text=A:book=12:letter=51
TIRO is come back sooner than I hoped. Nicias has also arrived, and I hear that Valerius is coming today. However many they may be, I shall still be more alone than if you were here by yourself. But I expect you, at any rate after you have done with Peducaeus. That is, the auction of Sextus Peducaeus. See pp. 255, 268 You however give some hints of an earlier date; but that must be as you find it possible. As to Vergilius, One of the heirs of Scapula. See pp.241, 252. it is as you say. Yet what I should like to know is when the auction is to be. I see you are of opinion that the letter should be sent to Caesar. Well! I was very much of that opinion also, and the more so that there is not a word in it unbecoming the most loyal of citizens, that is, as loyal as the state of the times permit, to which all political writers teach us that we must bow. But observe, I stipulate that your Caesarian friends read it first. He means Oppius and Balbus. So please see to it. But unless you clearly understand that they approve, it must not be sent. Now you will detect whether they really approve or only pretend to do so. Pretence will in my eyes be equivalent to rejection. You must probe that question. Tiro told me what you thought ought to be done about Caerellia: that it was unbecoming to me to be in debt; that you were in favour of an assignment : That is, of some debts to himself. He was to assign them to Caerellia in payment of his debt to her. If we translate it "note of hand"—as though that would clear Cicero of his debt—we should be following the precedent of Mr. Micawber. The point of the quotation is that there is a great chance of Cicero not being able to get the debts to himself paid. For the word perscriptio see vol. i., p.301 (Att. 4.17). Fear this and not the other? passing strange! A line from some unknown comedy, often quoted by Cicero. But this and much besides when we meet. However, we must suspend the payment of the debt to Caerellia till we know about Meton and Faberius.
