[32]
But some treaties are in existence, as for instance those with the Germans,
the Insubres, the Helvetians, and the Iapidae, and with some of the
barbarian tribes in Gaul in which
there is a special exception made that no one of them is to be received by
us as a citizen of Rome. And if
the exception prevents such a step from being lawful, it is quite evident
that it is lawful where there is no such exception made. Where, then, is the
exception made in the treaty between us and the city of Gades, that the Roman people is not to
receive any one of the citizens of Gades into their citizenship? Nowhere. And if there were
any such clause, the Gellian and Cornelian law would have annulled it which
expressly gave to Pompeius a power of giving the freedom of the city to
anybody whatever. “The whole treaty,” says the
prosecutor, “is such an exception, because it was ratified with
solemn oaths.” I can excuse you if you do not know much about the
laws of the Carthaginians, for you had left your own city; and you were not
able to examine our laws very strictly; for they prevented your having any
opportunity of instituting such an examination by a public sentence.
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