Tiresias: The Ancient Mediterranean Religions Source Database

10227

Seneca The Younger, Apocolocyntosis, 14

nan Pedo brings him before the judgement seat of Aeacus, who was holding court under the Lex Cornelia to try cases of murder and assassination. Pedo requests the judge to take the prisoner's name, and produces a summons with this charge: Senators killed, 35; Roman Knights, 221; others as the sands of the sea-shore for multitude. Claudius finds no counsel. At length out steps P. Petronius, an old chum of his, a finished scholar in the Claudian tongue and claims a remand. Not granted. Pedo Pompeius prosecutes with loud outcry. The counsel for the defence tries to reply; but Aeacus, who is the soul of justice, will not have it. Aeacus hears the case against Claudius, refuses to hear the other side and passes sentence against him, quoting the line: "As he did, so be he done by, this is justice undefiled." A great silence fell. Not a soul but was stupefied at this new way of managing matters; they had never known anything like it before. It was no new thing to Claudius, yet he thought it unfair. There was a long discussion as to the punishment he ought to endure. Some said that Sisyphus had done his job of porterage long enough; Tantalus would be dying of thirst, if he were not relieved; the drag must be put at last on wretched Ixion's wheel. But it was determined not to let off any of the old stagers, lest Claudius should dare to hope for any such relief. It was agreed that some new punishment must be devised: they must devise some new task, something senseless, to suggest some craving without result. Then Aeacus decreed he should rattle dice for ever in a box with no bottom. At once the poor wretch began his fruitless task of hunting for the dice, which for ever slipped from his fingers.

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Subjects of this text:

subject	book bibliographic info
adjudication, adjudicating	Tuori, The Emperor of Law: The Emergence of Roman Imperial Adjudication< (2016) 141
augustus	Tuori, The Emperor of Law: The Emergence of Roman Imperial Adjudication< (2016) 141
case	Tuori, The Emperor of Law: The Emergence of Roman Imperial Adjudication< (2016) 141
claudius	Tuori, The Emperor of Law: The Emergence of Roman Imperial Adjudication< (2016) 141
clementia	Tuori, The Emperor of Law: The Emergence of Roman Imperial Adjudication< (2016) 141
equity	Tuori, The Emperor of Law: The Emergence of Roman Imperial Adjudication< (2016) 141
exemplum, exempla	Tuori, The Emperor of Law: The Emergence of Roman Imperial Adjudication< (2016) 141
family	Tuori, The Emperor of Law: The Emergence of Roman Imperial Adjudication< (2016) 141
friend, friendship	Tuori, The Emperor of Law: The Emergence of Roman Imperial Adjudication< (2016) 141
imperial adjudication	Tuori, The Emperor of Law: The Emergence of Roman Imperial Adjudication< (2016) 141
justice	Tuori, The Emperor of Law: The Emergence of Roman Imperial Adjudication< (2016) 141
knight	Tuori, The Emperor of Law: The Emergence of Roman Imperial Adjudication< (2016) 141
law	Tuori, The Emperor of Law: The Emergence of Roman Imperial Adjudication< (2016) 141
moral	Tuori, The Emperor of Law: The Emergence of Roman Imperial Adjudication< (2016) 141
narrative	Tuori, The Emperor of Law: The Emergence of Roman Imperial Adjudication< (2016) 141
power	Tuori, The Emperor of Law: The Emergence of Roman Imperial Adjudication< (2016) 141
senate	Tuori, The Emperor of Law: The Emergence of Roman Imperial Adjudication< (2016) 141
senator, senatorial	Tuori, The Emperor of Law: The Emergence of Roman Imperial Adjudication< (2016) 141
seneca the elder	Tuori, The Emperor of Law: The Emergence of Roman Imperial Adjudication< (2016) 141
trial	Tuori, The Emperor of Law: The Emergence of Roman Imperial Adjudication< (2016) 141
virtue'	Tuori, The Emperor of Law: The Emergence of Roman Imperial Adjudication< (2016) 141