Pro S. Roscio Amerino

PKO SEx. Eoscio, §§ 56—60. 21
reasonable groimd for liis fears. " His fatlier intended
to do so." Prove that. It is no good. Tou do not show
with whom he made his plans, whom he informed of the
deed, whence it occurred to you to suspect what jou allege.
When you bring charges in this way, Erucius, do you not
publicly say : " I know what I was paid, I don't know
what I am to say ; the only thiug I have regarded is what
Chrysogonus said, that no one would support my opponenfs
case ; that there was no one who would dare to say a word
about the sale of property or about their conspiracy during
the present crisis." It is this illusory expectation that has
brought you into your present false position. Heaven
knows you would not have said a word had you thought
that any one would answer you.
59. It was worth your while, if you observed, gentlenien
of the Jury, his recklessness in bringing charges, to consider
it well : I beheve that when he saw the men who
were seated in these benches, he asked whether this one or
that one was to make the defence : about me he had not
even a suspicion, because I had not pleaded in a state-trial
before. When he could find no one of the able and customary
speakers, he began to behave with such indifference
that, accordiug as it took his fancy, he would sit down and
then take a stroll, and sometimes even call a slave, I suppose,
to give him orders for dinner, precisely for the
purpose of treatiug you gentlemen on the bench and this
assembly here as if you constituted an empty space.
60. At last he fiuished his speech ; he sat down ; I stood
up : he seemed to breathe freely because no one else was
to plead rather than I. I began my speech. I observed,
gentlemen, that he was continually making jokes and
paying no attention, before I mentioned Chrysogonus'
name : as soon as I touched upon that, he at once stai-ted
up ; he appeared to be amazed. I knew what had pricked
him. I mentioned the name a second and a third time.
After that, people have kept running to and fro, I presume,
to carry tidings to Chrysogonus that there is some one in
the state with the courage to speak against his will and
pleasure; that I am pleading the case differently from
what he expected; the sale of property is being made