[83]
And in this description of boldness he proceeded even much more shamelessly with
respect to the tenths of the district of Segesta; for when he had knocked them down
to this same Docimus, for five thousand modii of wheat,
and had added as an extra present fifteen thousand sesterces, he compelled the people of Segesta to take them of Docimus
at the same price in the name of their city; and you shall have this proved by the
public testimony of the Segestans. Read the public testimony [The public testimony
is read.] You have heard at what price the city took the tenths from
Docimus,—at five thousand modii of wheat, and
an extra gift. Learn now at what price he entered them in his accounts as having
been sold. [The law respecting the sale of tithes, Caius Verres being the praetor,
is read.] You see that in this item three thousand bushels of wheat are deducted
from the sum total, and when he had taken all this from the food of the Roman
people, from the sinews of the revenue, from the blood of the treasury, he gave it
to Tertia the actress? Shall I call it rather an impudent action, to extort from
allies of the state, or an infamous one to give it to a prostitute? or a wicked one
to take it away from the Roman people, or an audacious one to make false entries in
the public accounts? Can any influence or any bribery deliver you from the severity
of these judges? And if it should deliver you, do you not still see that the things
which I am mentioning belong to another count of the prosecution, and to the action
for peculation?
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