　equal　to　a　suburban　estate。　However；　there　is　no　reason　for　your　classing　my　friend　Trebatius　with　them。　I　sent　him　to　Caesar；　and　Caesar　has　done　all　I　expected。　If　he　has　not　done　quite　what　he　expected　himself；　I　am　not　bound　to　make　it　up　to　him；　and　I　in　like　manner　free　and　absolve　you　from　all　claims　on　his　part。　Your　remark；　that　you　are　a　greater　favourite　with　Caesar　every　day；　is　a　source　of　undying　satisfaction　to　me。　As　to　Balbus；　who；　as　you　say；　promotes　that　state　of　things；　he　is　the　apple　of　my　eye。　I　am　indeed　glad　that　you　and　my　friend　Trebonius　like　each　other。　As　to　what　you　say　about　the　military　tribuneship；　I；　indeed；　asked　for　it　definitely　for　Curtius；　and　Caeesar　wrote　back　definitely　to　say　that　there　was　one　at　Curtius's　service；　and　chided　me　for　my　modesty　in　making　the　request。　If　I　have　asked　one　for　anyone　elseas　I　told　Oppius　to　write　and　tell　CaesarI　shall　not　be　at　all　annoyed　by　a　refusal；　since　those　who　pester　me　for　letters　are　annoyed　at　a　refusal　from　me。　I　like　Curtius；　as　I　have　told　him；　not　only　because　you　asked　me　to　do　so；　but　from　the　character　you　gave　of　him；　for　from　your　letter　I　have　gathered　the　zeal　he　shewed　for　my　restoration。　As　for　the　British　expedition；　I　conclude　from　your　letter　that　we　have　no　occasion　either　for　fear　or　exultation。　As　to　public　affairs；　about　which　you　wish　Tiro　to　write　to　you；　I　have　written　to　you　hitherto　somewhat　more　carelessly　than　usual；　because　I　knew　that　all　events；　small　or　great；　were　reported　to　Caesar。　I　have　now　answered　your　longest　letter。

Now　hear　what　I　have　to　say　to　your　small　one。　The　first　point　is　about　Clodius's　letter　to　Caesar。　In　that　matter　I　approve　of　Caesar's　policy；　in　not　having　given　way　to　your　request　so　far　as　to　write　a　single　word　to　that　Fury。　The　next　thing　is　about　the　speech　of　Calventius　〃Marius。〃　I　am　surprised　at　your　saying　that　you　think　I　ought　to　answer　it；　particularly　as；　while　no　one　is　likely　to　read　that　speech；　unless　I　write　an　answer　to　it；　every　schoolboy　learns　mine　against　him　as　an　exercise。　My　books；　all　of　which　you　are　expecting；　I　have　begun；　but　I　cannot　finish　them　for　some　days　yet。　The　speeches　for　Scaurus　and　Plancius　which　you　clamour　for　I　have　finished。　The　poem　to　Caesar；　which　I　had　begun；　I　have　cut　short。　I　will　write　what　you　ask　me　for；　since　your　poetic　springs　are　running　dry；　as　soon　as　I　have　time。

Now　for　the　third　letter。　It　is　very　pleasant　and　welcome　news　to　hear　from　you　that　Balbus　is　soon　coming　to　Rome；　and　so　well　accompanied！　and　will　stay　with　me　continuously　till　the　15th　of　May。　As　to　your　exhorting　me　in　the　same　letter；　as　in　many　previous　ones；　to　ambition　and　labour；　I　shall；　of　course；　do　as　you　say：　but　when　am　I　to　enjoy　any　real　life？

Your　fourth　letter　reached　me　on　the　13th　of　September；　dated　on　the　ioth　of　August　from　Britain。　In　it　there　was　nothing　new　except　about　your　Erigona；　and　if　I　get　that　from　Oppius　I　will　write　and　tell　you　what　I　think　of　it。　I　have　no　doubt　I　shall　like　it。　Oh　yes！　I　had　almost　forgotten　to　remark　as　to　the　man　who；　you　say　in　your　letter；　had　written　to　Qesar　about　the　applause　given　to　Milo　I　am　not　unwilling　that　Caesar　should　think　that　it　was　as　warm　as　poss