History of Rome

​When the envoys had been brought back into the senate house, the consul then said: ‘I have not so far forgotten the majesty of the Roman people and of this empire, conscript fathers, that, if there were a doubt concerning a charge against me, I, as consul, would have been prepared to plead my cause against Greek accusers.

​But it is not what I did that comes into question—for whatever I did against enemies, the law of war defends—but what they ought to have suffered. If they were not enemies, it makes no difference whether I violated Syracuse now or while Hiero was alive.

​But if they defected from the Roman people, attacked our envoys with arms and weapons, closed their city and walls, and defended themselves against us with an army of Carthaginians, who is indignant that they suffered hostile treatment, since they committed hostile acts?

​I turned away the leaders of the Syracusans who were offering to surrender the city (you say); I preferred Sosis and Moericus the Spaniard, as men to whom I might entrust so great a matter. You are not the lowest of the Syracusans, since you reproach others with their low birth; who is there among you, ​who promised that he would open the gates to me, or receive my armed soldiers into the city? You hate and execrate those who did so, and not even here do you spare them from verbal abuse; so far were you yourselves from being about to do any such thing.

​Their very lowliness, conscript fathers, which these men cast in their teeth, is the strongest proof that I turned away no one who wished to render active service to our republic.

​And before I besieged Syracuse, I attempted peace, now by sending envoys, now by going to a conference; and after there was no respect even for the safety of envoys, nor was any answer given to me myself when I met the leaders at the gates, I at length captured Syracuse by force of arms, after many hardships had been exhausted by land and sea.

​What befell them when captured would be more justly complained of to Hannibal and the vanquished Carthaginians than to the senate of the victorious people.

​If I, conscript fathers, were going to deny that Syracuse was despoiled, I would never have adorned the city of Rome with its spoils. But as for what I, as victor, either took away from or gave to individuals, I know well that I did so both by the law of war and according to the merit of each.

​Whether you ratify these acts, conscript fathers, or not, is of greater interest to the state than to me. For my loyalty has been discharged; it concerns the state that, by rescinding my acts, you do not make other commanders more sluggish in the future.

​And since you have heard both the words of the Sicilians and my own in each other’s presence, conscript fathers, we shall leave the temple together, so that in my absence the senate may be consulted more freely.’ Thus the Sicilians were dismissed, and he himself departed to the Capitol for the levy.