DLXXXI (A XII, 38, §§ 3, 4)
TO ATTICUS (AT ROME)
Astura (7 May)
You think that by this time my composure of spirit ought to
be en évidence, and you say that certain persons speak with
more severity of me than either you or Brutus repeat in your
letters: if anybody supposes me to be crushed in spirit and
unmanned, let them know the amount of my literary labours
and their nature. I believe, if they are only reasonable men,
they would think, if I am so far recovered as to bring a disengaged
mind to writing on difficult subjects, that I am not
open to their criticism; or if I have selected a diversion
from sorrow in the highest degree noble and worthy of a
scholar, that I even deserve to be praised. But though I
do everything I can to relieve my sorrow, pray bring to a
conclusion what I see that you are as much concerned about
as I am myself. I regard this as a debt, the burden of
which cannot be lightened unless I pay it, or see a possibility
of paying it, that is, unless I find a site such as I wish.
If Scapula's heirs, as you say that Otho told you, think of
cutting up the pleasure-grounds into four lots, and bidding
for them between themselves, there is of course no room for
a purchaser. But if they are to come into the market we will
see what can be done. For that ground once belonging to
Publicius, and now to Trebonius and Cusinius, has been suggested
to me. But you know it is a town building site. I
don't like it at all. Clodia's I like very much, but I don't
think they are for sale. As to Drusus's pleasure-grounds,
though you say that you dislike them, I shall take refuge in
them after all, unless you find something. I don't mind the
building, for I shall build nothing that I should not build
even if I don't have them. "Cyrus, books IV and V"
pleased me about as much as the other works of Antisthenes[1]—a
man of acuteness rather than of learning.
- ↑ Founder of the Cynic School at Athens about B.C. 366. One of his many dialogues was called Cyrus.