4C(ii) Verres trumps up a charge Flashcards
quae ubi iste audīuit, nōn mediocrī īnsāniā et furōre sē gerere omnibus uidēbātur;
When THIS one heard these things, he seemed to everyone to conduct himself with no ordinary craziness and rage;
hōc modō agēbat, quia nōn potuerat argentum Diodōrō auferre.
he was acting in this manner, because he had not been able to take the silver from Diodorus.
Diodōrō igitur absentī minābātur, clāmābat pālam, lacrimābātur.
Therefore he was threatening the absent Diodorus, he was shouting openly, he was weeping.
postrēmō seruōs suōs iussit Diodōrum tōtā prōuinciā conquīrere;
Finally he ordered his slaves to look for Diodorus throughout the whole province;
sed ille iam castra commōuerat et pōcula collēgerat;
but that one had moved camp and had collected his cups;
illō tempore Rōmae habitābat.
at that time he was living in Rome.
Verrēs igitur, quī aliquō modō Diodōrum in prōuinciam reuocāre uolēbat, hanc ratiōnem excōgitābat:
Verres, therefore, who wanted to call Diodorus back to the province in any way possible, thought up this plan:
cōnstituit Diodōrum, quem absentem esse sciēbat, fīctī cuiusdam crīminis accūsāre.
he decided to accuse Diodorus, whom he knew to be absent, of a certain trumped up charge.
rēs clāra erat tōtā Siciliā, Verrem argentī cupiditāte hominem absentem accūsāuisse.
The affair was famous in all of Sicily, that Verres had accused an absent man because lust for silver.
intereā Diodōrus Rōmae sordidātus circum patrōnōs atque hospitēs quōs cognōuerat circumībat, …
Meanwhile Diodorus in Rome, dressed in mourning, was going round his patrons and the hosts whom he knew, …
… et rem omnem nārrābat.
… and he was reporting the whole affair.
quae ubi pater amīcīque Verris audiērunt, …
When the father and friends of Verres heard this [which when they heard], …
… litterās uehementīs istī mittēbant rem clāram esse tōtā Rōmā et inuidiōsam;
… they began sending strongly worded letters to THAT one (that) the affair was famous and unpopular in all Rome;
perspicuum esse omnia illa propter argentum fierī;
(and that) it was obvious that all those things were taking place because of silver;
īnsānīre eum;
(and that) he was crazy;
cauēre oportēre;
(and that) he ought to be careful;
peritūrum esse hōc ūnō crīmine.
(and that) he would be done for on this one accusation.
quās ubi Verrēs perlēgit, sēnsit sē stultē fēcisse;
When Verres read through these (letters) [which (letters) when he read through them], he realized that he had acted foolishly;
nam prīmum annum prōuinciae sibi esse;
for (he realized that) he had (his) first year of the province;
sē nūllam pecūniam hōc tempore habēre.
(and he realized that) he at this time had no money.
furōrem suum igitur nōn pudōre, sed metū et timōre repressit;
His rage, therefore, he restrained not because of a sense of shame, but out of fear and apprehension;
Diodōrum absentem condemnāre nōn ausus est.
he did not dare to condemn the absent Diodorus.
Diodōrus intereā, Verre praetōre, prope triennium prōuinciā domōque caruit.
Meanwhile Diodorus, while Verres was praetor, for almost three years stayed away from his province and his home.
quid plūra dīcam?
Why will I say more?
nihil hōc clārius esse potest, iūdicēs.
Nothing can be clearer, judges.
eō tempore, Verre praetōre, tōtā Siciliā, …
At that time, when Verres was praetor, in all of Sicily, …
… nēmo poterat cōnseruāre aut domī retinere eās rēs quās Verrēs magis concupīuerat.
… no one could keep safe or keep at home those things which Verres had desired more.
