As to your always asking me about your son,of course I "excuse you";but I must ask you to "excuse"me also,for I don't allow that you love him more than I do.And oh that he had been with me these last few days at Arpinum,as he had himself set his heart on being,and as I had no less done!As to Pomponia,please write and say that,when I go out of town anywhere,she is to come with me and bring the boy.I'll do wonders with him,if I get him to myself when I am at leisure:for at Rome there is no time to breathe.You know I formerly promised to do so for nothing.What do you expect with such a reward as you promise me?I now come to your letters which I received in several packets when I was at Arpinum.
For I received three from you in one day,and,indeed,as it seemed,despatched by you at the same time--one of considerable length,in which your first point was that my letter to you was dated earlier than that to Caesar.Oppius at times cannot help this:the reason is that,having settled to send letter-carriers,and having received a letter from me,he is hindered by something turning up,and obliged to despatch them later than he had intended;and I don't take the trouble to have the day altered on a letter which I have once handed to him.You write about Caesar's extreme affection for us.This affection you must on your part keep warm,and I for mine will endeavour to increase it by every means in my power.
About Pompey,I am carefully acting,and shall continue to act,as you advise.That my permission to you to stay longer is a welcome one,though I grieve at your absence and miss you exceedingly,1am yet partly glad.What you can be thinking of in sending for such people as Hippodamus and some others,I do not understand.
There is not one of those fellows that won't expect a present from you equal to a suburban estate.However,there is no reason for your classing my friend Trebatius with them.I sent him to Caesar,and Caesar has done all I expected.If he has not done quite what he expected himself,I am not bound to make it up to him,and I in like manner free and absolve you from all claims on his part.Your remark,that you are a greater favourite with Caesar every day,is a source of undying satisfaction to me.As to Balbus,who,as you say,promotes that state of things,he is the apple of my eye.I am indeed glad that you and my friend Trebonius like each other.As to what you say about the military tribuneship,I,indeed,asked for it definitely for Curtius,and Caeesar wrote back definitely to say that there was one at Curtius's service,and chided me for my modesty in making the request.If I have asked one for anyone else--as I told Oppius to write and tell Caesar--I shall not be at all annoyed by a refusal,since those who pester me for letters are annoyed at a refusal from me.I like Curtius,as I have told him,not only because you asked me to do so,but from the character you gave of him;for from your letter I have gathered the zeal he shewed for my restoration.As for the British expedition,Iconclude from your letter that we have no occasion either for fear or exultation.As to public affairs,about which you wish Tiro to write to you,I have written to you hitherto somewhat more carelessly than usual,because I knew that all events,small or great,were reported to Caesar.I have now answered your longest letter.
Now hear what I have to say to your small one.The first point is about Clodius's letter to Caesar.In that matter I approve of Caesar's policy,in not having given way to your request so far as to write a single word to that Fury.The next thing is about the speech of Calventius "Marius."I am surprised at your saying that you think I ought to answer it,particularly as,while no one is likely to read that speech,unless I write an answer to it,every schoolboy learns mine against him as an exercise.My books,all of which you are expecting,I have begun,but I cannot finish them for some days yet.The speeches for Scaurus and Plancius which you clamour for I have finished.The poem to Caesar,which I had begun,I have cut short.I will write what you ask me for,since your poetic springs are running dry,as soon as I have time.
Now for the third letter.It is very pleasant and welcome news to hear from you that Balbus is soon coming to Rome,and so well accompanied!and will stay with me continuously till the 15th of May.As to your exhorting me in the same letter,as in many previous ones,to ambition and labour,I shall,of course,do as you say:but when am I to enjoy any real life?
Your fourth letter reached me on the 13th of September,dated on the ioth of August from Britain.In it there was nothing new except about your Erigona,and if I get that from Oppius I will write and tell you what I think of it.I have no doubt I shall like it.Oh yes!Ihad almost forgotten to remark as to the man who,you say in your letter,had written to Qesar about the applause given to Milo--I am not unwilling that Caesar should think that it was as warm as possible.And in point of fact it was so,and yet that applause,which is given to him,seems in a certain sense to be given to me.
I have also received a very old letter,but which was late in coming into my hands,in which you remind me about the temple of Tellus and the colonnade of Catulus.Both of these matters are being actively carried out.At the temple of Tellus I have even got your statue placed.So,again,as to your reminder about a suburban villa and gardens,I was never very keen for one,and now my town house has all the charm of such a pleasure-ground.On my arrival in Rome on the 18th of September I found the roof on your house finished:the part over the sitting-rooms,which you did not wish to have many gables,now slopes gracefully towards the roof of the lower colonnade.Our boy,in my absence,did not cease working with his rhetoric master.You have no reason for being anxious about his education,for you know his ability,and I see his application.Everything else I take it upon myself to guarantee,with full consciousness that I am bound to make it good.
