[67]
And his authority in the province had just this weight, that no
one did strike him, though the praetor in his province gave every one leave by word,
and in reality incited them to do so; nor did any one claim anything of him, though
he had given licence to false accusation by his authority; yet that heavy mark of
ignominy was attached to the man as long as Verres remained in the province. After
this fear had been impressed on the judges, in a manner unexampled and wholly
without precedent, do you suppose that any matter was decided in Sicily except according to his will and pleasure?
Does this appear to have been the only effect of it, (which effect, however, it
had,) to take his money from Heraclius? or was not this also the object, as the
means by which the greatest plunder was to be got,—to bring, under
presence of judicial decision, the property and fortune of every one into the power
of that one man?
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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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