43.8
The
senate decided to send for Lucretius, that he might meet his accusers and
clear himself from their charges. When, however, he put in an appearance he
had to listen to many more accusations than those made in his absence, and
accusers now came forward of greater weight and authority in the persons of
two tribunes of the plebs, M. Juventius Thalna and Cnaeus Aufidius. They
not only handled him very severely in the senate, they compelled him to
appear before the Assembly, and after he had been exposed to much
vituperation and obloquy a day was fixed for his trial. The senate gave the
following reply to the Chalcidians through the praetor Q. Maenius: "With
regard to the services which they say they have rendered to Rome, the senate
is aware that they are stating what is true, and they are duly grateful to them.
As to the complaints of the conduct of C. Lucretius and L. Hortensius, no
one who knew that the war with Perseus and his father before him was
entered upon by the people of Rome on behalf of the liberty of Greece and
not that their friends and allies should suffer at the hands of their magistrates
-no one who knew this could possibly imagine that such conduct was in
accordance with the wish or had the concurrence of the senate. They would
send a letter to L. Hortensius informing him that the acts which the
Chalcidians complained of were displeasing to the senate, and whatever
freemen had gone into slavery he was to make it his care that they were
discovered as soon as possible and restored to freedom. The senate insisted
that no member of the crews, with the exception of the captains, should be
billeted in private houses." Such was the gist of the despatch sent to
Hortensius. Each of the delegates received a present of 2000 ases, and
carriages were hired at the public cost to convey Micion in comfort to
Brundisium. When the day of trial came, the tribunes indicted Lucretius
before the Assembly and demanded a fine of 100,000 ases. When the votes
were taken it was found that the thirty-five tribes had unanimously found him
guilty.
