[47]
But now, as I prove that Plancius was a
popular man in his tribe, because he has been kind to many of them, because
he has been security for many of them, because he has procured employment
for many of them by means of the authority and interest of his father, and
because he has bound the whole prefecture of Atina to himself by all the kindness displayed by himself,
by his father, and by his ancestors; I call on you to prove in an equally
convincing manner, that he was an agent for receiving money to be spent in
bribery; that he was himself a briber; that he classified the
people; that he divided the tribes into decuries. And if you cannot, do not
deny our order the exercise of a legitimate liberality; do not think that
popularity is a crime; do not enact a punishment to be inflicted for
courteous attentions.
And accordingly, as you were forced to hesitate about this charge of
corrupting a tribe by means of treating, you had recourse to a general
accusation of bribery. And in examining this, let us, if you please, cease
awhile to contend in vulgar and random declamation.
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M. Tullius Cicero. The Orations of Marcus Tullius Cicero, literally translated by C. D. Yonge, B. A. London. George Bell & Sons, York Street, Covent Garden. 1891.
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