Pro S. Roscio Amerino

near Volateirae within four dajs from the time of the
murder. Is there even now any question as to the man wlio
sent that messenger ? Is it not perfectly clear that he is
the same man who sent to Ameria ? Chrysogonus, though
knowing nothing about the man or the facts of the case, took
measures to have his goods put up for sale without delay.
But how did it occur to him to covet the estates of a man
who was a stranger to him, whom he had never set eyes on
at all ? Tou generally say at once, gentlemen, when you
hear any question of this sort : Some one of the same town
or neighbourhood must have told him. They are the persons
who generally give evidence ; it is tkrough them that
people are generally betrayed. In the case before us, there
is no ground for regarding this fact as a mere matter of
suspicion,
106. For I am not going to argue thus :—it is probable
that the Eoscii carried information about that matter to
Chrysogonus ; for they and Chrysogonus had already been
on friendly terms before this ; indeed, though the Eoscii
iiiherited from their ancestors the patronage and guestfriendship
of many old families, they had ceased to show
esteem and regard to any of them, aud had put themselves
under the protection and patronage of Chrysogonus.
(107) All these statements I can make with perfect truth,
but in this case there is no need of assumption : I am sure
that they themselves do not deny that Chrysogonus took
steps to secure this property at their instigation. If you
fix your eyes upon the man who received his share as
informer, will you find it possible to doubt, gentlemen, who
gave the information ? Who therefore, in the case of this
property, are the men to whom Chrysogonus gave a share ?
The two Eoscii. Was there any one else whatever ? No
oue, gentlemen. Can there be a doubt, then, that this
pkmder was offered to Chrysogonus by the men who
received from him a share of the plunder ?
108. Come now, let us consider the action of the Eoscii
according to Chrysogonus' own verdict : if they had done
nothing worth considering in that battle, why were they
presented with such great rewards by Chrysogonus? If
they did nothing else except carry information about the