45 BC

SPEECH IN BEHALF OF KING DEIOTARUS

by Marcus Tullius Cicero

translated by Charles Duke Yonge, A.B.

THE ARGUMENT -

This speech, like those for Marcellus and Ligarius, was addressed to Caesar. Deiotarus was king of Galatia, and during Cicero's proconsulship in Cilicia he had formed a friendship with him, and had been of great assistance to him in his campaign against Pacorus and the Parthians. Having been an adherent of Pompey, he had already been deprived of a considerable part of his dominions by Caesar, and he was now accused by his grandson, who was aware of Caesar's inveterate dislike of him, of having formed a design against Caesar's life four years before, when he entertained him in his palace on his return from Egypt. It is probable that Caesar was aware of the groundlessness of the charge, but countenanced it, and allowed it to be brought before him, in the hopes of finding a pretext for stripping the king of all the rest of his dominions. Brutus espoused Deiotarus's cause very warmly, and went towards Spain to meet Caesar, and made him a most earnest address in favor of Deiotarus.

The present trial was held in Caesar's house, and Cicero proved the king's innocence so completely that Caesar was unable to condemn him; but, as he would not acquit him, he adjourned the further consideration of the matter till he himself could go into the East and investigate the affair on the spot. This speech was delivered in the year of Caesar's fourth consulship; the year before he was killed.

SPEECH IN BEHALF OF KING DEIOTARUS -

IN all causes of more than ordinary importance, O Caius Caesar, I am accustomed, at the beginning of my speech, to be more vehemently affected than either common custom or my own age appears to require. And in this particular cause I am agitated by so many considerations, that in proportion as my fidelity to my friend inspires me with zeal to defend the safety of King Deiotarus, in the same proportion do my fears take away from my ability to do so. In the first place, I am speaking in defence of the life and fortunes of a king; and although there is no particular injustice in such a fact, especially when it is one's self who is in danger, yet it is so unusual for a king to be tried for his life, that up to this time no such thing has ever been heard of. In the second place, I am compelled now to defend against a most atrocious accusation that very king whom I, in common with all the Senate, used formerly to extol on account of his uninterrupted services toward our republic. There is this further consideration, that I am disturbed by the cruelty of one of the prosecutors, and by the unworthy conduct of the other.

O cruel, not to say wicked and impious, Castor! a grandson, who has brought his grandfather into danger of his life, and has caused that man to dread his youth, whose old age he was bound to defend and protect; who has sought to recommend his entrance into life to our favor by impiety and wickedness; who has instigated his grandfather's slave, whom he corrupted by bribes, to accuse his master, and has carried him away from the feet of the king's ambassadors.

But when I saw the countenance and heard the words of this runaway slave, accusing his master- his absent master- his master, who was a most devoted friend to our republic- I did not feel so much grief at the depressed condition of the monarch himself, as fear for the general fortunes of everyone. For though, according to the usage of our ancestors, it is not lawful to examine a slave as a witness against his master, not even by torture- in which mode of examination pain might, perhaps, elicit the truth from a man even against his will- a slave has arisen, who, without any compulsion, accuses him against whom he might not legally say a word even on the rack.

This thing also, O Caius Caesar, at times disturbs me; which, however, I cease to fear when I come to a complete recollection of your disposition. For in principle it is an unjust thing, but by your wisdom it becomes a most just one. For it is a serious business (if you consider the matter by itself) to speak concerning a crime before that man against whose life you are accused of having meditated that crime; for there is hardly anybody who, when he is a judge in any matter in which his own safety is at stake, does not act with more partiality toward himself than toward the accused person; but, O Caius Caesar, your admirable and extraordinary natural virtue to a great extent releases me from this fear. For I am not so much afraid what you may wish to decide with respect to King Deiotarus, as I am sure what you wish to decide in all other cases.

I am affected, also, by the unusual circumstances of the trial in this place; because I am pleading so important a cause- one, the fellow of which has never been brought under discussion- within the walls of a private house; I am pleading it out of the hearing of any court or body of auditors, which are a great support and encouragement to an orator. I rest on nothing but your eyes, your person and countenance; I behold you alone; the whole of my speech is necessarily confined to you alone. And if those considerations are very important as regards my hope of establishing the truth, they for all that are impediments of the energy of my mind, and to the proper enthusiasm and ardor of speaking.