[36]
What more shall I say? How notorious, while the fact was recent, was the murder of Asinius
of Larinum, a wealthy young man! how much talked
about in every one's conversation! There was a man of Larinum of the name of Avilius, a man of abandoned character and great poverty,
but exceedingly skillful in rousing and gratifying the passions of young men; and as by his
attentions and obsequiousness he had wormed himself into the acquaintance of Asinius,
Oppianicus began forthwith to hope, that by means of this Avilius, as if he were an instrument
applied for the purpose! he might catch the youth of Asinius, and take his father's wealth
from him by storm. The plan was devised at Larinum; the accomplishment of it was transferred to Rome. For they thought that they could lay the foundations of
that design more easily in solitude, but that they could accomplish a deed of the sort more
conveniently in a crowd. Asinius went to Rome with
Avilius; Oppianicus followed on their footsteps. How they spent their time at Rome, in what revels, in what scenes of debauchery, in what
immense and extravagant expenses, not only with the knowledge, but even with the company and
assistance of Oppianicus, would take me a long while to tell, especially as I am hurrying on
to other topics. Listen to the end of this pretended friendship.
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M. Tullius Cicero. The Orations of Marcus Tullius Cicero, literally translated by C. D. Yonge, B. A. London. Henry G. Bohn, York Street, Covent Garden. 1856.
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