PRÆCONES. Caius Silius! SILIUS. Here. AFER. The triumph that thou hadst in Germany For thy late victory on Sacrovir, Thou hast enjoy’d so freely, Caius Silius, As no man it envied thee; nor would Cæsar, Or Rome admit, that thou wert then defrauded Of any honours thy deserts could claim, In the fair service of the common-wealth: But now, if, after all their loves and graces, (Thy actions, and their courses being discover’d) It shall appear to Cæsar and this senate, Thou hast defiled those glories with thy crimes— SILIUS. Crimes! AFER. Patience, Silius. SILIUS. Tell thy mule of patience; I am a Roman. What are my crimes? proclaim them. Am I too rich, too honest for the times? Have I or treasure, jewels, land, or houses That some informer gapes for? is my strength Too much to be admitted, or my knowledge? These now are crimes. AFER. Nay, Silius, if the name Of crime so touch thee, with what impotence Wilt thou endure the matter to be search’d? SILIUS. I tell thee, Afer, with more scorn than fear: Employ your mercenary tongue and art. Where’s my accuser? VARRO. Here. ARRUNTIUS. Varro, the consul! Is he thrust in? [_Aside_.] VARRO. ’Tis I accuse thee, Silius. Against the majesty of Rome, and Cæsar, I do pronounce thee here a guilty cause, First of beginning and occasioning, Next, drawing out the war in Gallia, For which thou late triumph’st; dissembling long That Sacrovir to be an enemy, Only to make thy entertainment more. Whilst thou, and thy wife Sosia, poll’d the province: Wherein, with sordid, base desire of gain, Thou hast discredited thy actions’ worth, And been a traitor to the state. SILIUS. Thou liest. ARRUNTIUS. I thank thee, Silius, speak so still and often. VARRO. If I not prove it, Cæsar, but unjustly Have call’d him into trial; here I bind Myself to suffer, what I claim against him; And yield to have what I have spoke, confirm’d By judgment of the court, and all good men. SILIUS. Cæsar, I crave to have my cause deferr’d, Till this man’s consulship be out. TIBERIUS. We cannot, Nor may we grant it. SILIUS. Why? shall he design My day of trial? Is he my accuser, And must he be my judge? TIBERIUS. It hath been usual, And is a right that custom hath allow’d The magistrate, to call forth private men; And to appoint their day: which privilege We may not in the consul see infringed, By whose deep watches, and industrious care It is so labour’d, as the common-wealth Receive no loss, by any oblique course. SILIUS. Cæsar, thy fraud is worse than violence. TIBERIUS. Silius, mistake us not, we dare not use The credit of the consul to thy wrong; But only to preserve his place and power, So far as it concerns the dignity And honour of the state. ARRUNTIUS. Believe him, Silius. COTTA. Why, so he may, Arruntius. ARRUNTIUS. I say so. And he may choose too.