10.
[27]
As soon as he perceived this, by the advice of his friends and relations he fled to
Rome, and betook himself to Caecilia, the
daughter of Nepos, (whom I name to do her honour,) with whom his father had been
exceedingly intimate; a woman in whom, O judges, even now, as all men are of opinion, as
if it were to serve as a model, traces of the old-fashioned virtue remain. She received
into her house Sextus Roscius, helpless, turned and driven out of his home and property,
flying from the weapons and threats of robbers, and she assisted her guest now that he
was overwhelmed and now that his safety was despaired of by every one. By her virtue and
good faith and diligence it has been caused that he now is rather classed as a living
man among the accused, than as a dead man among the proscribed.
[28]
For after they perceived that the life of Sextus Roscius was
protected with the greatest care, and that there was no possibility of their murdering
him, they adopted a counsel full of wickedness and audacity, namely, that of accusing
him of parricide; of procuring some veteran accuser to support the charge, who could say
something even in a case in which there was no suspicion whatever; and lastly, as they
could not have any chance against him by the accusation, to prevail against him on
account of the time; for men began to say, that no trial had taken place for such a
length of time, that the first man who was brought to trial ought to be condemned; and
they thought that he would have no advocates because of the influence of Chrysogonus;
that no one would say a word about the sale of the property and about that conspiracy;
that because of the mere name of parricide and the atrocity of the crime he would be put
out of the way, without any trouble, as he was defended by no one.
[29]
With this plan, and urged on to such a degree by this madness, they
have handed the man over to you to be put to death, whom they themselves, when they
wished, were unable to murder.
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