---
title: "Against Verres · In Verrem"
author: "Cicero"
translator: "Charles Duke Yonge"
languages: [la, en]
shelf: "Classical Latin"
section: 2 of 31
url: https://scriptura.si/works/cicero-in-verrem/2/
cite: "Cicero, tr. Charles Duke Yonge, Against Verres · In Verrem, section 2. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/cicero-in-verrem/2/"
---

# Against Verres · In Verrem

*Cicero, tr. Charles Duke Yonge*

Cicero prosecutes the governor who plundered Sicily for three years: the first speech won the case, the five books of the second show Verres’ crimes one by one.

> Latin: ed. William Peterson, from the Perseus Digital Library (canonical-latinLit, phi0474.phi005, CC BY-SA 4.0).

> English: Charles Duke Yonge, from the Perseus Digital Library (phi0474.phi005.perseus-eng2). Notes are not included.

> Rows follow the references the two texts share (books, chapters and sections), cut where both reach the end of a sentence.

## 2. Actio Prima · sections 30–56

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/cicero-in-verrem/2/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/cicero-in-verrem/2/#p-N

[¶0] 30. Publius Sulpicius, a solemn and upright judge, must enter on his magistracy on the fifth of November. Marcus Crepereius, of that renowned equestrian family and of that incorruptible character; Lucius Cassius, of a family renowned for its severity in all things, and especially as judges; Cnaeus Tremellius, a man of the greatest scrupulousness and diligence;—these three men of ancient strictness of principle are all military tribunes elect. After the first of January they will not be able to act as judges. And besides this, we elect by lot a successor in the room of Marcus Metellus, since he is to preside over this very trial. And so after the first of January, the praetor, and almost the whole bench of judges being changed, we shall elude the terrible threats of the prosecutor, and the great expectations entertained of this trial, and manage it according to our own will and pleasure.

> Latin: 30. “Q. Manlium et Q. Cornificium, duos severissimos atque integerrimos iudices, quod tribuni plebis tum erunt, iudices non habebimus; P. Sulpicius, iudex tristis et integer, magistratum ineat oportet Nonis Decembribus; M. Crepereius ex acerrima illa equestri familia et disciplina, L. Cassius ex familia cum ad ceteras res tum ad iudicandum severissima, Cn. Tremellius, homo summa religione et diligentia, tres hi homines veteres tribuni militares sunt designati; ex Kalendis Ianuariis non iudicabunt. etiam in M. Metelli locum, quoniam is huic ipsi quaestioni praefuturus est. secundum Kalendas Ianuarias et praetore et prope toto commutato consilio magnas accusatoris minas magnamque exspectationem iudici ad nostrum arbitrium libidinemque eludemus.”

[¶1] 31. Today is the fifth of August. You began to assemble at the ninth hour. This day they do not even count. There are ten days between this and the votive games which Cnaeus Pompeius is going to celebrate. These games will take up fifteen days; then immediately the Roman games will follow. And so, when nearly forty days have intervened, then at length they think they shall have to answer what has been said by us; and they think that, what with speeches, and what with excuses, they will easily be able to protract the cause till the period of the games of Victory. With these the plebeian games are connected, after which there will be either no day at all, or very few for pleading in. And so, when the accusation has got stale and cold, the matter will come all fresh before Marcus Metellus as praetor. And if I had distrusted his good faith, I should not have retained him as a judge.

> Latin: 31. Nonae sunt hodie Sextiles; hora viii convenire coepistis; hunc diem iam ne numerant quidem. dies sunt ante ludos votivos, quos Cn. Pompeius facturus est; hi ludi dies quindecim auferent; deinde continuo Romani consequentur. prope xl diebus interpositis tum denique se ad ea quae a nobis dicta erunt responsuros esse arbitrantur; deinde se ducturos et dicendo et excusando facile ad ludos; cum his plebeios esse coniunctos, secundum quos aut nulli aut perpauci dies ad agendum futuri sunt: ita defessa ac refrigerata accusatione rem integram ad M. Metellum praetorem esse venturam. ego hominem, si eius fidei diffisus essem, iudicem non retinuissem;

[¶2] 32. But now I have such an opinion of him, that I would rather this matter was brought to a close while he is judge than while he is praetor; and I would rather entrust to him his own tablet while he is on his oath, than the tablets of others when he is restrained by no such obligation. Now, O judges, I consult you as to what you think I ought to do. For you will, in truth, without speaking, give me that advice which I understand that I must inevitably adopt. If I occupy the time which I legitimately might in speaking, I shall reap the fruit of my labour, industry, and diligence; and by this prosecution I shall make it manifest that no one in the memory of man appears ever to have come before a court of justice better prepared, more vigilant, or with his cause better got up. But while I am getting this credit for my industry, there is great danger lest the criminal may escape. What, then, is there which can be done? I think it is neither obscure nor hidden.

