Matheson Collection > Pro S. Roscio Amerino

12 CiCERO
reserve. ITo contingency will arise of sucla a nature, geutle-
men, as to make it possible for fear to bring to bear upon
me a greater influence tbau mj sense of obUgation.
32. For indeed what man is of sucb a flabby disposition
as to find it possible to bold bis peace and pay no beed
wben be looks upon tbese atrocities ? Tou niurdered my
fatber, tbougb be bad not been proscribed ; wben be was
slain you registered bim on tbe list of tbe proscribed ;
you drove me by force from my bome ; you are in posses-
sion of my inberitance : wbat more do you want ? Have
you actually come to tbese bencbes witb sword and spear
to murder Sextus Eoscius, or get bim condemned in tbis
place ?
33. We recently had in our state a certain Gaius
Fimbria, a man wbo was absolutely witbout rival in
desperate audacity and — as is generally agreed, except
among tbose wbo are tbemselves madly reckless — in mad
recklessness. At tbe funeral of G-aius Marius be bad
managed to get Quintus Scaevola wounded ; Scaevola, tbe
most uprigbt and distinguisbed man in our state, a man
concerning wbose merits tbis is not tbe place to say mucb,
nor for all tbat is it possible to say more tban tbe Eoman
people keeps in memory. Tbereupon be indicted Scaevola
as soon as be ascertained tbat be migbt possibly Hve.
Wben some one asked bim wbatever cbarge be meant to
bring against a man wbose position was so distinguisbed
tbat no one could find satisfactory words even for bis
praise, tbey say tbat tbe man, witb bis usual mad temper,
replied : " Because be did not receive tbe wbole of tbe
weapon into bis body." Tbe Eoman people never bebeld a
more sbameful spectacle tban tbis, except tbe deatb of tbis
same man, wbicb was of sucb portentous consequence tbat
it insured tbe ruin and destruction of all tbe citizens, by
wbom be was bimself slain for wisbing to save them by
effecting an agreement.
34. Does not tbe following closely resemble tbe saying
and the deed of Fimbria? Tou accuse Sextus Roscius.
Wby so ? Because be has escaped f rom your bands ;
because he would not allow bimself to be murdered. Tbe
crime I mentioned appears more sbameful because it was