M. Tullius Cicero, Pro S. Roscio Amerino, ed. Albert Curtis Clark, 83

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[83] 30 venio nunc eo quo me non cupiditas ducit sed fides. nam si mihi liberet accusare, accusarem alios potius ex quibus possem crescere; quod certum est non facere, dum utrumvis licebit. is enim mihi videtur amplissimus qui sua virtute in altiorem locum pervenit, non qui ascendit per alterius incommodum et calamitatem. desinamus aliquando ea scrutari quae sunt inania; quaeramus ibi¹ maleficium ubi et est et inveniri potest; iam intelleges, Eruci, certum crimen quam multis suspicionibus coarguatur², tametsi neque omnia dicam et leviter unum quidque³ tangam. neque enim id facerem, nisi necesse esset, et id erit signi me invitum facere, quod non persequar⁴ longius quam salus huius et mea fides postulabit.

Pro S. Roscio Amerino. M. Tullius Cicero. ed. Albert Curtis Clark. Oxford. 1908.

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Funding provided by National Endowment For The Humanities (NEH).

Current edition Perseus

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

Translations (1)

For Sextus Roscius of Ameria Perseus (Cicero. The Orations of Marcus Tullius Cicero, Volume 1. Yonge, Charles Duke, translator. London: Bell, 1903.) — 83 focus

[83] I come now to that point to which my desire does not lead me, but good faith towards my client. For if I wished to accuse men, I should accuse those men rather by accusing whom I might become more important, which I have determined not to do, as long as the alternatives of accusing and defending are both open to me. For that man appears to me the most honourable who arrives at a higher rank by his own virtue, not he who rises by the distress and misfortunes of another. Let us cease for awhile to examine into these matters which are unimportant; let us inquire where the guilt is, and where it can be detected. By this time you will understand, O Erucius, by how many suspicious circumstances a real crime must be proved, although I shall not mention every thing, and shall touch on every thing slightly. And I would not do even that if it were not necessary, and it shall be a sign that I am doing it against my will, that I will not pursue the point further than the safety of Roscius and my own good faith requires.

Notes on the current edition

Pro S. Roscio Amerino

1. ibi ς2, Steinmetz: ubi cett. ( cf. Clu. 37)

2. arguatur A

3. quidque Wesenberg: quodque codd.

4. persequar Lambinus: prosequar codd.

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

talibus viris , "to this intelligent jury."

ne causam quidem , not even a motive (to say nothing of evidence of guilt).

emptores , the purchasers (of the confiscated property), i.e. men having the strongest interest in his conviction, with Chrysogonus himself as their presiding officer.

venisses , you should have come: § 439 , b (266, e); G. 272, 3; H.558, I (483, 2, N.); H.-B. 512, b.

utrum . . . an , i.e. which is it—the nature of the question or the character of the court [another compliment to the jury] — that you do not see?

ne . . . quidem : § 327 , I (209, a, 1); B, 347. 2; G. 445; H.656, 2 (553, 2); H.-B. 298, 2, a.

M. Tullius Cicero Pro S. Roscio Amerino 83

ed. Albert Curtis Clark

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