1Nor indeed was he thought any less good as a head of a household than as a citizen. 1For though he was wealthy, no one was less given to buying, less given to building, than he. 1Yet he lived in a particularly fine house and enjoyed all the best things. 2For he had a house on the Quirinal hill, the Tamphilian house, left to him by inheritance from his uncle, whose charm lay not in the building but in its grove: for the house itself, built long ago, had more wit than expense about it: in it he changed nothing, except where he was compelled by its age. 3He had a household of slaves which, if one is to judge by usefulness, was excellent, but if by looks, barely average.
3For in it there were very well-educated slaves, excellent readers and a great many copyists, so that there was not even a single footman who could not do both of these things finely; likewise the other craftsmen whom domestic upkeep requires were exceptionally good. 4Yet he had none of these except those born and trained in his own house: which is a mark not only of self-restraint but also of diligence. 4For not to desire immoderately what you see desired by most people must be counted the mark of a self-restrained man, and to acquire things by effort rather than by price is a mark of no ordinary diligence. 5He was elegant, not magnificent, splendid, not extravagant: and with all his care he aimed at neatness, not profusion.
5His furniture was modest, not abundant, so that it could not attract notice in either direction. 6Nor shall I pass over this, though I suppose it will seem trivial to some, that although he was a particularly well-to-do Roman knight and invited men of all ranks to his house quite generously, he was accustomed, as his daybook shows, to enter as spent on outgoings no more than three thousand sesterces a month, evenly month by month. 7And this we report not from hearsay but from knowledge: for because of our friendship we were often present at his domestic affairs.