ARPINUM AND ROME,28SEPTEMBER
AFTER extraordinary hot weather--I never remember greater heat--I have refreshed myself at Arpinum,and enjoyed the extreme loveliness of the river during the days of the games,having left my tribesmen under the charge of Philotimus.I was at Arcanum on the ioth of September.There I found Mescidius and Philoxenus,and saw the water,for which they were making a course not far from your villa,running quite nicely,especially considering the extreme drought,and they said they were going to collect it in much greater abundance.Everything is right with Herus.In your Manilian property I came across Diphilus outdoing himself in dilatoriness.
Still,he had nothing left to construct,except baths,and a promenade,and an aviary.I liked that villa very much,because its paved colonnade gives it an air of very great dignity.I never appreciated this till now that the colonnade itself has been all laid open,and the columns have been polished.It all depends--and this I will look to--upon the stuccoing being prettily done.The pavements seemed to be being well laid.Certain of the ceilings Idid not like,and ordered them to be changed.As to the place in which they say that you write word that a small entrance hall is to be built--namely,in the colonnade--I liked it better as it is.For 1did not think there was space sufficient for an entrance hall;nor is it usual to have one,except in those buildings which have a larger court;nor could it have bedrooms and apartments of that kind attached to it.As it is,from the very beauty of its arched roof,it will serve as an admirable summer room.However,if you think differently,write back word as soon as possible.In the bath I have moved the hot chamber to the other corner of the dressing-room,because it was so placed that its steampipe was immediately under the bedrooms.A fair-sized bed-room and a lofty winter one Iadmired very much,for they were both spacious and well-situated--on the side of the promenade nearest to the bath.
Diphilus had placed the columns out of the perpendicular,and not opposite each other.These,of course,he shall take down;he will learn some day to use the plumb-line and measure.On the whole,Ihope Diphilus's work will be completed in a few months:for Qesius,who was with me at the time,keeps a very sharp look-out upon him.
Thence I started straight along the via Vitularia to your Fufidianum,the estate which we bought for you a few weeks ago at Arpinum for 100,000sesterces (about 8oo pounds).I never saw a shadier spot in summer--water springs in many parts of it,and abundant into the bargain.In short,Caesius thought that you would easily irrigate fifty iugera of the meadow land.For my part,I can assure you of this,which is more in my line,that you will have a villa marvellously pleasant,with the addition of a fish-pond,spouting fountains,a pakestra,and a shrubbery.I am told that you wish to keep this Bovillae estate.You will determine as you think good.Calvus said that,even if the control of the water were taken from you,and the right of drawing it off were established by the vendor,and thus an easement were imposed on that property,we could yet maintain the price in case we wish to sell.He said that he had agreed with you to do the work at three sesterces a foot,and that he had stepped it,and made it three miles.It seemed to me more.But I will guarantee that the money could nowhere be better laid out.I had sent for Cillo from Venafrum,but on that very day four of his fellow servants and apprentices bad been crushed by the falling in of a tunnel at Venafrum.On the 23th of September I was at Laterium.I examined the road,which appeared to me to be so good as to Seem almost like a high road,except a hundred and fifty paces--for I measured it myself from the little bridge at the temple of Furina,in the direction of Satricum.There they had put down dust,not gravel (this shall he changed),and that part of the road is a very steep incline.But I understood that it could not be taken in any other direction,particularly as you did not wish it to go through the property of Locusta or Varro.The latter alone had made the road very well where it skirted his own property.Locusta hadn't touched it;but I will call on him at Rome,and think I shall be able to stir him up,and at the same tune I think I shall ask M.
Tarus,who is now at Rome,and whom I am told promised to allow you to do so,about making a watercourse through his property.I much approved of your steward Nicephorius and Iasked him what orders you had given about that small building at Laterium,about which you spoke to me.He told me in answer that he had himself contracted to do the work for sixteen sestertia (about 128pounds),but that you had afterwards made many additions to the work,but nothing to the price,and that he had therefore given it up.I quite approve by Hercules,of your making the additions you had determined upon;although the villa as it stands seems to have the air of a philosopher,meant to rebuke the extravagance of other villas.Yet,after all,that addition will be pleasing.I praised your landscape gardener:he has so covered everything with ivy,both the foundation-wall of the villa and the spaces between the columns of the walk,that,upon my word,those Greek statues seemed to be engaged in fancy gardening,and to be shewing off the ivy.Finally,nothing can be cooler or more mossy than the dressing-room of the bath.That is about all I have to say about country matters.The gardener,indeed,as well as Philotimus and Cincius are pressing on the ornamentation of your town house;but I also often look in upon it myself,as I can do without difficulty.Wherefore don't be at all anxious about that.
