Chapter 37

93 Where are the seven hundred million sesterces entered in the accounts kept in the temple of Ops? Bloodstained money, certainly; yet if it was not returned to its owners, it could have freed us from direct taxation. And you—how did you cease, before the first of April, to owe the forty million sesterces you owed on the Ides of March? Countless purchases passed through your people, and you knew about them. But one outstanding decree was posted on the Capitol, concerning King Deiotarus, a devoted friend of the Roman people. When it appeared, no one, even in the midst of grief, could keep from laughing.

94 For whom did Caesar hate more than Deiotarus? He hated him as much as this order, as the equestrian order, as the people of Massilia, as everyone he knew held the republic of the Roman people dear. So King Deiotarus, who could get nothing fair or favorable from him alive, whether present or absent, became influential with him dead. Caesar had confronted his host in person, calculated the money to be paid, installed one of his own Greek companions in his tetrarchy, and taken away the Armenia granted him by the Senate. What he seized while alive, he restores when dead.

95 But in what language? Now it “seems fair to him,” now “not unfair.” What a marvelous choice of words! Yet never—for I always represented Deiotarus in his absence—did Caesar say that anything we requested on the king’s behalf seemed fair to him. A bond for ten million sesterces was drawn up through the king’s envoys, good men but timid and inexperienced, without consulting us or the king’s other guest-friends. It was drawn up in the women’s quarters, where so many things have been sold and are still for sale. I advise you to consider what you intend to do about that bond. For the king himself, on his own initiative, without any memoranda of Caesar’s, recovered his possessions by his own force of arms as soon as he heard of Caesar’s death.

96 The wise man knew that this had always been the rule of justice: once tyrants were killed, those they had robbed could recover what had been seized. No legal expert, then—not even that fellow who is a legal expert for you alone, the man you use to conduct this business—will say that money is due under that bond for property recovered before the bond was signed. He did not buy it from you: he had possession of his own property before you tried to sell it back to him. He acted like a man. We deserve contempt: we hate the author and uphold his acts.

93 Where are the 700 million sesterces recorded in the accounts at Ops’s temple? Yes, that money was bloodstained. Still, it could have spared us taxes, unless we returned it to its owners. And you owed 40 million sesterces on March 15. How had that debt vanished before April 1? Countless things were bought from your people. You knew about it. But one outstanding decree was posted on the Capitol. It concerned King Deiotarus, a very close friend of the Roman people. Once it appeared, nobody could hold back their laughter, even in their grief.

94 Did Caesar hate anyone more than Deiotarus? He hated him as he hated this Senate, the knights, and the people of Massilia. He hated everyone who cared about the Roman republic. While Caesar lived, King Deiotarus got no fair or decent treatment from him. It made no difference whether he was there or away. Now Caesar’s dead, and the king has his favor. Caesar had attacked his host to his face. He’d added up the money he demanded. He’d put one of his Greek companions in the king’s tetrarchy. He’d taken away Armenia, which the Senate had given him. He took these things away while alive. Now he’s dead, he gives them back.

95 And what wording does he use? Sometimes, “It seems fair to me.” Sometimes, “It doesn’t seem unfair.” What a wonderful choice of words! He never said any request we made for Deiotarus seemed fair. I know: I always represented Deiotarus when he was away. A contract for 10 million sesterces was drawn up through his ambassadors. They were decent men, but timid and inexperienced. Neither I nor the king’s other friends were consulted. It happened in the women’s quarters. Plenty of things have been sold there, and still are. I suggest you think about enforcing that contract. The king didn’t wait for any notes from Caesar. As soon as he heard Caesar was dead, he acted on his own. He recovered his property through his own efforts.

96 He’s a sensible man. He knew the rule had always been this: when tyrants are killed, people recover what those tyrants took from them. So no legal expert will say this contract creates a debt for property recovered before the contract existed. Not even that man you use for these dealings—he’s a legal expert for you alone. The king didn’t buy from you. He already held his property before you tried selling it back to him. He acted like a man. We’re the contemptible ones. We hate the man responsible, but defend his acts.