ROME (MAY)
I HAD only just arrived from Arpinum when your letter was delivered to me;and from the same bearer I received a letter from Avianius,in which there was this most liberal offer,that when he came to Rome he would enter my debt to him on whatever day Ichose.Pray put yourself in my place:is it consistent with your modesty or mine,first to prefer a request as to the day,and then to ask more than a year's credit?But,my dear Gallus,everything would have been easy,if you had bought the things I wanted,and only up to the price that I wished.However,the purchases which,according to your letter,you have made shall not only be ratified by me,but with gratitude besides:for I fully understand that you have displayed zeal and affection in purchasing (because you thought them worthy of me)things which pleased yourself--a man,as I have ever thought,of the most fastidious judgment in all matters of taste.Still,I should like Damasippus to abide by his decision:for there is absolutely none of those purchases that I care to have.But you,being unacquainted with my habits,have bought four or five of your selection at a price at which I do not value any statues in the world.You compare your Bacchae with Metellus's Muses.Where is the likeness?To begin with,I should never have considered the Muses worth all that money,and I think all the Muses would have approved my judgment:still,it would have been appropriate to a library,and in harmony with my pursuits But Bacchae!What place is there in my house for them?But,you will say,they are pretty.I know them very well and have often seem them.I would have commissioned you definitely in the case of statues known to me,if I had decided on them.The sort of statues that I am accustomed to buy are such as may adorn a place in a pala stra after the fashion of gymnasia.What,again,have I,the promoter of peace,to do with a statue of Mars?I am glad there was not a statue of Saturn also:for I should have thought these two statues had brought mc debt!I should have preferred some representation of Mercury:I might then,I suppose,have made a more favourable bargain with Arrianus.You say you meant the table-stand for yourself;well,if you like it,keep it.But if you have changed your mind I will,of course,have it.For the money you have laid out,indeed,I would rather have purchased a place of call at Tarracina,to prevent my being always a burden on my host.
Altogether I perceive that the fault is with my freedman,whom Ihad distinctly commissioned to purchase certain definite things,and also with lunius,whom I think you know,an intimate friend of Avianius.I have constructed some new sitting-rooms in a miniature colonnade on my Tusculan property.I want to ornament them with pictures:for if I take pleasure in anything of that sort it is in painting.However,if I am to have what you have bought,Ishould like you to inform me where they are,when they are to be fetched,and by what kind of conveyance.For if Damasippus doesn't abide by his decision,I shall look for some would-be Damasippus,even at a loss.
As to what you say about the house,as I was going out of town Iintrusted the matter to my daughter Tullia:for it 'vas at the very hour of my departure that I got your letter.I also discussed the matter with your friend Nicias,because he is,as you know,intimate with Cassius.On my return,however,before I got your last letter,I asked Tullia what she had done.She said that she had approached Licinia (though I think Cassius is not very intimate with his sister),and that she at once said that she could venture,in the absence of her husband (Dexius is gone to Spain),to change houses without his being there and knowing about it..I am much gratified that you should value association with me and my domestic life so highly,as,in the first place,to take a house which would enable you to live not only near me,but absolutely with me,and,in the second place,to be in such a hurry to make this change of residence.But,upon my life,I do not yield to you in eagerness for that arrangement.So I will try every means in my power.For Isee the advantage to myself,and,indeed,the advantages to us both.If I succeed in doing anything,I will let you know.Mind you also write me word back on everything,and let me know,if you please,when I am to expect you.
