Page:The Letters of Cicero Shuckburg III.pdf/302

 *

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. 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)

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. Sooner or later, indeed, you would have had to go security for me even in the auction with which we are now concerned. All then*