[213]
Are you going to bring me back to the valuation of the corn, and
the exaction of money by Marcus Antonius? Just so, says he; to the valuation of
Marcus Antonius. For this is what he seemed to mean by his signs and nods. Out of
all the praetors of the Roman people then, and consuls, and generals, have you
selected Marcus Antonius, and even the most infamous action done by him, for your
imitation? And here is it difficult for me to say, or for the judges to think, that
in that unlimited authority Marcus Antonius behaved himself in such a manner, that
it is by far more injurious to Verres to say that as he, in a most infamous
transaction, wished to imitate Antonius, than if he were able to allege in his
defence, that he had never in his whole life done anything like Marcus Antonius? Men
in trials are accustomed to allege, in making a defence against an accusation, not
what any one did, but what he did that was good. In the middle of his course of
injustice and covetousness death overtook Antony, while he was still both doing and
planning many things contrary to the safety of the allies many things contrary to
the advantage of our provinces. Will you defend the audacity of Verres by the
example of Antonius, as if the senate and people of Rome approved of all his actions and designs?
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M. Tullius Cicero. The Orations of Marcus Tullius Cicero, literally translated by C. D. Yonge. London. George Bell & Sons. 1903.
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