Letter 7039: You tempt me with talk of the Campanian coast, but here at our Praenestine estate [near modern Palestrina, in the...

You tempt me with talk of the Campanian coast, but here at our Praenestine estate [near modern Palestrina, in the hills southeast of Rome] we have no shortage of pleasures either. People may differ -- most put the seaside above the mountains -- but I maintain that wooded uplands are better for escaping summer heat than open, cultivated land. You'd dangled another enticement: my son Flavianus would soon be joining you. Well, I've been enjoying his company for some time. Which tells you my situation is considerably better -- I have both the cool hills and the company you lack.

PVM Animum meum Campani litoris commemoratione sollicitas; sed nobis quoque in Fraenestino rure degentibus non minus suppetit voluptatum. sint licet plures homi- num sententiae, quae maritimis montana postponant, ego tamen vitandis aestibus ma- 2 gis iudico nemorosa quam cultu aperta congruere. adieceras ad inritamentum profec- is tionis nostrae, filium meum Flavianum brevi tecum futurum. huius ego praesentia iam diu defruor. ex quo intellegis, sortem meam multo esse potiorem; nam et con- parationem loci utriusque in ambiguo conlocavi et societatem pignoris mei , qua ma- 3 xime gloriabare, in fructum meum transtuli. ergo tu potius remetiri ad nos viam mutata condicione deberes. adc/e satietatem, quam tibi adtulit copiarum longus usus; 20 nam Campania, ut est absentibus desiderabilis , ita facile explet morantes. sed de hoc non ibo longius, ne re^ioni illi, quae nobis acceptissima est, denuntiare, si ve- nero, fastidium meum videar. vale. XXXVI.