1Do you know that the price of land has gone up, especially near the city? 1The cause of the sudden dearness is a matter much discussed in conversation. 1At the last elections the senate gave voice to a most honourable resolution: 'Candidates shall not give dinners, shall not send presents, shall not deposit money.' 2Of these the first two were being done as openly as they were excessively; 2this third, although it was concealed, was held to be known for certain. 3Then our friend Homullus, vigilantly making use of this agreement of the senate, demanded, when called on for his opinion, that the consuls should make the wish of all known to the prince, and ask that he should meet this evil too with his foresight, as he had other vices.
4He has met it; 4for he has restrained by the law on bribery the expenses of candidates, those foul and disgraceful expenses; 4and he has ordered them to invest a third of their fortune in property consisting of land, thinking it unseemly — as it was — that those who were seeking office should treat Rome and Italy not as their country but as an inn or a lodging-house, as if they were travellers. 5So the candidates are rushing about; 5they vie with one another in buying up whatever they hear is for sale, and so bring it about that more is for sale. 6So if you are tired of your Italian estates, this, by Hercules, is as good a time for selling them as for buying in the provinces, while these same candidates are selling there in order to buy here.
6Farewell.