B.C. 45, ÆT. 61 the curule magistracies in his regular years. However, I did not know that Postumius, whose statue you say you remember in the Isthmus, was one of them. He is the man who was consul with L. Lucullus.[1] I have to thank you for this addition of a very suitable person to my "Conference." So please see to the rest, if you can, that I may make a fine show even with my dramatis personæ.
DCX (A XIII, 3)
TO ATTICUS (AT ROME)
Tusculum, 30 May
Yes, the debtors you mention appear to be so satisfactory
that my only hesitation arises from the fact that you seem
to have doubts. The fact is, I don't like your referring the
matter to me. What! was I to manage my own business
without your advice? But, after all, I quite understand that
you do so more from your habitual caution than because
you doubt the soundness of the debtors. The fact is, you
don't think well of Cælius, and you don't want a multiplicity
of debtors. In both sentiments I concur. We must therefore
be content with the present list.[2] Sooner or later,
indeed, you would have had to go security for me even in
the auction with which we are now concerned.[3] All then*
- ↑ B.C. 151.
- ↑ The question is of certain debts due to Faberius, which he offers to assign to Cicero in payment of the money owed to him (see p. 265). Cicero is satisfied with the list of names; but Atticus would rather have had one name, or at least fewer, and yet does not approve of the substitution of Cælius for all or some of them. Thereupon Cicero says that they had better make the best of the list as it stands.
- ↑ The auction of the horti Scapulani which Cicero had contemplated buying for Tullia's shrine. He goes on to say that Atticus, no doubt, would have to be his security for the purchase-money till the debts above-mentioned were got in, but a corresponding time of grace can be obtained from the vendors, so that Atticus's guarantee would not be called upon, and the money would be paid out of his own pocket. This sense I think can be fairly got from the text as given by Tyrrell
