Titus, who for his own reasons
refused to see Marcus, listened patiently, then gave his decision.
He rejoiced, he said, to learn that his close friend and trusted officer
was still alive, since he had long mourned him as dead. He grieved that
in his absence he should have been put upon his trial on the charge of
having been taken captive, living, by the Jews, which, if Marcus upon
his arrival in Rome had at once reported himself to him, would not have
happened. He dismissed all accusations against his military honour and
courage as mere idle talk, since he had a hundred times proved him to be
the bravest of men, and knew, moreover, something of the circumstances
under which he was captured. But, however willing he might be to do so,
he was unable for public reasons to disregard the fact that he had been
duly convicted by a court-martial, under the Prince Domitian, of having
broken the command of his general and suffered himself to be taken
prisoner alive. To do so would be to proclaim himself, Titus, unjust,
who had caused others to suffer for this same offence, and to offer
insult to the prince, his brother, who in the exercise of his discretion
as commander in his absence, had thought fit to order the trial.
Pages:
522
523
524
525
526
527
528
529
530
531
532
533
534
535
536
537
538
539
540
541
542
543
544
545
546