Cicero in Verrem: 53

LATIN TEXT

Aspendum vetus oppidum et nobile in Pamphylia scitis esse, plenissimum signorum optimorum. Non dicam illinc hoc signum ablatum esse et illud: hoc dico, nullum te Aspendi signum, Verres, reliquisse, omnia ex fanis, ex locis publicis, palam, spectantibus omnibus, plaustris evecta exportataque esse. Atque etiam illum Aspendium citharistam, de quo saepe audistis id quod est Graecis hominibus in proverbio, quem omnia ‘intus canere’ dicebant, sustulit et in intimis suis aedibus posuit, ut etiam illum ipsum suo artificio superasse videatur.

ENGLISH TRANSLATION

You know that Aspendus is an ancient and noble town in Pamphylia, full of the very finest statues. I won’t say this statue was taken, or that statue was taken. I say this, that you, Verres, left not one statue in Aspendus: thateverything in the temples and public places was openly seized and taken away, while the citizens watched on. He even carried off with the lyre player of Aspendus, who you often hear the saying of, which is a Greek proverb, who could sing everything, and put him into the inner most parts of his house, so it appears he has surpassed the statues trickery.

LATIN NOTES

Line 1: ‘Aspendum vetus oppidum et nobile in Pamphylia scitis esse,’: Indirect command, common Cicero sentence structure, gets the audience engaged by talking directly to them from the start.

Line 2: ‘fanis’ This word doesn’t imply whether…