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let nothing pass。
XXXI
To ATTICUS （AT ROME）
ASTURA； II JUNE
AT length a letter…carrier from my son！ And； by Hercules； a letter elegantly expressed； shewing in itself some progress。 Others also give me excellent reports of him。 Leonides； however； still sticks to his favourite 〃at present。〃 But Herodes speaks in the highest terms of him。 In short； 1 am glad even to be deceived in this matter； and am not sorry to be credulous。 Pray let me know if Statius has written to you anything of importance to me。
XXXII
To ATTICUS （AT ROME）
ASTURA； 13 JUNE
CONFOUND Lucius Antonius； if he makes himself troublesome to the Buthrotians！ I have drawn out a deposition which shall be signed and sealed whenever you please。 As for the money of the Arpinates； if the aedile L。 Fadius asks for it； pay him back every farthing。 In a previous letter I mentioned to you a sum of 110 sestertia to be paid to Statius。 If； then； Fadius applies for the money； I wish it paid to him； and to no one except Fadius。 I think that amount was put into my hands； and I have written to Eros to produce it。
I can't stand the Queen： and the voucher for her promises； Hammonius； knows that I have good cause for saying so。 What she promised； indeed； were all things of the learned sort and suitable to my charactersuch as I could avow even in a public meeting。 As for Sara； besides finding him to be an unprincipled rascal； I also found him inclined to give himself airs to me。 I only saw him once at my house。 And when I asked him politely what I could do for him； he said that he had come in hopes of finding Atticus。 The Queen's insolence； too； when she was living in Caesar's trans… Tiberine villa； I cannot recall without a pang。 I won't have anything to do therefore with that lot。 They think not so much that I have no spirit； as that I have scarcely any proper pride at all。 My leaving Italy is hindered by Eros's way of doing business。 For whereas from the balances struck by him on the 5th of April I ought to be well off； I am obliged to borrow； while the receipts from those paying properties of mine I think have been put aside for building the shrine。 But I have charged Tiro to see to all this； whom I am sending to Rome for the express purpose。
I did not wish to add to your existing embarrassments。 The steadier the conduct of my son； the more I am vexed at his being hampered。 For he never mentioned the subject to methe first person to whom he should have done so。 But he said in a letter to Tiro that he had received nothing since the 1st of Aprilfor that was the end of his financial year。 Now I know that your own kind feeling always caused you to be of opinion that he ought to be treated not only with liberality； but with splendour and generosity； and that you also considered that to be due to my position。 Wherefore pray seeI would not have troubled you if I could have done it through anyone elsethat he has a bill of exchange at Athens for his year's allowance。 Eros will pay you the money。 I am sending Tiro on that business。 Pray therefore see to it； and write and tell me any idea you may have on the subject。
XXXIII
To C。 TREBATIUS TESTA （AT ROME）
TUSCULUM （JUNE）
You jeered at me yesterday amidst our cups； for having said that it was a disputed point whether an heir could lawfully prosecute on an embezzlement which had been committed before he became the owner。 Accordingly； though I returned home full of wine and late in the evening； I marked the section in which that question is treated and caused it to be copied out and sent to you。 I wanted to convince you that the doctrine which you said was held by no one was maintamed by Sextus Aelius； Manius Manilius； Marcus Brutus。 Nevertheless； I concur with Scaevola and Testa。
XXXIV
M。 CICERO （THE YOUNGER） TO TIR0
ATHENS （AUGUST）
AFTER I had been anxiously expecting letter…carriers day after day； at length they arrived forty…six days after they left you。 Their arrival was most welcome to me： for while I took the greatest possible pleasure in the letter of the kindest and most beloved of fathers； still your most delightful letter put a finishing stroke to my joy。 So I no longer repent of having suspended writing for a time； but am rather rejoiced at it； for I have reaped a great reward in your kindness from my pen having been silent。 I am therefore exceedingly glad that you have unhesitatingly accepted my excuse。 I am sure； dearest Tiro； that the reports about me which reach you answer your best wishes and hopes。 I will make them good； and will do my best that this belief in me； which day by day becomes more and more en evidence； shall be doubled。 Wherefore you may with confidence and assurance fulfil your promise of being the trumpeter of my reputation。 For the errors of my youth have caused me so much remorse and suffering； that not only does my heart shrink from what I did； my very ears abhor the mention of it。 And of this anguish and sorrow I know and am assured that you have taken your share。 And I don't wonder at it！ for while you wished me all success for my sake； you did so also for your own； for I have ever meant you to be my partner in all my good fortunes。 Since； therefore； you have suffered sorrow through me； I will now take care that through me your joy shall be doubled。 Let me assure you that my very close attachment to Cratippus is that of a son rather than a pupil： for though I enjoy his lectures； I am also specially charmed with his delightful manners。 I spend whole days with him； and often part of the night： for I induce him to dine with me as often as possible。 This intimacy having been established； he often drops in upon us unexpectedly while we are at dinner； and laying aside the stiff airs of a philosopher joins in our jests with the greatest possible freedom。 He is such a manso delightful； so distinguishedthat you should take pains to make his acquaintance at the earliest possible opportunity。 I need hardly mention Bruttius； whom I never allow to leave my side。 He is a man of a strict and moral life； as well as being the most delightful company。 For in him fun is not divorced from literature and the daily philosophical inquiries which we make in common。 I have hired a residence next door to him； and as far as I can with my poor pittance I subsidize his narrow means。 Farthermore； I have begun practising declamation in Greek with Cassius； in Latin I like having my practice with Bruttius。 My intimate friends and daily company are those whom Cratippus brought with him from Mitylenegood scholars； of whom he has the highest opinion。 I also see a great deal of Epicrates； the leading man at Athens； and Leonides； and other men of that sort。 So now you know how I am going on。
You remark in your letter on the character of Gorgias。 The fact is； I found him very useful in my daily practice of declamation； but I subordinated everything to obeying my father's injunctions； for he had written ordering me to give him up at once。 I wouldn't shilly… shally about the business； for fear my making a fuss should cause my father to harbour some suspicion。 Moreover； it occurred to me that it would be offensive for me to express an opinion on a decision of my father's。 However； your interest a