For, up to the time of that trial, Habitus had never made any will. For
he could not make up his mind to bequeath anything to such a mother as his, nor, on the other
hand, to leave his parent's name entirely out of his will. And as Oppianicus was aware of that,
for it was no secret, he plainly saw, that, if Habitus were dead, all his property would come to
his mother; and she might afterwards, when she had become richer, and had lost her son, be put
out of the way by him, with more profit, and with less danger. So now see in what manner he,
being urged on by these desires, endeavoured to take off Habitus by poison.
There were two twin brothers of the municipality of Aletrinum, by name Caius and
Lucius Fabricius, men very like one another in
appearance and disposition, but very unlike the rest of their fellow-citizens; among whom what
uniform respectability of character, and what consistent and moderate habits of life prevail,
there is not one of you, I imagine, who is ignorant. Oppianicus was always exceedingly intimate
with these Fabricii. You are all pretty well aware what great power in causing friendship a
similarity of pursuits and disposition has. As these two men lived in such a way as to think no
gain discreditable; as every sort of fraud, and treachery, and cheating of young men was
practiced by them; as they were notorious for every sort of vice and dishonesty, Oppianicus, as
I have said, had cultivated their intimacy for many years.