[40]
When the men of Valentia had come to you,
and when a noble and an eloquent man, Marcus Marius, was addressing you on their
behalf, begging you to undertake the business, and, as the power and the name of
praetor belonged to you, to act as their chief and leader in extinguishing that
small band that was at Temsa, you not only shunned that task, but at that very time,
while you were on the shore, that dear Tertia of yours, whom you were carrying with
you, was there in the sight of all men. And to the deputies from Valentia, such an illustrious and noble
municipality, you gave no answer at all in matters of such moment, while you were
still in your dark-coloured tunic and cloak. What can you, O judges, suppose that
this man did while on his journey? what can you suppose he did in the province
itself who, when he was on his way from his province, not to celebrate a triumph,
but to be put on his trial, did not avoid a scandal which could not have been
accompanied by any pleasure.
This text is part of:
M. Tullius Cicero. The Orations of Marcus Tullius Cicero, literally translated by C. D. Yonge. London. George Bell & Sons. 1903.
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