![]() No, no, let him appear by all means, let him make his reply let him be defended by all the wealth, and by all the energy, of the mightiest in the land. But the Roman people is looking for something3 better from you than the condemnation of a man who has refused to answer the charge nor can it be satisfied that you should display your courage by punishing a man whom nobody has ventured to defend. Would receive somewhat less recognition than my interests demand and the credit due to you, gentlemen, would be seriously weakened and obscured. Itaque mihi videor magnam et maxime aegram et prope depositam reipublicae partem suscepisse neque in eo magis meae quam Neque enim salus ulla reipublicae maior hoc tempore reperiri potest quam populum Romanum intellegere, diligenter reiectis ab accusatore iudicibus, socios, leges, rempublicam senatorio consilio maxime posse defendi neque tanta fortunis omnium pernicies potest accedere quam opinione populi Romani rationem veritatis, integritatis, fidei, religionis ab hoc 5ordine abiudicari. Absens si iste esset damnatus, non tam sibi consuluisse quam invidisse vestrae laudi videretur. Tum demum illa victa videbuntur, cum in contentionem certamenque 4venerint. Immo vero adsit, respondeat summis opibus, summo studio potentissimorum hominum defendatur certet mea diligentia cum illorum omnium cupiditate, vestra integritas cum istius pecunia, testium constantia cum illius patronorum minis atque potentia. Neque hoc a vobis populus Romanus exspectat, neque eo potest esse contentus, si condemnatus sit is qui adesse noluerit, et si fortes fueritis in eo quem nemo sit ausus defendere. Had Verres carried out his original intention of not appearing, the heavy toil that I have undergone, in shaping and building up my case as prosecutor,Īccusatione comparanda constituendaque elaborassem vestra vero laus tenuis plane atque obscura, 3iudices, esset. I am not sorry that I am to reap the reward of my hard work, and you the reward of your courage. He is here before us, he replies to me, his defence continues: with his vile offences openly brought home to him, he has not even allowed himself, by holding his tongue and keeping away, the credit of some attempt to make, after all, a decent end to his indecent career. But he is still Verres,2 true to his name as ever, daring the worst without hesitation, and hearing the worst without reluctance. The spreading of this report was not due solely to his own definite and deliberate intention not to appear, but also to the universal impression that no man, convicted by so many witnesses of crimes so abominable, could be so recklessly and insanely impudent as to venture to look his judges in their faces, or to show his own face to the people of Rome. Gentlemen: You are probably none of you unaware1 that it has during these last few days been the common talk, and the belief of this nation, that Gaius Verres would make no defence at the second hearing, and would not appear in court. Nam si iste id fecisset quod prius statuerat, ut non adesset, minus aliquanto quam mihi opus esset cognosceretur quid ego in hac Patior, iudices, et non moleste fero me laboris mei, vos virtutis vestrae fructum esse laturos. Praesto est, respondet, defenditur ne hoc quidem sibi reliqui facit ut, in rebus turpissimis cum manifesto teneatur, si reticeat et absit, tamen impudentiae suae pudentem exitum quaesisse videatur. Est idem Verres qui fuit semper, ut ad audendum proiectus, sic paratus ad audiendum. Quae fama non idcirco solum emanarat quod iste certe statuerat ac deliberaverat non adesse, verum etiam, quod nemo quemquam tam audacem, tam amentem, tam impudentem fore arbitrabatur qui tam nefariis criminibus, tam multis testibus convictus ora iudicum aspicere aut os suum populo Romano 2ostendere auderet. ![]() ![]() Verrem altera actione responsurum non esse neque ad iudicium adfuturum. Neminem vestrum ignorare arbitror, iudices, hunc per hosce dies sermonem vulgi atque hanc opinionem populi Romani fuisse, C.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |