he view
that he is not prevented by the _lex Pupia_ from holding a meeting of
the senate, and that by the _lex Gabinia_ he is even compelled to have a
meeting for the legations from the 1st of February to the 1st of
March.[587] And so the elections are supposed to be put off till March.
Nevertheless, on these comitial days the tribunes say that they will
bring forward the case of Gabinius.[588] I collect every item of
intelligence, that I may have some news to tell you: but, as you see, I
am short of material. Accordingly, I return to Callisthenes and
Philistus, in whom I see that you have been wallowing. Callisthenes is a
commonplace and hackneyed piece of business, like a good many Greeks.
The Sicilian is a first-rate writer, terse, sagacious, concise, almost a
minor Thucydides;[589] but which of his two books you have--for these
are two works--I don't know. That about Dionysius is my favourite. For
Dionysius himself is a magnificent intriguer, and was familiarly known
to Philistus. But as to your postscript--are you really going in for
writing history? You have my blessing on your project: and since you
furnish me with letter-carriers, you shall hear to-day's transactions on
the Lupercalia (15th February). Enjoy yourself with our dear boy to your
heart's content.

[Footnote 583: We cannot tell the allusion, not having the letter of
Quintus. But he seems to have used the expression for something
incongruous either in politics, or in regard to his contemplated
services with Caesar.]

[Footnote 584: _I.e._, the day he had to appear for trial, usually fixed
by the praetor on the tenth day from the notice of prosecution. Caelius
had been acqiuitted in B.C. 56, when Cicero defended him; this second
trial appears to have in some way fallen through. The praetor Domitius is
said to be Cn. Domitius Ahenobarbus, son of Lucius, but he was much too
young to have been praetor this year. The former trial of Caelius (B.C.
56) had been before Cn. Comitius Calvinus, hence a difficulty about this
passage. For the praetor Domitius of this year is not known. Domitius
Calvinus was praetor B.C. 56.]

[Footnote 585: The _publicani_ of Syria were enraged with Gabinius for
neglecting his province while going to Egypt, thus allowing the pirates
so to plunder that they could not collect enough dues to recoup them for
their bargain to the state (Dio, xxxix. 59).]

[Footnote 586: L. AElius Lamia, an eques, appears to have been one of the
dep