M. Tullius Cicero, Pro S. Roscio Amerino, 28

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[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.

Pro S. Roscio Amerino. M. Tullius Cicero. London. 1903.

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Current edition Perseus

For Sextus Roscius of Ameria (English) (Cicero. The Orations of Marcus Tullius Cicero, Volume 1. Yonge, Charles Duke, translator. London: Bell, 1903.)

Editions (1)

Pro Sex. Roscio Amerino Perseus (Cicero. M. Tulli Ciceronis Orationes, Volume 1. Clark, Albert Curtis, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1908.) — 28 focus

[28] nam postquam isti intellexerunt summa diligentia vitam Sex. Rosci custodiri neque sibi ullam caedis faciendae¹ potestatem dari, consilium ceperunt plenum sceleris et audaciae ut nomen huius de parricidio deferrent, ut ad eam rem aliquem accusatorem veterem compararent qui de ea re posset² dicere aliquid, in qua re nulla subesset suspicio, denique ut, quoniam crimine non poterant, tempore ipso pugnarent. ita loqui homines: quod iudicia tam diu facta non essent, condemnari eum oportere qui primus in iudicium adductus esset; huic autem patronos propter Chrysogoni gratiam defuturos; de bonorum venditione et de ista societate verbum esse facturum neminem; ipso nomine parricidi et atrocitate criminis fore ut hic nullo negotio tolleretur, cum ab nullo defensus esset.

Commentary

Notes on Pro S. Roscio Amerino (Select Orations of Cicero (Allen and Greenough's Edition). Greenough, James Bradstreet; Kittredge, George Lyman, editors. Boston, London: Ginn & Company, 1897.) focus

quo . . . eo , the less . . . the more.

multis = many other (implied in the generalizing cum, not-only, followed by

tum , but also).

armis , abl. of specification.

tum , but also (correlative with

cum in l. 17).

vel : in the emphasizing use, to strengthen

maxime ; § 291 , c (93, b); B. 240, 3; G. 303; H. (444, 3); H.-B. 241, 3, a.

singulare , special (lit. unique).

sapientiam , acc. of exclamation.

rerum natura , the universe, represented by air (

caelum ), fire (

solem ), water, and earth, the elements "from which all things are said to be produced" (

omnia nata esse , l.26).

ademerint , subord. clause in ind. disc.

dicuntur : for mood, see § 593 , a (342, a); cf. B. 314, 4; G. 629, R., b; H. 652, I (529, ii, N.1); cf. H.-B. 535, 1, d.

M. Tullius Cicero Pro S. Roscio Amerino 28

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