Chapter 5: A Turning Point (Pt. 2)

Cicero swallowed hard, not believing his ears. It was common for provincial governors to pad their purses at the expense of their provinces, but outright theft was rarely seen.

“Gaius Verres?” Cicero asked. “Are you quite sure?”

Sosethius leapt to his feet and leaned over Cicero’s desk.

“Do you think I don’t know who robbed me of everything I own?” he asked, angrily. “Yes, it was the governor himself!”

“Please, my friend,” Cicero said, trying to calm him. “Sit down and tell me everything.”

The story came tumbling out of Sosethius, and Cicero nodded to me to begin taking notes.

“Well, about three months ago, I received a letter from the governor,” the man said. “He had heard about my collection of bronzes, and wished to see them.”

“I recall it,” Cicero said, nodding. “You had some very fine pieces.”

“It was my life, senator!” he said. “Thirty years of travelling and searching and haggling! Corinthian and Delian bronzes, pictures, silver. Works by Myron and Polycleitus! Silver cups by Mentor! Of course, Verres was complimentary, but I didn’t think anything of it until we were having dinner and I heard noises from the courtyard. A wagon had pulled up and Verres’ men were loading it up with everything!”

“You did not complain?”

“Who to? The governor?” Sosethius said, shaking his head. “No, senator. I knew better. I was alive, which, from what I hear, is better than he left many of his targets. No – I simply swallowed my losses.”

“So why did you …?” Cicero began.

“Because it didn’t end there,” Sosethius said, standing irritably. “Do you remember the statues in the town square? Verres wanted permission to remove them to his residence in Syracuse, and asked me to approach the town council. I told him I could not, in all honor, do so, and he left in anger. Three days later, I received a summons for trial on the fifth day of October.”

“On what charge?” Cicero asked, dumfounded.

“Forgery!” the old man moaned. “Verres had approached an old enemy of mine, Agathinus, and convinced him to testify against me. I thought to face him down, but then I heard that Verres himself would be the judge, and had already fixed on a punishment. I was to be publicly whipped.”

“So you fled,” Cicero said, nodding.

“That same night,” Sosethius said. “But I was convicted in abstentia, fined five thousand in gold and sentenced to flogging. Verres also claimed there was fresh evidence against me – this time for spying for the rebels in Spain! He plans to crucify me, senator!”

“I need your help, Marcus Cicero,” Sosethius continued. “I will be doomed if I am tried in Sicily, where Verres controls the courts. And everyone tells me that Marcus Tullius Cicero is the second-best lawyer in Rome!”

“Do they indeed?” Cicero replied, stung. “So why settle for second best? Why not go straight to Hortensius?”

“I did,” Sosethius said. “He turned me down. You see, he is representing Verres!”

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