A prosecution for theft
is commenced against him. For what else can any one suspect? Do you say this, that when a chest
had been pillaged, money taken away, only some of it recovered, and when men had been murdered,
that then an investigation into the death of Oppianicus was instituted? Who will you get to
believe that? What is that you could possibly allege, that would be less possible? In the next
place, to pass over the other points, was an investigator made into the death of Oppianicus
three years after that death?—Yes, and being exasperated against him on account of her former
grudge, she then, without the slightest reason, demanded that same Nicostratus, in order to
submit him to the question. Oppianicus at first refused. After she threatened that she would
take her daughter away from him, and alter her will, he, I will not say brought his most
faithful servant to that most cruel woman, for her to subject him to the question, but he
clearly gave him up to her for punishment.
After three years had elapsed, then, the long projected investigation into the death of her
husband was made; and what slaves were especially pointed at in the investigation ? I suppose
some new circumstances were alleged in the accusation; some new men were involved in the
suspicion. Strato and Nicostratus were those mentioned.
What? had not an ample investigation into their conduct taken place at Rome? Was it not so? The woman, now mad, not by disease, but with
wickedness, though she had conducted an investigation at Rome, though it had been resolved, in accordance with the opinion of Titus Annius,
Lucius Rutilius, Publius Saturius, and other most honourable men, that the investigation had
been carried far enough, still, three years afterwards she attempted to institute an
investigation into the conduct of the same men, allowing, I will not say no man, (lest you
should say by chance that some one of the inhabitants of the colony was present,) but no
respectable man to be present; and this investigation was in reality directed against the life
of her son.