13.
“But his father,” says the prosecutor, “ought
to be considered an objection to the son.” O what a harsh
expression, how unworthy of your honesty, O Laterensis! To say that in a
capital trial, that in a contest where all his fortunes are at stake, a
father ought to be an objection to his son in the eyes of such men as these
judges! when even if he were ever so mean, or ever so sordid, still, by the
mere name of father, he would have weight with mild and merciful judges;
would have weight I say, because of the common feelings of all men, and
through the sweet recommendation of nature.
[32]
But as that Cnaeus Plancius is a Roman knight, whose rank
as such is of that antiquity that his father, his grandfather, and all his
ancestors were Roman knights before him, and in a most flourishing
prefecture1 occupied the
highest position both for rank and influence; secondly, as he himself while
serving in the legions under Publius Crassus as general, enjoyed a character
of the highest respectability among a number of most accomplished men, Roman
knights; as he was after that the chief man among his fellow-citizens, a
most incorruptible and upright judge in many causes, a promoter of many
companies, and president of some;—if not only no fault has ever
been found with him, but if the whole of his conduct has been universally
praised; shall we still be told that such a father shall be an objection to
a most honourable son, when he would be able by his authority, or, if not,
by his interest, to protect a less honourable man, or one entirely
unconnected with him?
[33]
“He has
at times,” says he, “said some very harsh
things.” Perhaps he may have spoken rather freely. “But
that speaking freely, as you term it,” says he, “is not
to be borne.” Are then those men to be borne who complain that
they cannot bear the freedom of a Roman knight? Where are our old customs?
Where is our equality of privileges? Where is that ancient liberty, which,
having been overwhelmed by civil disasters, ought by this time to be raising
its head and to be at last recovered and assuming a more erect attitude
again? Need I recount the abuse directed by the Roman knights against even
the noblest men, or that of the harsh, ferocious, unbridled expressions of
the farmers against Quintus Scaevola, a man superior to all others in
genius, justice, and integrity?
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1 “In some Italian towns there was a praefectus juri dicundo. He was in the place of, and not coexistent with, duumviri. The duumviri were originally chosen by the people, but the praefectus was appointed annually in Rome, and sent to the town called a praefectura, which might be either a municipium or a colonia; for it was only in the matter of the praefectus that a town called a praefectura differed from other Italian towns. Arpinum is called both a municipium and a praefectura.”—Smith Dict. Ant. p. 259, v. Colonia, q. v.
M. Tullius Cicero. The Orations of Marcus Tullius Cicero, literally translated by C. D. Yonge, B. A. London. George Bell & Sons, York Street, Covent Garden. 1891.
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