[162]
What can we expect likely to turn out more
complete than a person who is by nature your son, by education your pupil, by
inclination your copyist? Whom, however, I, O judges, would gladly see turn out a
virtuous and gallant man. For I am not influenced by his enmity, if, indeed, there
is to be enmity between him and me; for if I am innocent and like myself in
everything, how will his enmity hurt me? And if, in any respect, I am like Verres,
an enemy will no more be wanting to me than he has been wanting to him. In truth, O
judges, the republic ought to be such, and shall be such, being established by the
impartiality of the tribunals, that an enemy shall never be wanting to the guilty,
and shall never be able to injure the innocent. There is, therefore, no cause why I
should not be glad for that son of his to emerge out of his father's vices and
infamy. And although it may be difficult, yet I do not know whether it be
impossible; especially if (as is at present the case) the guardians placed over him
by his friends continue to watch him, since his father is so indifferent to him, and
so dissolute.
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