[
14]
Pedo brings him before the judgement seat of
Aeacus, who was holding court under the Lex Cornelia to try cases of murder and
assassination. Pedo requests the judge to take the prisoner's name, and produces a
summons with this charge: Senators killed, 35; Roman Knights, 221; others as the
sands of the seashore for multitude. Claudius finds no counsel. At
length out steps P. Petronius, an old chum of his, a finished scholar in
the Claudian tongue, and claimed a remand. Not granted. Pedo Pompeius prosecutes
with loud outcry. The counsel for the defence tries to reply; but Aeacus, who is the
soul of justice, will
[p. 405] not have it. Aeacus hears the case against
Claudius, refuses to hear the other side and passes sentence against him, quoting
the line:
“As he did, so be he done by, this is justice undefiled.”
1
A great silence fell. Not a soul but was stupefied at this new way of
managing matters; they had never known anything like it before. It was no new thing
to Claudius, yet he thought it unfair. There was a long discussion as to the
punishment he ought to endure. Some said that Sisyphus had done his job of porterage
long enough; Tantalus would be dying of thirst, if he were not relieved; the drag
must be put at last on wretched Ixion's wheel. But it was determined not to let off
any of the old stagers, lest Claudius should dare to hope for any such relief. It
was agreed that some new punishment must be devised: they must devise some new task,
something senseless, to suggest some craving without result. Then Aeacus decreed he
should rattle dice for ever in a box with no bottom. At once the poor wretch began
his fruitless task of hunting for the dice, which for ever slipped from his
fingers.