[66]
The king at first feared nothing, suspected nothing. One day passed—two
days—many days. It was not brought back. Then the king sends to Verres to
beg him to return it, if he will be so good. He bids the slaves come again. The king
begins to think it strange. He sends a second time. It is not returned. He himself
calls on the man; he begs him to restore it to him. Think of the face and marvellous
impudence of the man. That thing which he knew, and which he had heard from the king
himself was to be placed in the Capitol, which he knew was being kept for the great
and good Jupiter, and for the Roman people,
that he began to ask and entreat earnestly to have given to him. When the king said
that he was prevented from complying by the reverence due to Jupiter Capitolinus,
and by his regard for the opinion of men, because many nations were witnesses to the
fact of the candelabrum having been made for a present to the god, the fellow began
to threaten him most violently. When he sees that he is no more influenced by
threats than he had been by prayers, on a sadden he orders him to leave his province
before night. He says, that he has found out that pirates from his kingdom were
coming against Sicily.
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