TO ATTICUS (ON HIS WAY TO ROME) TUSCULUM (DECEMBER) [Sidenote: B.C. 60, ÆT. 46] Take care of my dear nephew Cicero, I beg of you. I seem to share his illness. I am engaged on the "Constitution of Pellene," and, by heaven, have piled up a huge heap of Dicæarchus at my feet.[167] What a great man! You may learn much more from him than from Procilius. His "Constitution of Corinth" and "Constitution of Athens" I have, I think, at Rome. Upon my word, you will say, if you read these, "What a remarkable man!" Herodes, if he had any sense, would have read him rather than write a single letter himself.[168] He has attacked me by letter; with you I see he has come to close quarters. I would have joined a conspiracy rather than resisted one, if I had thought that I should have to listen to him as my reward. As to Lollius, you must be mad. As to the wine, I think you are right.[169] But look here! Don't you see that the Kalends are approaching, and no Antonius?[170] That the jury is being empanelled? For so they send me word. That Nigidius[171] threatens in public meeting that he will personally cite any juror who does not appear? However, I should be glad if you would write me word whether you have heard anything about the return of Antonius; and since you don't mean to come here, dine with me in any case on the 29th. Mind you do this, and take care of your health. [Footnote 167: The roll being unwound as he read and piled on the ground. Dicæarchus of Messene, a contemporary of Aristotle, wrote on "Constitutions" among other things. Procilius seems also to have written on polities.] [Footnote 168: Herodes, a teacher at Athens, afterwards tutor to young Cicero. He seems to have written on Cicero's consulship.] [Footnote 169: These remarks refer to something in Atticus's letter.] [Footnote 170: Gaius Antonius, about to be prosecuted for _maiestas_ on his return from Macedonia.] [Footnote 171: P. Nigidius Figulus, a tribune (which dates the letter after the 10th of December). The tribunes had no right of summons (_vocatio_), they must personally enforce their commands.] XXVIII (A II, 3) TO ATTICUS (ON HIS WAY TO ROME) ROME (DECEMBER) [Sidenote: B.C. 60, ÆT. 46]