_Sen._ Ah, here thou art!
Look, love, they are bringing wine to-day from Cales,
Ninety-two jars by the invoice;—lay them down
In the new cellar. Here’s two hundredweight
Of pepper that I have bought: see that be weighed
And warehoused, for the quoted price is low.
Next, this is Alban raisins, eighteen casks:
They may go with the pepper. A ship’s arrived
At Ostia laden with black Spanish wool:
Send that to the factor. That’s all: but remember
Our bailiff from Nomentum comes this afternoon:
He is short of hands. Mind he pick sturdy fellows;
And check the ration-bills to correspond.
Now lastly, love, I want five hundred copies
Made of my letters to Lucilius. 390
Bid the clerks set routine aside for this;
’Tis for the provinces. I am pleased, my love,
To think how good the work is; and ’tis new:
’Twill outlast the decayed light-heartedness
Of Horace: ’tis more suitable besides
For plain intelligence, and it should
The world.
_Pau._ You know I love it, but I fear
You work too hard. How is your health to-day?
_Sen._ A little headache only, and the old stiffness
In the back of my neck: ’tis gout. I think, Paullina,
That I should dine more frugally: to-day
Let it be roasted apples.
_Pau._ Why, you eat nothing:
You should take more, not less. Trust me to give you
What you should eat.
_Sen._ Well, I make no complaint:
Mine are small ailments, and ’tis highest health
To see thee well: what should I do without thee?
Why, all this business that thou takest upon thee
Is a man’s work, which, had I to attend to it,
Would rob me of my life: now I am free:
The day is my own.
_Pau._ How will you use my gift? 410
_Sen._ I am in the vein for writing.
_Pau._ The muse attend thee!
_Sen._ See thou, I have her with me.
(_Unrolls a book and goes into his library reading. Exeunt severally._)