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Letters of Marcus Tullius Cicero

Marcus Tullius Cicero · c. 68–43 BCE (composition of individual letters within the collection) primary

passage 19 of 80 · (16/74)

in brief
At Antium in April, Cicero invites Atticus to visit, discusses improvements and organization of his library via Tyrannio, and asks for library slaves and parchment for book title pieces.

ANTIUM (APRIL)

IT will be delightful if you come to see us here. You will find that Tyrannio has made a wonderfully good arrangement of my books, the remains of which are better than I had expected. Still, I wish you would send me a couple of your library slaves for Tyrannio to employ as gluers, and in other subordinate work, and tell them to get some fine parchment to make title-pieces, which you Greeks, I think, call "sillybi." But all this is only if not inconvenient to you. In any case, be sure you come yourself, if you can halt for a while in such a place, and can persuade Pilia to accompany you. For that is only fair, and Tulia is anxious that she should come. My word! You have purchased a fine troop! Your gladiators, I am told, fight superbly. If you had chosen to let them out you would have cleared your expenses by the last two spectacles. But we will talk about this later on. Be sure to come, and, as you love me, see about the library slaves.

X

To L. LUCCEIUS

ARPINUM (APRIL)

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topics: books, libraries, and learning · crafts, industry, and manufacture · household management and servants

Letters of Marcus Tullius Cicero · Marcus Tullius Cicero · 68–43 BCE