[55]
But why, O judges, do I detain you so long? You shall
have the authority and scrupulous faith of the man himself on his oath
before you, and listen carefully to every word of his evidence. Read the
evidence of Lucius Lucceius. [The evidence of Lucceius is read.] What more
do you wait for? Do you think that the case itself, or even that truth of
itself can utter any actual words in its own defence? This is the defence
made by innocence,—this is the language of the cause
itself,—this is the single, unassisted voice of truth.
In the circumstances of the crime itself there is no suspicion; in the facts
of the case there is no argument. In the negotiation which is said to have
been carried on, there is no trace of any conversation, of any opportunity,
of either time or place. No one is named as having been a witness of it. No
one is accused of having been privy to it. The whole accusation proceeds
from a house that is hostile to him,—that is of infamous
character, cruel, criminal, and lascivious. And that house, on the other
hand, which is said to have been tampered with, with a view to this
nefarious wickedness, is one full of integrity, dignity, kindness and piety.
And from this last you have had read to you a most authoritative declaration
under the sanction of an oath. So that the matter which you have to decide
upon is one on which very little doubt can arise,—namely, whether
a rash, libidinous, furious woman appears to have invented an accusation, or
a dignified, and wise, and virtuous man is to be believed to
have given his evidence with a scrupulous regard to truth.
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