garic statues and the Hermae, which you mentioned in your letters,
I am waiting for impatiently. Anything you have of the same kind which
may strike you as worthy of my "Academia," do not hesitate to send, and
have complete confidence in my money-chest. My present delight is to
pick up anything particularly suitable to a "gymnasium." Lentulus
promises the use of his ships. I beg you to be zealous in these matters.
Thyillus begs you (and I also at his request) to get him some writings
of the Eumolpidae.[33]

V (A I, 8)

TO ATTICUS (AT ATHENS)

ROME

[Sidenote: B.C. 67, AET. 39]

All well at your house. Your mother and sister are regarded with
affection by me and my brother Quintus. I have spoken to Acutilius. He
says that he has not heard from his agent, and professes surprise that
you should make any difficulty of his having refused to guarantee you
against farther demands. As to the business of Tadius, the announcement
in your letter that you have settled the matter out of court I saw
gratified and pleased him very much. That friend of mine[34]--a most
excellent man, upon my honour, and most warmly attached to me--is very
angry with you. If I could but know how much you care about it, I should
be able to decide how much trouble I am to take in the matter. I have
paid L. Cincius the 20,400 sesterces for the Megaric statues in
accordance with your letter to me. As to your Hermae of Pentelic marble
with bronze heads, about which you wrote to me--I have fallen in love
with them on the spot. So pray send both them and the statues, and
anything else that may appear to you to suit the place you wot of, my
passion, and your taste--as large a supply and as early as possible.
Above all, anything you think appropriate to a gymnasium and terrace. I
have such a passion for things of this sort that while I expect
assistance from you, I must expect something like rebuke from others. If
Lentulus has no vessel there, put them on board anyone you please. My
pet Tulliola claims your present and duns me as your security. I am
resolved, however, to disown the obligation rather than pay up for you.

[Footnote 33: Thyillus (sometimes written Chilius), a Greek poet living
at Rome. See Letters XVI and XXI. The Eumolpidae were a family of priests
at Athens who had charge of the temple of Demeter at Eleusis. The
[Greek: patria Eumolpidon] (the phrase used by Cicero here) may be
either books of ritual or records such as priests usu