Latin Texts & Translations

DXCVI (A XII, 48 AND 49)

TO ATTICUS (AT ROME) TUSCULUM, 19 MAY

I FELT all along how much good your presence was doing me, but I feel it much more since your departure.

Wherefore, as I wrote to you before, either I must come bodily to you or you to me, as may be possible. Yesterday, not much after you left my house, I think, some men from the city, as they seemed, brought me a message and a letter from "Gaius Marius, son of Gaius, grandson of Gains," ^[Note] written at great length: "they begged me in the name of our relationship to them, in the name of the famous Marius on whom I had composed a poem, ^[Note] in the name of the eloquence of his grandfather L. Cassius, to undertake his defence,"—he then stated his case in full detail. I wrote back to say that he had no need of counsel, as all power was in the hands of his relation Caesar, who was a most excellent and fair-minded man, but that I would support him.

What times we live in! To think that Curtius should be hesitating as to whether he should stand for the consulship ! ^[Note] But enough of this. I am anxious about Tiro. But I shall know directly how he is: for I sent a man yesterday to see, to whom also I entrusted a letter for you. I enclose a letter for my son. Please let me know what day is advertised for the sale of the pleasure-grounds.