Besides Trio and
Catus, Fonteius Agrippa and Caius Vibius were among his accusers, and
claimed with eager rivalry the privilege of conducting the case for the
prosecu-
PROSECUTION AND SUICIDE OF LIBO |
tion, till
Vibius, as they would not yield one to the other, and Libo had entered
without counsel, offered to state the charges against him singly, and
produced an extravagantly absurd accusation, according to which Libo had
consulted persons whether he would have such wealth as to be able to cover
the
Appian road as far as
Brundisium with money. There were other questions
of the same sort, quite senseless and idle; if leniently regarded, pitiable.
But there was one paper in Libo's handwriting, so the prosecutor alleged,
with the names of Cæsars and of Senators, to which marks were affixed
of dreadful or mysterious significance. When the accused denied this, it was
decided that his slaves who recognised the writing should be examined by
torture. As an ancient statute of the Senate forbade such inquiry in a case
affecting a master's life, Tiberius, with his cleverness in devising new
law, ordered Libo's slaves to be sold singly to the State-agent, so that,
forsooth, without an infringement of the Senate's decree, Libo might be
tried on their evidence. As a consequence, the defendant asked an
adjournment till next day, and having gone home he charged his kinsman,
Publius Quirinus, with his last prayer to the emperor.
