Pro S. Roscio Amerino
Pro S. Roscio Amerino
Pro S. Roscio Amerino
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
PEO SEX. <strong>Roscio</strong>, §§ 138—143. 51<br />
and frankly, let them refrain from identifyins: their cause<br />
with that of Chrysogonus, let them give over thinking tliat<br />
if he is attacked they are dispavaged, let them take care<br />
that it does not seem a disgraceful and pitiable thing that<br />
men vrho could not brook the magnificeuce of the equestrian<br />
order can endure the tyranny of a rascally slave ; and<br />
this tyrauny, you kuow, gentlemen, formerly showed itself<br />
in other directions, but now you see the road it is building,<br />
the way it is pursuing. It is the way to your good faith,<br />
the sanctity of your oath, your legal decisions,—almostthe<br />
only thing in the state that is iutact and inviolate.<br />
141. Does Chrysogonus think he has some influence here<br />
too ? Does he want to be powerful here too ? O shameful<br />
and cruel indignity ! Yet, by heaven, I am not indignant<br />
because I am afraid he has some power, but the point<br />
I do complain of is just this, that he has dared so greatly,<br />
tbat he has hoped to have some iufluence with gentlemen<br />
like you in compassing the destruction of a guiltless man.<br />
Did the aristocratic party rouse itself and win back the<br />
commonwealth with battle and sword merely that the<br />
freedmen and favourite slaves of tliearistocrats mighthave<br />
the power to plunder our possessions and property ?<br />
142. If this was their aim I confess that I was wrong in<br />
wisliing rather for their victory, I confess that I lost mv<br />
senses in uniting myself with them in sentiment ; though<br />
I did not tight, geutlemen, I shared their sentiments : but<br />
if the victory of the nobles ought to be a distinction and<br />
a gain to the commonwealth aud the Eoman people, my<br />
sppech indeed should be very pleasing to all the best and<br />
noblest of them. But if there is any one who thinks that<br />
both himseK and the cause is injured, when I vilipend<br />
Chrysogonus, he does not understaud the cause, but he<br />
does rightly know himself : for the cause will become<br />
grander if a stand be made against all of the baser sort<br />
as soon as yonder vile toady of Chrysogonus, who believes<br />
he has a common interest with his master, feels himself<br />
injured, he dissociates himself from a cause of such<br />
grandeur.<br />
143. But all this pai-t of my speech, as I have already<br />
said before, emanates from me alone, and the interests of
Change language