> Latin: 32. nunc tamen hoc animo sum ut eo iudice quam praetore hanc rem transigi malim, et iurato suam quam iniurato aliorum tabellas committere. ego, iudices, iam vos consulo quid mihi faciendum putetis; id enim consili mihi profecto taciti dabitis quod egomet mihi necessario capiendum intellego. utar ad dicendum meo legitimo tempore, mei laboris industriae diligentiaeque capiam fructum, et hac accusatione perficiam ut nemo umquam post hominum memoriam paratior, vigilantior, compositior ad iudicium venisse videatur. in hac laude industriae meae reus ne elabatur summum periculum est. est igitur quod fieri possit? obscurum, opinor, neque absconditum.

[¶3] 33. I will reserve for another time that fruit of praise which may be derived from a long uninterrupted speech. At present I must support this accusation by documentary evidence, by witnesses, by letters of private individuals and of public bodies, and by various other kinds of proof. The whole of this contest is between you and me, O Hortensius. I will speak openly. If I thought that you were contending with me in the matter of speaking, and of getting rid of the charges I bring against your client in this cause, I, too, would devote much pains to mounting an elaborate accusation, and to dilating on my charges. Now, since you have determined to contend against me with artifice, not so much in obedience to the promptings of your own nature, as from consulting his occasions and his cause, it is necessary for me to oppose conduct of that sort with prudence.

> Latin: 33. istum laudis, qui ex perpetua oratione percipi potuit, in alia tempora reservemus: nunc hominem tabulis, testibus, privatis publicisque litteris auctoritatibusque accusemus. omnis mihi tecum erit, Hortensi. aperte. te mecum dicendo ac diluendis criminibus in hac causa contendere putarem, ego quoque in accusando atque in explicandis criminibus operam consumerem: nunc quoniam pugnare contra me instituisti non tam ex tua natura quam ex istius tempore et causa [malitiose], necesse est istius modi rationi aliquo consilio obsistere.

[¶4] 34. Your plan is, to begin to answer me after two sets of games have been celebrated; mine is to have the adjournment over before the first series. And the result will be, that that plan of yours will be thought crafty, but this determination of mine necessary. But as for what I had begun to say,—namely, that the contest is between you and me, this is it,—I, when I had undertaken this cause at the request of the Sicilians, and had thought it a very honourable and glorious thing for me that they were willing to make experiment of my integrity and diligence, who already knew by experience my innocence and temperance: then, when I had undertaken this business, I proposed to myself some greater action also by which the Roman people should be able to see my goodwill towards the republic.

> Latin: 34. ratio est ut secundum binos ludos mihi respondere incipias, mea ut ante primos ludos comperendinem. fiet ut tua ista ratio existimetur astuta, meum hoc consilium necessarium. illud quod institueram dicere, mihi rem tecum esse, huius modi est. cum hanc causam Siculorum rogatu recepissem, idque mihi amplum et praeclarum existimassem, eos velle meae fidei diligentiaeque periculum facere qui innocentiae abstinentiaeque fecissent, tum suscepto negotio maius quiddam mihi proposui, in quo meam in rem publicam voluntatem populus Romanus perspicere posset.

[¶5] 35. For that seemed to me to be by no means worthy of my industry and efforts, for that man to be brought to trial by me who had been already condemned by the judgment of all men, unless that intolerable influence of yours, and that grasping nature which you have displayed for some years in many trials, was interposed also in the case of that desperate man. But no, since all this dominion and sovereignty of yours over the courts of justice delights you so much, and since there are some men who are neither ashamed of their licentiousness and their infamy, nor weary of it, and who, as if on purpose, seem to wish to encounter hatred and unpopularity from the Roman people, I profess that I have undertaken this,—a great burden perhaps, and one dangerous to myself, but still worthy of my applying myself to it with all the vigour of my age, and all diligence.

