Chapter text=F:book=16:letter=23

TO TIRO (AT ROME) TUSCULUM (21 JUNE)

WELL, settle about the tax-return if you can: though this particular money is not properly liable to such a return. However—no matter! Balbus writes to say that he has such a violent catarrh that he has lost his voice. As to Antonius and his law-it's all one. Let them only leave me my country life. I have written to Bithynicus. I must leave you to make your own reflexions on Servilius —for you rather want to live to be an old man. As for me, our dear Atticus, having once noticed that I was in a panic, thinks that it is always so with me, and does not see with what a panoply of philosophy I am now armed. In fact he creates alarm by being frightened himself. After all I really do wish to keep up my friendship with Antony, which has now lasted a long time without a quarrel, and I will write to him, but not till I have seen you. Yet I don't want to call you off from looking after your bond-every man for himself! I am expecting Lepta...tomorrow. To qualify the bitter rue of his talk I shall want the sweet marjoram of yours. Good-bye.