DCCXXIII (A XIV, 18)
TO ATTICUS (AT ROME)
POMPEII, 9 MAY
You are always going on at me for what you
consider my extravagance in praising Dolabella's
achievement to the skies. Now, though I do highly
approve of what he did, I was after all led to
speak of it in such high terms by first one and
then another letter from you. But Dolabella has
entirely lost your favour for the same reason
which has made me very bitter with him too. A
brazen-faced fellow indeed! He should have paidon
the 1st of January: he has not paid yet, and that
though he has freed himself from a vast load of
debt by the handwriting of Faberius, and has
sought an "opening"in the temple of Ops. 1 For a pun is permissible, lest you
should think me very much upset. And, in fact, I
wrote to him very early in the morning of the 8th.
On the same day I received a letter from you at
Pompeii—which had travelled very
quickly, for it reached me on the third day. But,
as I wrote you word on that very day, I sent
Dolabella a fairly stinging letter. Even if that
does no good, I think he will at any rate be
unable to face me when we meet. I think you have settled the business
of Albius. As to the debt from Patulcius, your
having come to my aid is most kind,
and exactly like everything you are always doing.
But I seem to have deserted Eros, who is the very
man to settle that business, for it was owing to
his serious mistake that they went wrong in their
accounts. But I will see to that when I meet him.
As to Montanus, as I have often mentioned to you
before, you will please see to the whole business.
I am not at all surprised that Servius spoke to
you in a tone of despair as he was leaving town,
and I am not a whit behind him in his despairing
view of the situation. What our friend Brutus,
that unequalled hero, is going to do in the forum,
if he does not intend to come to the senate on the
1st of June, I cannot imagine. But he will settle
that himself better than I can. Judging from the
measures I see in course of preparation, I
conclude that little good was done by the Ides of
March. Accordingly, I think of going to Greece
more and more every day. For I don't see what good
I can do my friend Brutus, who—as he
writes me word—is contemplating exile
for himself. The letter of Leonides did not give
me much pleasure. About Herodes I agree with you.
I could wish I had read that of Saufeius. I am
thinking of leaving Pompeii on the 10th of May.
POMPEII, 9 MAY