> Latin: 35. illud mihi nequaquam dignum industria conatuque meo videbatur, istum a me in iudicium iam omnium iudicio condemnatum vocari, nisi ista tua intolerabilis potentia, et ea cupiditas qua per hosce annos in quibusdam iudiciis usus es, etiam in istius hominis desperati causa interponeretur. vero, quoniam haec te omnis dominatio regnumque iudiciorum tanto opere delectat, et sunt homines quos libidinis infamiaeque suae neque pudeat neque taedeat, qui quasi de industria in odium offensionemque populi Romani inruere videantur, hoc me profiteor suscepisse magnum fortasse onus et mihi periculosum, verum tamen dignum in quo omnis nervos aetatis industriaeque meae contenderem.

[¶6] 36. And since the whole order of the senate is weighed down by the discredit brought on it by the wickedness and audacity of a few, and is overwhelmed by the infamy of the tribunals, I profess myself an enemy to this race of men, an accuser worthy of their hatred, a persevering, a bitter adversary. I arrogate this to myself, I claim this for myself, and I will carry out this enmity in my magistracy, and from that post in which the Roman people has willed that from the next first of January I shall act in concert with it in matters concerning the republic, and concerning wicked men. I promise the Roman people that this shall be the most honourable and the fairest employment of my aedileship. I warn, I forewarn, I give notice beforehand to those men who are wont either to put money down, to undertake for others, to receive money, or to promise money, or to act as agents in bribery, or as go-betweens in corrupting the seat of judgment, and who have promised their influence or their impudence in aid of such a business, in this trial to keep their hands and inclinations from this nefarious wickedness.

> Latin: 36. totus ordo paucorum improbitate et audacia premitur et urgetur infamia iudiciorum, profiteor huic generi hominum me inimicum accusatorem, odiosum, adsiduum, acerbum adversarium. mihi sumo, hoc mihi deposco, quod agam in magistratu, quod agam ex eo loco ex quo me populus Romanus ex Kalendis Ianuariis secum agere de re publica ac de hominibus improbis voluit; hoc munus aedilitatis meae populo Romano amplissimum pulcherrimumque polliceor., praedico, ante denuntio: qui aut deponere aut accipere aut recipere aut polliceri aut sequestres aut interpretes corrumpendi iudici solent esse, quique ad hanc rem aut potentiam aut impudentiam suam professi sunt, abstineant in hoc iudicio manus animosque ab hoc scelere nefario.

[¶7] 37. Hortensius will then be consul with the chief command and authority, but I shall be aedile—that is, I shall be a little more than a private individual; and yet this business, which I promise that I am going to advocate, is of such a nature, so pleasing and agreeable to the Roman people, that the consul himself will appear in this cause, if that be possible, even less than a private individual in comparison of me. All those things shall not only be mentioned, but even, where certain matters have been explained, shall be fully discussed, which for the last ten years, ever since the office of the judge has been transferred to the senate, has been nefariously and wickedly done in the decision of judicial matters.

> Latin: 37. tum consul Hortensius cum summo imperio et potestate, ego autem aedilis, hoc est paulo amplius quam privatus; tamen haec huius modi res est quam me acturum esse polliceor, ita populo Romano grata atque iucunda, ut ipse consul in hac causa prae me minus etiam, si fieri possit, quam privatus esse videatur. non modo commemorabuntur, sed etiam expositis certis rebus agentur, quae inter decem annos, posteaquam iudicia ad senatum translata sunt, in rebus iudicandis nefarie flagitioseque facta sunt.

[¶8] 38. The Roman people shall know from me why it is that when the equestrian body supplied the judges for nearly fifty years together, not even the slightest suspicion ever arose of bribes having been accepted for the purpose of influencing a decision; why it is, I say, when the judicial authority was transferred to the senatorial body, and the power of the Roman people over every one of us was taken away, Quintus Calidius, when he was condemned, said that a man of praetorian rank could not honestly be condemned at a less price than three hundred thousand sesterces; why it is that when Publius Septimius, a senator, was condemned for extortion, when Quintus Hortensius was praetor, damages were assessed against him, including money which he had received as judge to decide causes which came before him;

> Latin: 38. ex me populus Romanus quid sit quam ob rem, cum equester ordo iudicaret, annos prope quinquaginta continuos in nullo, iudices, equite Romano iudicante ne tenuissima quidem suspicio acceptae pecuniae ob rem iudicandam constituta sit; quid sit quod, iudiciis ad senatorium ordinem translatis sublataque populi Romani in unum quemque vestrum potestate, Q. Calidius damnatus dixerit minoris HS triciens praetorium hominem honeste non posse damnari; quid sit quod, P. Septimio senatore damnato Q. Hortensio praetore de pecuniis repetundis, lis aestimata sit eo nomine, quod ille ob rem iudicandam pecuniam accepisset.

