They,at any rate,imagine themselves to have obtained "autonomy."You at Rome,I suppose,have men of high character in that capacity--Tupio the shoemaker and Vettius the broker!You seem to wish to know how I treat the publicani.I pet,indulge,compliment,and honour them:I contrive,however,that they oppress no one.The most surprising thing is that even Servilius maintained the rates of usury entered on their contracts.My line is this:I mirrie a day fairly distant,before which,if they have paid,Igive out that I shall recognize only twelve per cent.:if they have not paid,the rate shall be according to the contract.The result is that the Greeks pay at a reasonable rate of interest,and the publicani are thoroughly satisfied by receiving in full measure what I mentioned--complimentary speeches and frequent invitations.Need I say more?They are all on such terms with me that each thinks himself my most intimate friend.However,(Greek phrase)--you know the rest.
As to the statue of Africanus--what a mass of confusion I But that was just what interested me in your letter.Do you really mean it?
Does the present Metellus Scipio not know that his great-grandfather was never censor?Why,the statue placed at a high elevation in the temple of Ops had no inscription except CENS,while on the statue near the Hercules of Polycles there is also the inscription CENS,and that this is the statue of the same man is proved by attitude,dress,ring,and the likeness itself.But,by Hercules,when I observed in the group of gilded equestrian statues,placed by the present Metellus on the Capitol,a statue of Africanus with the name of Serapio inscribed under it,I thought it a mistake of the workman.I now see that it is an error of Metellus's.What a shocking historical blunder!For that about Flavius and the Fasti,if it is a blunder,is one shared in by all,and you were quite right to raise the question.I followed the opinion which runs through nearly all historians,as is often the case with Greek writers.For example,do they not all say that Eupolis,the poet of the old comedy,was thrown into the sea by Alcibiades on his voyage to Sicily?Eratosthenes disproves it:for he produces some plays exhibited by him after that date.Is that careful historian,Duris of Samos,laughed out of court because he,in common with many others,made this mistake?Has not,again,every writer affirmed that Zaleucus drew up a constitution for the Locrians?Are we on that account to regard Theophrastus as utterly discredited,because your favourite Timams attacked his statement?But not to know that one's own great-grandfather was never censor is discreditable,especially as since his consulship no Cornelius was censor in his lifetime.
As to what you say about Philotimus and the payment ot the 20,600sestertia,I hear that Philotimus arrived in the Chersonese about the 1st of January:but as yet I have not had a word from him.The balance due to me Camillus writes me word that he has received;I don't know how much it is,and I am anxious to know.
However,we will talk of this later on,and with greater advantage,perhaps,when we meet?
But,my dear Atticus,that sentence almost at the end of your letter gave me great uneasiness.For you say,"What else is there to say?"and then you go on to entreat me in most affectionate terms not to forget my vigilance,and to keep my eyes on what is going on.
Have you heard any-thing about anyone?I am sure nothing of the sort has taken place.No,no,it can't be!It would never have eluded my notice,nor will it.Yet that reminder of yours,so carefully worded,seems to suggest something.
