Book 28
1.54
Doryphorianus, as had been ordered, hastened to Rome by long days’ journeys, and at the beginning of his administrationAs vicarius. cast about with great energy, to see by what act of violence he could without anyone’s help destroy a senator of conspicuous lineage. And on learning that Aginatius had long since been found, and was under guard in his own villa, he arranged personally to examine him, and Anepsia as well, as the chief of the guilty persons, in the midst of the horrors of night, when men’s minds are commonly dulled in the bonds of terrors: as among countless other instances is shown by Homer’s Ajax, Iliad, xvii. 645 ff. who wished rather to die by daylight than endure the additional suffering of dread by night.
1.55
And since the judge, nay, rather the godless brigand, intent only on keeping his promise, carried everything to excess, having ordered Aginatius to be put to the question, he caused a whole train of executioners to enter, and amid the gloomy clanking of chains had the slaves, who were already drooping through long continued filth and neglect, tortured to the very verge of death, to give evidence to endanger their master’s life: a thing which our merciful laws forbade to be done in a trial for fornication.