[¶9] 39. why it is, that in the case of Caius Herennius, and in that of Caius Popillius, senators, both of whom were convicted of peculation—why it is, that in the case of Marcus Atilius, who was convicted of treason—this was made plain,—that they had all received money for the purpose of influencing their judicial decisions; why it is, that senators have been found who, when Caius Verres, as praetor of the city, gave out the lots, voted against the criminal whom they were condemning without having inquired into his case; why it is, that a senator was found who, when he was judge, took money in one and the same trial both from the defendant to distribute among the judges, and from the accuser to condemn the defendant.

> Latin: 39. in C. Herennio, quod in C. Popilio, senatoribus, qui ambo peculatus damnati sunt, quod in M. Atilio, qui de maiestate damnatus est, hoc planum factum est, eos pecuniam ob rem iudicandam accepisse, quod inventi sunt senatores qui C. Verre praetore urbano sortiente exirent in eum reum quem incognita causa condemnarent, quod inventus est senator qui, cum iudex esset, in eodem iudicio et ab reo pecuniam acciperet quam iudicibus divideret, et ab accusatore ut reum condemnaret.

[¶10] 40. But how shall I adequately complain of that stain, that disgrace, that calamity of the whole senatorial order,—that this thing actually happened in the city while the senatorial order furnished the judges, that the votes of men on their oaths were marked by coloured tablets? I pledge myself that I will urge all these things with diligence and with strictness. And what do you suppose will be my thoughts, if I find in this very trial any violation of the laws committed in any similar manner? especially when I can prove by many witnesses that Caius Verres often said in Sicily, in the hearing of many persons, “that he had a powerful friend, in confidence in whom he was plundering the province; and that he was not seeking money for himself alone, but that he had so distributed the three years of his Sicilian praetorship, that he should say he did exceedingly well, if he appropriated the gains of one year to the augmentation of his own property, those of the second year to his patrons and defenders, and reserved the whole of the third year, the most productive and gainful of all, for the judges.”

> Latin: 40. vero quo modo ego illam 4o labem ignominiam calamitatemque totius ordinis conquerar, hoc factum esse in hac civitate, cum senatorius ordo iudicaret, ut discoloribus signis iuratorum hominum sententiae notarentur? omnia me diligenter severeque acturum esse polliceor. me tandem animo fore putatis, si quid in hoc ipso iudicio intellexero simili aliqua ratione esse violatum atque commissum? cum praesertim planum facere multis testibus possim C. Verrem in Sicilia multis audientibus saepe dixisse se habere hominem potentem cuius fiducia provinciam spoliaret; neque sibi soli pecuniam quaerere, sed ita triennium illud praeturae Siciliensis distributum habere ut secum praeclare agi diceret si unius anni quaestum in rem suam converteret, alterum patronis et defensoribus traderet, tertium illum uberrimum quaestuosissimumque annum totum iudicibus reservaret.

[¶11] 41. From which it came into my mind to say that which, when I had said lately before Marcus Glabrio at the time of striking the list of judges, I perceived the Roman people greatly moved by; that I thought that foreign nations would send ambassadors to the Roman people to procure the abrogation of the law, and of all trials, about extortion; for if there were no trials, they think that each man would only plunder them of as much as he would think sufficient for himself and his children; but now, because there are trials of that sort, every one carries off as much as it will take to satisfy himself, his patrons, his advocates, the praetor, and the judges; and that this is an enormous sum; that they may be able to satisfy the cupidity of one most avaricious man, but are quite unable to incur the expense of his most guilty victory over the laws.

> Latin: 41. quo mihi venit in mentem illud dicere, quod apud M’. Glabrionem nuper cum in reiciundis iudicibus commemorassem intellexi vehementer populum Romanum commoveri, me arbitrari fore uti nationes exterae legatos ad populum Romanum mitterent, ut lex de pecuniis repetundis iudiciumque tolleretur; si enim iudicia nulla sint,, tantum unum quemque ablaturum putant quantum sibi ac liberis suis satis esse arbitretur; nunc, quod eius modi iudicia sint tantum unum quemque auferre quantum sibi, patronis, advocatis, praetori, iudicibus satis futurum sit; hoc profecto infinitum esse; se avarissimi hominis cupiditati satis facere posse, nocentissimi victoriae non posse.

