Impeachment of Verres. ( In C. Verrem) B.C. 70.
Argument
CHAP 1 . The jurors are congratulated on the opportunity of restoring the good name of the senatorial courts by convicting Verres. 2 , 3 Attempts of Verres to avoid the trial: placing all his hope in bribery, he is intriguing for the postponement of the case. 4 , 5 . His crimes in administration, of pillage, extortion, and cruelty, are flagrant and notorious. 6 . Hence bribery is his only resource: his attempt to contract in advance for acquittal. 7 , 8 . His hopes in the election of Hortensius as consul and Metellus as praetor for the following year. 9 , 10 . Cicero’s anxiety. The great effort to have the case tried before Metellus, which was to be effected by delaying the trial till after the holidays. 11 . Cicero proposes to display his case at once,without argument, and so prevent its being laid over. 12 , 13 . The domination of Hortensius is dangerous to the state and must be met by proofs of corruption in the senatorial courts. 14 , 15 . The acquittal of Verres will be subversive of the whole judicial system: the jurors are urged to vindicate the courts by convicting him. 16 . All Rome is on the watch: the court itself is on trial: acquittal can have but one meaning. 17 . Glabrio is urged to stand firm. 18 . The Sicilians must not be baffled. Cicero, by despatch, will prevent the case from going over to the next year: he will introduce his witnesses at once, without previous argument. Brief statement of the charges, including the plunder of 4,000,000 sesterces from the Sicilians.Commmentary on the Impeachment of Verres. James Bradstreet Greenough. ed. James Bradstreet Greenough, ed. George Lyman Kittredge. Boston. 1897.
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