[31]
But if, when Flaccus was praetor, there had been not one
pirate at sea, still his diligence would not have deserved to be blamed. For I should think
that the reason of there being no pirates at sea was, because he had a fleet. What will you
say if I prove by the evidence of Lucius Oppius, of Lucius Agrius, of Caius Cestius, Roman
knights, and also of this most industrious man here present, Cnaeus Domitius, who was an
ambassador in Asia at the time, that at that very time in which you yourself affirm that there
was no need of a fleet, numbers of men were taken prisoners by the pirates? Still, will the
wisdom of Flaccus, as shown in raising crews for the fleet, be found fault with? What if a man
of high rank, a citizen of Adramyttium, was even slain by the pirates,—a man whose
name is known to nearly all of us, Atyanas the boxer, a victor at Olympia? and this victory is
considered among the Greeks (since we are speaking of their wisdom) a greater and more
glorious thing than to have had a triumph is reckoned at Rome. “But you took no
prisoners.” How many most illustrious men have had the command of the sea-coast,
who, though they had taken no pirate prisoner, still made the sea safe? For taking prisoners
depends on chance, on place, on accident, on opportunity. And the caution which shows itself
in defence has an easy task; being aided not only by lurking places in concealed spots, but by
the sudden fall or change of winds and weather.
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