[¶12] 42. O trials worthy of being recorded! O splendid reputation of our order! when the allies of the Roman people are unwilling that trials for extortion should take place, which were instituted by our ancestors for the sake of the allies. Would that man ever have had a favourable hope of his own safety, if he had not conceived in his mind a bad opinion of you? on which account, he ought, if possible, to be still more hated by you than he is by the Roman people, because he considers you like himself in avarice and wickedness and perjury.

> Latin: 42. O commemoranda iudicia praeclaramque existimationem nostri ordinis, cum socii populi Romani iudicia de pecuniis repetundis fieri nolunt, quae a maioribus nostris sociorum causa comparata sunt! iste umquam de se bonam spem habuisset, nisi de vobis malam opinionem animo imbibisset? maiore etiam, si fieri potest, apud vos odio esse debet quam est apud populum Romanum, cum in avaritia, scelere, periurio vos sui similis esse arbitretur.

[¶13] 43. And I beg you, in the name of the immortal gods, O judges, think of and guard against this; I warn you, I give notice to you, of what I am well assured, that this most seasonable opportunity has been given to you by the favour of the gods, for the purpose of delivering your whole order from hatred, from unpopularity, from infamy, and from disgrace. There is no severity believed to exist ill the tribunals, nor any scruples with regard to religion; in short, there are not believed to be any tribunals at all. Therefore we are despised and scorned by the Roman people; we are branded with a heavy and now a long standing infamy.

> Latin: 43. loco, per deos immortalis, iudices, consulite ac providete! praedicoque id quod intellego, tempus hoc vobis divinitus datum esse ut odio, invidia, infamia, turpitudine totum ordinem liberetis. in iudiciis severitas, nulla religio, nulla denique iam existimantur esse iudicia. a populo Romano contemnimur, despicimur; gravi diuturnaque iam flagramus infamia.

[¶14] 44. Nor, in fact, is there any other reason for which the Roman people has with so much earnestness sought the restoration of the tribunician power: but when it was demanding that in words, it seemed to be asking for that, but in reality it was asking for tribunes which it could trust. And this did not escape the notice of Quintus Catulus, a most sagacious and honourable man, who, when Cnaeus Pompeius, a most gallant and illustrious man, made a motion about the tribunitian power, and when he was asked his opinion, begin his speech in this manner, speaking with the greatest authority, “that the conscript fathers presided over the courts of justice badly and wickedly; but if in deciding judicial trials they had been willing to satisfy the expectations of the Roman people, men would not so greatly regret the tribunitian power?”

> Latin: 44. enim ullam aliam ob causam populus Romanus tribuniciam potestatem tanto studio requisivit; quam cum poscebat, verbo illam poscere videbatur, re vera iudicia poscebat. hoc Q. Catulum, hominem sapientissimum atque amplissimum, fugit, qui Cn. Pompeio, viro fortissimo et clarissimo, de tribunicia potestate referente cum esset sententiam rogatus, hoc initio est summa cum auctoritate usus, patres conscriptos iudicia male et flagitiose tueri; quodsi in rebus iudicandis populi Romani existimationi satis facere voluissent, non tanto opere homines fuisse tribuniciam potestatem desideraturos.

[¶15] 45. Lastly, when Cnaeus Pompeius himself, when first he delivered an address to the people as consul elect, mentioned (what seemed above all things to be watched for) that he would restore the power of the tribunes, a great shout was raised at his words, and a grateful murmur pervaded the assembly. And when he had said also in the same assembly “that the provinces were depopulated and tyrannised over, that the courts of justice were become base and wicked, and that he desired to provide for and to remedy that evil,” the Roman people then signified their good will, not with a shout, but with a universal uproar.

> Latin: 45. denique Cn. Pompeius cum 4s primum contionem ad urbem consul designatus habuit, ubi, id quod maxime exspectari videbatur, ostendit se tribuniciam potestatem restituturum, factus est in eo strepitus et grata contionis admurmuratio. in eadem contione cum dixisset populatas vexatasque esse provincias, iudicia autem turpia ac flagitiosa fieri; ei rei se providere ac consulere velle; tum vero non strepitu, sed maximo clamore suam 6 populus Romanus significavit voluntatem.

[¶16] 46. But now men are on the watch towers; they observe how every one of you behaves himself in respecting religion and in preserving the laws. They see that, ever since the passing of the law for restoring the power of the tribunes, only one senator, and he too a very insignificant one, has been condemned. And though they do nor blame this, yet they have nothing which they can very much commend. For there is no credit in being upright in a case where there is no one who is either able or who endeavours to corrupt one.

