Matheson Collection > Pro S. Roscio Amerino

34 CICEBO
of your confederacy; and contrast whatever you say in
reply with my defence : in this way can Sextus Koscius'
case be most easily contrasted with yours.
94. Tou will say, " What follows if I was continually at
Kome ? " I shall reply, " But I was not there at all." " I
confess that I was a dealer in property, but so were many
others." " But I, as you yoiu-self allege, was a country
farmer." " It does not follow that because I did join
myself to a band of assassins I am an assassin." " But
surely I, who was not even acquainted with any assassins,
am quite out of reach of a charge of that nature." There
are many grounds, which can be stated, whereby it can
be understood that you had every facility for committing
the crime, and I pass over these not only because I am
not accusing you from my own inclination, but still more
because, if I choose to speak at length about those bloody
deeds which were done at that time in the same way as
you murdered Sextus Eoscius, I am afraid my speech will
appear to be pointed at a large number of people.
95. Now let us give a glance, as we did at the other
details, so at the things you did, Titus Roscius, after the
death of Sextus Eoscius. They are so evident and clear
that, so help me the god of faith, gentlemen, I should be
sorry to detail them ; for I am afraid, Titus Eoscius — what-
ever be your character — that people will think my desire
for the safety of my client has been so strong as to
prevent my showing any consideration at all for you.
While I am af raid of this and desire to spare you in some
degree, so far as I can without breakiug through my
obligations, I am again changing my purpose : for your
effrontery comes back to my memory. When the rest of
your confederates fled and hid themselves, so that the trial
might seem not so much one concerning their plunder as
about my clienfs crime, to think that you should have
claimed for yourself the role you have claimed of busyiug
yourself in this court and sitting vrith the prosecutor ! By
this conduct you will get nothing except the privilege of
having your recklessness and brazen effrontery known to
all mankind.
96. After the murder of Sextus Eoscius, who was the