§28.28.1atque ego, quamquam nullum scelus rationem habet, tamen, ut in re nefaria, quae mens, quod consilium vestrum fuerit, scire velim. §28.28.2Regium quondam in praesidium missa legio interfectis per scelus principibus civitatis urbem opulentam per decem annos tenuit; §28.28.3propter quod facinus tota legio, milia hominum quattuor, in foro Romae securi percussi sunt. §28.28.4sed illi primum non Atrium Umbrum semilixam, nominis etiam abominandi ducem, sed D. Vibellium tribunum militum secuti sunt, nec cum Pyrrho nec cum Samnitibus aut Lucanis, hostibus populi Romani, se coniunxerunt; §28.28.5vos cum Mandonio et Indibili et consilia communicastis et arma consociaturi fuistis. §28.28.6illi, sicut Campani Capuam Tuscis veteribus cultoribus ademptam, Mamertini in Sicilia Messanam, sic Regium habituri perpetuam sedem erant, nec populum Romanum nec socios populi Romani ultro lacessituri bello: — §28.28.7Sucronemne vos domicilium habituri eratis? ubi si vos decedens confecta provincia imperator relinquerem, deum hominumque fidem implorare debebatis, quod non rediretis ad coniuges liberosque vestros. §28.28.8sed horum quoque memoriam, sicut patriae meique, eieceritis ex animis vestris; viam consilii scelerati, sed non ad ultimum dementis exsequi volo. §28.28.9mene vivo et cetero incolumi exercitu, cum quo ego die uno Carthaginem cepi, cum quo quattuor imperatores, quattuor exercitus Carthaginiensium fudi, fugavi, Hispania expuli, vos octo milia hominum, minores certe omnes pretii quam Albius et Atrius sunt, quibus vos subiecistis, Hispaniam provinciam populo Romano erepturi eratis? §28.28.10amolior et amoveo nomen meum;
And I, although no crime has a rational basis, nevertheless, as in an impious matter, would like to know what your mind, what your plan was. A legion formerly sent to Regium as a garrison, having killed the leading men of the state through crime, held that wealthy city for ten years; on account of which deed the whole legion, four thousand men, were beheaded with axes in the forum at Rome. But they, first, did not follow Atrius Umber, a semi-sutler, a leader whose very name is abominable, but Decimus Vibellius, a military tribune; nor did they join themselves with Pyrrhus, nor with the Samnites or Lucanians, enemies of the Roman people. You both communicated your plans with Mandonius and Indibilis, and were about to associate your arms with them. They, just as the Campanians held Capua taken from its old Etruscan inhabitants, and the Mamertines in Sicily held Messana, were about to have Regium as a permanent seat, nor were they about to provoke the Roman people or the allies of the Roman people to war of their own accord:— Were you about to have Sucro as your home? Where, if I, leaving after the province was finished, left you as general, you ought to have implored the protection of gods and men, because you were not returning to your wives and children. But you have cast out the memory of these also, just as that of your country and of me, from your minds; I wish to pursue the path of a plan that is criminal, but not mad to the ultimate degree. With me alive and the rest of the army safe, with whom in one day I took Carthage, with whom I routed, put to flight, and expelled from Spain four generals and four armies of the Carthaginians, were you, eight thousand men, all certainly of less value than Albius and Atrius to whom you subjected yourselves, about to snatch the province of Spain from the Roman people? I put away and remove my name; let me be violated by you in no way beyond my death being easily believed:—what?
§28.28.11nihil ultra facile creditam mortem meam a vobis violatus sim —: quid? si ego morerer, mecum expiratura res publica, mecum casurum imperium populi Romani erat? ne istuc Iuppiter optimus maximus sirit, urbem auspicato deis auctoribus in aeternum conditam fragili huic et mortali corpori aequalem esse. §28.28.12Flaminio, Paulo, Graccho, Postumio Albino, M. Marcello, T. Quinctio Crispino, Cn. Fulvio, Scipionibus meis, tot tam praeclaris imperatoribus uno bello absumptis superstes est populus Romanus eritque mille aliis nunc ferro nunc morbo morientibus —: meo unius funere elata populi Romani esset res publica? §28.28.13vos ipsi hic in Hispania patre et patruo meo, duobus imperatoribus, interfectis Septimum Marcium ducem vobis adversus exsultantes recenti victoria Poenos delegistis.
If I were to die, was the republic about to expire with me, was the empire of the Roman people about to fall with me? May Jupiter, Best and Greatest, not permit that the city, founded for eternity under auspices with the gods as its sponsors, should be equal to this fragile and mortal body. When Flaminius, Paulus, Gracchus, Postumius Albinus, Marcus Marcellus, Titus Quinctius Crispinus, Gnaeus Fulvius, and my Scipios, so many and so illustrious generals, were consumed in one war, the Roman people survived, and will survive, while thousands of others die now by the sword, now by disease:—would the republic of the Roman people have been carried out to its funeral by my death alone? You yourselves here in Spain, when my father and uncle, two generals, were killed, chose Septimus Marcius as your leader against the Carthaginians exulting in their recent victory.
et sic loquor, tamquam sine duce Hispaniae futurae fuerint — §28.28.14: M. Silanus eodem iure, eodem imperio mecum in provinciam missus, L. Scipio frater meus et C. Laelius legati vindices maiestatis imperii deessent?
And I speak thus, as if Spain was about to be without a leader—: would Marcus Silanus, sent with me into the province with the same right and the same command, and my brother Lucius Scipio and Gaius Laelius, legates, avengers of the majesty of the empire, have been wanting? Could army be compared to army, or leaders to leaders, or dignity, or cause?
§28.28.15utrum exercitus exercitui, an duces ducibus, an dignitas, an causa comparari poterat? quibus si omnibus superiores essetis, arma contra patriam, contra cives vestros ferretis? Africam Italiae, Carthaginem urbi Romanae imperare velletis? quam ob noxam patriae?
Even if you were superior in all these things, would you bear arms against your country, against your fellow-citizens? Would you wish Africa to rule Italy, Carthage to rule the Roman city? For what injury done by your country?