> Latin: 46. autem 46 homines in speculis sunt; observant quem ad modum sese unus quisque nostrum gerat in retinenda religione conservandisque legibus. adhuc post legem tribuniciam unum senatorem vel tenuissimum esse damnatum; quod tametsi non reprehendunt, tamen magno opere quod laudent non habent; nulla est enim laus ibi esse integrum ubi nemo est qui aut possit aut conetur corrumpere.

[¶17] 47. This is a trial in which you will be deciding about the defendant, the Roman people about you;—by the example of what happens to this man it will be determined whether, when senators are the judges, a very guilty and a very rich man can be condemned. Moreover, he is a criminal of such a sort, that there is absolutely nothing whatever in him except the greatest crimes, and excessive riches; so that if he be acquitted, no other opinion can be formed of the matter except that which is the most discreditable possible. Such numerous and enormous vices as his will not be considered to have been canceled by influence, by family connection, by some things which may have been done well, or even by the minor vices of flattery and subservience.

> Latin: 47. est iudicium in quo vos de reo, populus Romanus de vobis iudicabit; in hoc homine statuetur, possitne senatoribus iudicantibus homo nocentissimus pecuniosissimusque damnari. est eius modi reus in quo homine nihil sit praeter summa peccata maximamque pecuniam, ut, si liberatus sit, nulla alia suspicio nisi ea quae turpissima est residere possit; non gratia, non cognatione, non aliis recte factis, non denique aliquo mediocri vitio tot tantaque eius vitia sublevata esse videbuntur.

[¶18] 48. In short, I will conduct the cause in this manner; I will bring forward things of such a sort, so well known, so proved by evidence, so important, and so undeniable, that no one shall venture to use his influence to obtain from you the acquittal of that man; for I have a sure path and method by which I can investigate and become acquainted with all their endeavours. The matter will be so managed by me that not only the ears but even the eyes of the Roman people shall seem to be present at all their counsels.

> Latin: 48. ego causam sic agam, iudices, eius modi res, ita notas, ita testatas, ita magnas, ita manifestas proferam, ut nemo a vobis ut istum absolvatis per gratiam conetur contendere. autem certam viam atque rationem qua omnis illorum conatus investigare et consequi possim; ita res a me agetur ut in eorum consiliis omnibus non modo aures omnium, sed etiam oculi populi Romani interesse videantur.

[¶19] 49. You have in your power to remove and to eradicate the disgrace and infamy which has now for many years attached to your order. It is evident to all men, that since these tribunals have been established which we now have, there has never been a bench of judges of the same splendour and dignity as this. If anything is done wrongly in this case, all men will think not that other more capable judges should be appointed of the same order of men, which is not possible; but that another order must be sought for, from which to select the judges for the future.

> Latin: 49. aliquot iam per annos conceptam huic ordini turpitudinem atque infamiam delere ac tollere potestis. inter omnis post haec constituta iudicia, quibus nunc utimur, nullum hoc splendore atque hac dignitate consilium fuisse. si quid erit offensum, omnes homines non iam ex eodem ordine alios magis idoneos, quod fieri non potest, sed alium omnino ordinem ad res iudicandas quaerendum arbitrabuntur.

[¶20] 50. On which account, in the first place, I beg this of the immortal gods, which I seem to myself to have hopes of too, that in this trial no one may be found to be wicked except him who has long since been found to be such; secondly, if there are many wicked men, I promise this to you, O judges, I promise this to the Roman people, that my life shall fail rather than my vigour and perseverance in prosecuting their iniquity.

> Latin: 50. primum ab dis immortalibus, quod sperare mihi videor, hoc idem, iudices, opto, ut in hoc iudicio nemo improbus praeter eum qui iam pridem inventus est reperiatur; deinde, si plures improbi fuerint, hoc vobis, hoc populo Romano, iudices, confirmo, vitam mehercule mihi prius quam vim perseverantiamque ad illorum improbitatem persequendam defuturam.

[¶21] 51. But that iniquity, which, if it should be committed, I promise to prosecute severely, with however much trouble and danger to myself, and whatever enmities I may bring on myself by so doing, you, O Marcus Glabrio, can guard against ever taking place by your wisdom, and authority, and diligence. Do you undertake the cause of the tribunals. Do you undertake the cause of impartiality, of integrity, of good faith and of religion. Do you undertake the cause of the senate; that, being proved worthy by its conduct in this trial, it may come into favour and popularity with the Roman people. Think who you are, and in what a situation you are placed; what you ought to give to the Roman people, what you ought to repay to your ancestors. Let the recollection of the Acilian law passed by your father occur to your mind, owing to which law the Roman people has had this advantage of most admirable decisions and very strict judges in cases of extortion.

