Thursday, May 27, 2010

Apocolocyntosis Sect. 14

He lead Claudius to the tribunal of Aeacus: he was questioning with the lex Cornelia which was brought about concerning murderers. He sought that his name be received; he gave forth in a subscript: 35 senators killed, 221 Roman knights, as many others as sand and dust. Claudius found no advocate. At last Publius Petronius came forth, an old friend of his, a man learned in Claudian tongue, and sought an advocate. It was not given. Pedo Pompeius accused him with great shouting. Claudius' guardian began to want to respond. Aeacus, a most just man, opposed, and condemned him with the other side having been heard and said:“Right will be done him if he be treated as he treated others.” [trans. by Allan Perley Ball] A great silence was made. All were stupefied having been stunned at this new occurrence, they denied that this had ever been done. It seem to Claudius more unfair than new. It was disputed for a long time concerning the type of punishment, what he ought to suffer. There were those who were saying that Sisyphus had done his portage long enough, that Tantalus would perish of thirst unless they helped him, sometime the miserable wheel of Ixion ought to have the brake put on. It was pleasing to none that remission be given from old punishments, lest Claudius ever hope for the same. It pleased them to decide a new punishment, thinking out a pointless labor for him and appearance of some hope without effect. Then Aeacus ordered him to play dice with a bored-through dicebox. And already he had begone to seek the always fleeing dice and to accomplish nothing.

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