DCLXXVI (A XIII, 52)
TO ATTICUS (AT ROME)
Puteoli, 21 December
Well, I have no reason after all to repent my formidable
guest! For he made himself exceedingly pleasant. But on his
arrival at the villa of Philippus on the evening of the second
day of the Saturnalia[1], the villa was so choke full of soldiers
that there was scarcely a dining-room left for Cæsar himself
to dine in. Two thousand men, if you please! I was in a
great taking as to what was to happen the next day; and so
Cassius Barba came to my aid and gave me guards. A
camp was pitched in the open, the villa was put in a state of
defence. He stayed with Philippus on the third day of the
Saturnalia till one o'clock, without admitting anyone. He
was engaged on his accounts, I think, with Balbus. Then
he took a walk on the beach. After two he went to the
bath. Then he heard about Mamurra without changing
countenance[2]. He was anointed: took his place at the
table. He was under a course of emetics[3], and so ate and
drank without scruple and as suited his taste. It was a very
good dinner, and well served, and not only so, but
"Well cooked, well seasoned food, with rare discourse:
A banquet in a word to cheer the heart[4]."
Besides this, the staff were entertained in three rooms in a very liberal style. The freedmen of lower rank and the slaves had everything they could want. But the upper sort
- ↑ The Saturnalia began on the 17th of December.
- ↑ We have no means of knowing what Cæsar was told of Mamurra—his death, some think. Hardly the epigram of Catullus (57), as others have suggested (see Suet. Iul. 73). Mamurra was one of his agents whom Cæsar had enriched (vol. ii., p. 228).
- ↑ This use of emetics—no doubt often abused—took at this time somewhat the place in medical treatment that bleeding did a hundred years ago. Cæsar seems to have frequently submitted to it. See pro Deiot. § 21.
- ↑ Verses of Lucilius.
