oose, for the censorship--if the next consuls hold a
censorial election--or to assume a "votive commission" in connexion
with nearly any fanes or sacred groves.[396] For this is what falls in
best with our general policy and my particular occasions. But I wished
the power to remain in my hands of _either_ standing for election, _or_
at the beginning of the summer of going out of town: and meanwhile I
thought it not disadvantageous to keep myself before the eyes of the
citizens who had treated me generously. Well, such are my plans in
regard to public affairs; my domestic affairs are very intricate and
difficult. My town house is being built: you know how much expense and
annoyance the repair of my Formian villa occasions me, which I can
neither bear to relinquish nor to look at. I have advertised my Tusculan
property for sale; I don't much care for a suburban residence.[397] The
liberality of friends has been exhausted in a business which brought me
nothing but dishonour: and this you perceived though absent, as did
others on the spot, by whose zeal and wealth I could easily have
obtained all I wanted, had only my supporters allowed it.[398] In this
respect I am now in serious difficulty. Other causes of anxiety are
somewhat more of the _tacenda_ kind.[399] My brother and daughter treat
me with affection. I am looking forward to seeing you.

[Footnote 384: The speech _de Domo sua ad Pontifices_. The genuineness
of the existing speech has been doubted. But it may very well be said
that no one but Cicero could have written it. It is not certainly one of
his happiest efforts, in spite of what he says here; but he is not
unaccustomed to estimate his speeches somewhat highly, and to mistake
violence for vigour.]

[Footnote 385: He will send it to Atticus to get copied by his
_librarii_, and published.]

[Footnote 386: Appius Claudius Pulcher, brother of P. Clodius, was a
praetor this year.]

[Footnote 387: It is not clear that Clodius was wrong; the pontifices
decided that for a valid consecration an order of the people was
requisite, and, of course, Clodius could allege such an order. Cicero
devoted the greater part of his speech, therefore, to shewing (1) that
Clodius's adoption was invalid, and that he was therefore no tribune,
and incapable of taking an order of the people; (2) that the law was a
_privilegium_, and therefore invalid. The pontifices did not consider
either of these points, which were not properly befo