[125]
Scipio once led your
sailors against Carthage; but now
Cleomenes leads ships that are almost dismantled against pirates.
“Africanus,” says he, “shared with you the spoils of
the enemy, and the reward of glory; but now, you, having been plundered by me,
having had your vessel taken away by the pirates, are considered in the number and
class of enemies.” What more shall I say? what advantages did that
relationship of the Segestans to us, not only stated in old papers, and commemorated
by words, but adopted and proved by many good offices of theirs towards us, bring to
them under the government of that man? Just this much, O judges, that a young man of
the highest rank was torn from his father's bosom, an innocent son from his mother's
embrace, and given to that man's executioner, Sextius. That city to which our
ancestors gave most extensive and valuable lands, which they exempted from tribute;
the city, with all the weight of its relationship to us, of its loyalty, and of its
ancient alliance with us, could not obtain even this privilege, of being allowed to
avert by its prayers the death and execution of one most honourable and most
innocent citizen.
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