No, he will say--this prefect was one of
the friends and officers of Titus, let Titus settle the affair as it may
please him when he returns."
"At least Titus will do me justice," said Marcus.
"Yes, without doubt, but what will that justice be? Titus issued an
edict. Have you ever known him to go back upon his edicts, even to save
a friend? Titus declared throughout his own camps those Romans who were
taken prisoner by the Jews to be worthy of death or disgrace, and two of
them, common men and cowards, have been publicly disgraced in the eyes
of Rome. You were taken prisoner by the Jews and have returned alive,
unfortunately for yourself, to incur the dislike of Domitian, who has
raked up a matter that otherwise never would have been mooted."
"Now," he says to Titus--"Show justice and no favour, as you showed in
the case of the captive Pearl-Maiden, whom you refused to the prayer
of your only brother, saying that she must be sold according to your
decree. Even if he loves you dearly, as I believe he does, what, my lord
Marcus, can Titus answer to that argument, especially as he also seeks
no further quarrel with Domitian?"
"You said you came to show me a way to safety--yet you tell me that my
feet are set in the path of disgrace and death.
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