Valeria Flaccia Aemiliana warmly greets Lucius Julius Caesar:

If you are well, I am well. Summer is indeed almost over. October is immensely pleasant. The menagerie we've managed to acquire will soon be in its winter quarters and will come out again at spring. Arsinoe shall miss it, but has so many toys to keep her amused.

My pregnancy is well. Tata's doctor insists that I should have taken my bed weeks ago, but I refuse. A Greek doctor should know that the best thing for a child is if the mother is as active as possible before birth. The baby doesn't mind a bit and I might go riding up until a hour before labor.

I am writting at the gladiator games right now, if you can believe that. I sit and pass on messages from Tata. The Aemilii put their women to work, although so do the Calli. Of course, there's a difference between establishing a trading post in Asia and being a conduit of messages that control Roman politics. The trade route is honest work....

Yes, Merula is running for quastor which, as everyone knows, means that he shall be quastor next year. The family expects no less of him. I see him talking to consul Nerva, so Merula shall leave me alone in Rome while he goes to Africa. He'll ask me, and I shall give him a hard time before agreeing.

I was disappointed that you had no intention of running for praetor. Macedonia and Hellas especially need someone who understands them. You wouldn't believe how everyone talks about Greeks in Rome lately. There's a bill to take the books from the Alexandrian library and move them to Rome.

My mother would personally strangle several senators with her own two hands. Ah, what a disappointment things are. This is said by someone who considers herself a product of two worlds, so perhaps I am a little mad at myself for not saying more.

Take care of yourself with those pirates. I hear that you have done a wonderful job, but I fear there must be many more since things keep happening with the sea trade routes. My shipping has never suffered, but the Calli have bribed every major pirate leader.

Still, you do a wonderful job, but that is only natural since you seem to have Greece in your heart. When in Athens, do visit my family. I dare say that you shall be well entertained and well fed by the wonderful cook who was there the last time I visited.

If you go, don't lose your heart to any of my red-haired cousins. They'll never let you have it back and give you nothing in return. However, they should prove fun for a few evenings. They're more attractive than sailors, although they swear worse than them. Just have plenty of delightful Roman gossip.

I must go now. There is someone I must talk to and a few dinner invitations left to give. Please come see me if you ever return to Rome. I think you'd enjoy a tour of the gardens and menagerie. I am told to expect something called a Gobi bear soon.

May the gods keep you close to them.