> Latin: 51. quod ego laboribus periculis inimicitiisque meis tum cum admissum erit dedecus severe me persecuturum esse polliceor, id ne accidat tu tua auctoritate, sapientia, diligentia, M’. Glabrio, potes providere. causam iudiciorum; suscipe causam severitatis, integritatis, fidei, religionis; suscipe causam senatus, ut is hoc iudicio probatus cum populo Romano et in laude et in gratia esse possit., quo loco sis, quid dare populo Romano, quid reddere maioribus tuis debeas; fac tibi paternae legis Aciliae veniat in mentem, qua lege populus Romanus de pecuniis repetundis optimis iudiciis severissimisque iudicibus usus est.

[¶22] 52. High authorities surround you which will not suffer you to forget your family credit; which will remind you day and night that your father was a most brave man, your grandfather a most wise one, and your father-in-law a most worthy man. Wherefore, if you have inherited the vigour and energy of your father Glabrio in resisting audacious men; if you have inherited the prudence of your grandfather Scaevola in foreseeing intrigues which are prepared against your fame and that of your fellow-judges; if you have any share of the constancy of your father-in-law Scaurus, so that no one can move you from your genuine and deliberate opinion, the Roman people will understand that with an upright and honourable praetor, and a carefully selected bench of judges, abundance of wealth has more influence in bringing a criminal into suspicion, than in contributing to his safety.

> Latin: 52. te summae auctoritates, quae te oblivisci laudis domesticae non sinant, quae te noctes diesque commoneant fortissimum tibi patrem, sapientissimum avum, gravissimum socerum fuisse. si Glabrionis patris vim et acrimoniam ceperis ad resistendum hominibus audacissimis, si avi Scaevolae prudentiam ad prospiciendas insidias quae tuae atque horum famae comparantur, si soceri Scauri constantiam, ut ne quis te de vera et certa possit sententia demovere, intelleget populus Romanus integerrimo atque honestissimo praetore delectoque consilio nocenti reo magnitudinem pecuniae plus habuisse momenti ad suspicionem criminis quam ad rationem salutis.

[¶23] 53. I am resolved not to permit the praetor or the judges to be hanged in this cause. I will not permit the matter to be delayed till the lictors of the consuls can go and summon the Sicilians, whom the servants of the consuls elect did not influence before, when by an unprecedented course of proceeding they sent for them all; I will not permit those miserable men, formerly the allies and friends of the Roman people, now their slaves and suppliants, to lose not only their rights and fortunes by their tyranny, but to be deprived of even the power of bewailing their condition;

> Latin: 53. certum est non committere ut in hac causa praetor nobis consiliumque mutetur. patiar rem in id tempus adduci ut quos adhuc servi designatorum consulum non moverunt, cum eos novo exemplo universos arcesserent, eos tum lictores consulum vocent; ut homines miseri, antea socii atque amici populi Romani, nunc servi ac supplices, non modo ius suum fortunasque omnis eorum imperio amittant, verum etiam deplorandi iuris sui potestatem non habeant.

[¶24] 54. I will not, I say, when the cause has been summed up by me, permit them after a delay of forty days has intervened, then at last to reply to me when my accusation has already fallen into oblivion through lapse of time; I will not permit the decision to be given when this crowd collected from all Italy has departed from Rome, which has assembled from all quarters at the same time on account of the comitia, of the games, and of the census. The reward of the credit gained by your decision, or the danger arising from the unpopularity which will accrue to you if you decide unjustly, I think ought to belong to you; the labour and anxiety to me; the knowledge of what is done and the recollection of what has been said by every one, to all.

> Latin: 54. sinam profecto causa a me perorata, quadraginta diebus interpositis, tum nobis denique responderi cum accusatio nostra in oblivionem diuturnitatis adducta sit. committam ut tum haec res iudicetur, cum haec frequentia totius Italiae Roma discesserit, quae convenit uno tempore undique comitiorum ludorum censendique causa. iudici et laudis fructum et offensionis periculum vestrum, laborem sollicitudinemque nostram, scientiam quid agatur, memoriamque quid a quoque dictum sit, omnium puto esse oportere.

