[185]
By these exportations, of which
the list was read to you, he writes that the shareholders had lost sixty thousand
sesterces by the five per cent due on them as harbour
dues at Syracuse. In a few months,
therefore, as these little insignificant books show, things were stolen by the
praetor and exported from one single town of the value of twelve hundred thousand
sesterces. Think now, as the island is one which is
accessible by sea on all sides, what you can suppose was exported from other places?
from Agrigentum, from Lilybaeum, from Panormus, from Thermae, from Halesa, from Catina, from the other towns? And what from
Messana? the place which he thought safe
for his purpose above all others,—where he was always easy and comfortable
in his mind, because he had selected the Mamertines as men to whom he could send
everything which was either to be preserved carefully, or exported secretly. After
these books had been found, the rest were removed and concealed more carefully; but
we, that all men may see that we are acting without any ulterior motive, are content
with these books which we have produced.
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M. Tullius Cicero. The Orations of Marcus Tullius Cicero, literally translated by C. D. Yonge. London. George Bell & Sons. 1903.
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