n you come to
"Laestrygonia of the distant gates"[230]--I mean Formiae--what loud
murmurs! what angry souls! what unpopularity for our friend Magnus! His
surname is getting as much out of fashion as the "Dives" of Crassus.
Believe me, I have met no one here to take the present state of things
as quietly as I do. Wherefore, credit me, let us stick to philosophy. I
am ready to take my oath that there is nothing to beat it. If you have a
despatch to send to the Sicyonians,[231] make haste to Formiae, whence I
think of going on the 6th of May.

[Footnote 230: [Greek: telepylon Laistrygonien], whose king Lamus
(_Odyss._ x. 81) was supposed to have founded Formiae (Horace, _Od._ iii.
17).]

[Footnote 231: A despatch from senate or consuls. See Letter XXIV, p.
60.]

XL (A II, 14)

TO ATTICUS (AT ROME)

FORMIAE, APRIL

[Sidenote: B.C. 59, AET. 47.]

How you rouse my curiosity as to what Bibulus says, as to your
conversation with "Iuno," and even as to your "fast" dinner party!
Therefore make haste to come, for my ears are thirsty for news. However,
there is nothing which I think is now more to be dreaded by me than that
our dear Sampsiceramus, finding himself belaboured by the tongues of
all, and seeing these proceedings easy to upset, should begin striking
out. For myself, I have so completely lost all nerve, that I prefer a
despotism, with the existing peace, to a state of war with the best
hopes in the world. As to literary composition, to which you frequently
urge me, it is impossible! My house is a basilica rather than a villa,
owing to the crowds of visitors from Formiae. But (you'll say) do I
really compare the AEmilian tribe to the crowd in a basilica?[232] Well,
I say nothing about the common ruck--the rest of them don't bother me
after ten o'clock: but C. Arrius is my next door neighbour, or rather,
he almost lives in my house, and even declares that the reason for his
not going to Rome is that he may spend whole days with me here
philosophizing! And then, lo and behold, on my other side is Sebosus,
that friend of Catulus! Which way am I to turn? By heaven, I would start
at once for Arpinum, only that I see that the most convenient place to
await your visit is Formiae: but only up to the 6th of May! For you see
with what bores my ears are pestered. What a splendid opportunity, with
such fellows in the house, if anyone wanted to buy my Formian
property![233] And in spite of all this am I to make good