[¶25] 55. I will adopt this course, not an unprecedented one, but one that has been adopted before, by those who are now the chief men of our state,—the course, I mean, of at once producing the witnesses. What you will find novel, O judges, is this, that I will so marshal my witnesses as to unfold the whole of my accusation; that when I have established it by examining my witnesses, by arguments, and by my speech, then I shall show the agreement of the evidence with my accusation: so that there shall be no difference between the established mode of prosecuting, and this new one, except that, according to the established mode, when everything has been said which is to be said, then the witnesses are produced; here they shall be produced as each count is brought forward; so that the other side shall have the same opportunity of examining them, of arguing and making speeches or their evidence. If there be any one who prefers an uninterrupted speech and the old mode of conducting a prosecution without any break, he shall have it in some other trial. But for this time let him understand that what we do is done by us on compulsion, (for we only do it with the design of opposing the artifice of the opposite party by our prudence.)

> Latin: 55. hoc non novum, sed ab iis qui nunc principes nostrae civitatis sunt ante factum, ut testibus utar statim: illud a me novum, iudices, cognoscetis, quod ita testis constituam ut crimen totum explicem, ubi id interrogando argumentis atque oratione firmavero, tum testis ad crimen adcommodem, ut nihil inter illam usitatam accusationem atque hanc novam intersit, nisi quod in illa tum cum omnia dicta sunt testes dantur, hic in singulas res dabuntur, ut illis quoque eadem interrogandi facultas argumentandi dicendique sit. quis erit qui perpetuam orationem accusationemque desideret, altera actione audiet; nunc id quod facimus,— quia ea ratione facimus, ut malitiae illorum consilio nostro occurramus,—necessario fieri intellegat.

[¶26] 56. This will be the first part of the prosecution. We say that Caius Verres has not only done many licentious acts, many cruel ones, towards Roman citizens, and towards some of the allies, many wicked acts against both gods and men; but especially that he has taken away four hundred thousand sesterces out of Sicily contrary to the laws. We will make this so plain to you by witnesses, by private documents, and by public records that you shall decide that, even if we had abundant space and leisure days for making a long speech without any inconvenience, still there was no need at all of a long speech in this matter. The following five orations were never spoken: they were published afterwards as they had been prepared and intended to be spoken if Verres had made a regular defence; for as this was the only cause in which Cicero had been engaged as accuser, he was willing to leave these orations as a specimen of his abilities that way, and as a pattern of a just and diligent impeachment of a corrupt magistrate. But Hortensius had been so confounded by the novelty of Cicero's mode of conducting the prosecution, and by the strength of the case brought against his client, that he was quite unable to make any defence, and Verres went into voluntary exile. In the beginning of this oration Cicero imagines Verres to be present, and to be prepared to make his defence, but before he proceeds to the main subjects of the prosecution, which occupy the last four orations he devotes this one to an examination of his previous character and conduct as a public man, as quaestor, as legatus, as praetor urbanus, and as praetor in Sicily; in order to show that his previous conduct had been such as to warrant any one in believing the charges he was now bringing against him. I think that no one of you, O judges, is ignorant that for these many days the discourse of the populace, and the opinion of the Roman people, has been that Caius Verres would not appear a second time before the bench to reply to my charges, and would not again present himself in court; And this idea had not got about merely because he had deliberately determined and resolved not to appear, but because no one believed that any one would be so audacious, so frantic, and so impudent, as, after having been convicted of such nefarious crimes, and by so many witnesses, to venture to present himself to the eyes of the judges, or to show his face to the Roman people.

> Latin: 56. primae actionis erit accusatio. C. Verrem, cum multa libidinose, multa crudeliter in civis Romanos atque socios, multa in deos hominesque nefarie fecerit, tum praeterea quadringentiens sestertium ex Sicilia contra leges abstulisse. testibus, hoc tabulis privatis publicisque auctoritatibus ita vobis planum faciemus ut hoc statuatis, etiamsi spatium ad dicendum nostro commodo vacuosque dies habuissemus, tamen oratione longa nihil opus fuisse.. vestrum ignorare arbitror, iudices, hunc per hosce dies sermonem vulgi atque hanc opinionem populi Romani fuisse, C. Verrem altera actione responsurum non esse neque ad iudicium adfuturum. fama non idcirco solum emanarat quod iste certe statuerat ac deliberaverat non adesse, verum etiam quod nemo quemquam tam audacem, tam amentem, tam impudentem fora arbitrabatur qui tam nefariis criminibus, tam multis testibus convictus ore iudicum aspicere aut os suum populo Romano ostendere auderet.