Page:The Letters of Cicero Shuckburg III.pdf/117

 And indeed I am afraid Cæsar may now not have the auction at all, but when the games are over will hurry off to the aid of (Q. Pedius), lest such a great man should be treated with neglect. But I will see to it. Pray take good care of Attica, and give her and Pilia, as well as Tullia, the kindest messages from me.

CCCCLXVII (, 4)

TO ATTICUS (AT ROME)

What a welcome and delightful letter! Need I say more? It is a red-letter day with me after all. For I was made anxious by Tiro's telling me that you seemed to him somewhat flushed. I will therefore add one day to my stay here, in accordance with your wish. But that about Cato is a problem requiring an Archimedes. I cannot succeed in writing what your guests can possibly read, I don't say with

business to another purchaser at the auction (manceps), who would undertake to pay him in a year's time. But he did not know whom to trust. (3) He might accept an offer of Vettienus, the banker, to pay him half down, Vettienus taking the risk of recouping himself by dealing in some way with the estate. The "year of Meton" was a proverb for indefinite postponement, "Meton's year" meaning the solar cycle of nineteen years, which he discovered (about 430-400 at Athens).]and explains it to refer to Balbus "the stammerer." But there seems no reason to suppose that Cæsar should bestir himself just now about Balbus. It seems to me that the reference needed is to the coming campaign in Spain. Cicero is afraid Cæsar will be in a hurry to leave Rome and not stay to see to the sales of confiscated properties. Now Q. Pedius—Cæsar's nephew—was one of the commanders sent with the army in advance to Spain, from which urgent messages were coming (B. Hisp. 1-2). I therefore suggest Q. Pedio for clypo.]
 * [Footnote: was undignified (2 Phil. §§ 64-65). (2) He might transfer the whole