Pro S. Roscio Amerino
Pro S. Roscio Amerino
Pro S. Roscio Amerino
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12 CiCERO<br />
reserve. ITo contingency will arise of sucla a nature, geutlemen,<br />
as to make it possible for fear to bring to bear upon<br />
me a greater influence tbau mj sense of obUgation.<br />
32. For indeed what man is of sucb a flabby disposition<br />
as to find it possible to bold bis peace and pay no beed<br />
wben be looks upon tbese atrocities ? Tou niurdered my<br />
fatber, tbougb be bad not been proscribed ; wben be was<br />
slain you registered bim on tbe list of tbe proscribed ;<br />
you drove me by force from my bome you are in posses-<br />
;<br />
sion of my inberitance : wbat<br />
more do you want ? Have<br />
you actually come to tbese bencbes witb sword and spear<br />
to murder Sextus Eoscius, or get bim condemned in tbis<br />
place ?<br />
33. We recently had in our state a certain Gaius<br />
Fimbria, a man wbo was absolutely witbout rival in<br />
desperate audacity and—as is generally agreed, except<br />
among tbose wbo are tbemselves madly reckless—in mad<br />
recklessness. At tbe funeral of G-aius Marius be bad<br />
managed to get Quintus Scaevola wounded ; Scaevola, tbe<br />
most uprigbt and distinguisbed man in our state, a man<br />
concerning wbose merits tbis is not tbe place to say mucb,<br />
nor for all tbat is it possible to say more tban tbe Eoman<br />
people keeps in memory. Tbereupon be indicted Scaevola<br />
as soon as be ascertained tbat be migbt possibly Hve.<br />
Wben some one asked bim wbatever cbarge be meant to<br />
bring against a man wbose position was so distinguisbed<br />
tbat no one could find satisfactory words even for bis<br />
praise, tbey say tbat tbe man, witb bis usual mad temper,<br />
replied : " Because be did not receive tbe wbole of tbe<br />
weapon into bis body." Tbe Eoman people never bebeld a<br />
more sbameful spectacle tban tbis, except tbe deatb of tbis<br />
same man, wbicb was of sucb portentous consequence tbat<br />
it insured tbe ruin and destruction of all tbe citizens, by<br />
wbom be was bimself slain for wisbing to save them by<br />
effecting an agreement.<br />
34. Does not tbe following closely resemble tbe saying<br />
and the deed of Fimbria? Tou accuse Sextus Roscius.<br />
Wby so ? Because be has escaped from your bands<br />
because he would not allow bimself to be murdered. Tbe<br />
crime I mentioned appears more sbameful because it was