Many Romans had resisted Octavian, many Romans had resisted Antony
when they had wanted to govern the republic as masters. When, after their
reconciliation made their power solidly established, they took their
revenge by mass banishments in which the conquerors mutually abandoned
their old allies. There was terrible carnage: three hundred senators and
two thousand cavalrymen were assassinated. History has not recorded the
number of people of less noble blood who were slain in the resentment of
the triumvirs.
Caius Toranius was tutor to Octavian. He was now an old man. But his
rights to clemency from the conquerors could not save him since he had
been the enemy of Antony. Even ties to their own blood had not halted the
fury of the governors; they betrayed both their kinsmen and their intimate
friends. Antony had renounced his uncle to Lepidus, Lepidus his brother to
Antony. So there was no hope for Caius Toranius. He had attempted to flee
from them but had been pursued by the agents of the triumvirate. In the
end he had managed to hide himself in the house of a friend who had
sacrificed his own personal safety for him.
But Toranius has a son who he loves dearly; it is on him that he
concentrates all his emotions, all his hopes, all his fears. What does his
own life matter next to that of his beloved son? He wanted him to flee to
another country and so that he would not be stopped by the worries that
his father must cause him, he had told him where he was hiding. But
Toranius did not know exactly where his son was... he thought he had not
received his message... his mind was assailed by mortal fears. Nothing
could be more moving than to hear this old man who at any moment might be
discovered by brutal soldiers who are looking for him to kill him, asking
over and over again if there is any news of his son, if he is safe, if he
has been pardoned by the triumvirs?...
Put your mind at rest, poor father. Your son is not in danger. When he
was in fear of the triumvir's resentment, he went to your tormentors and
told them where you were hiding. Because this son whom you love so much is
a cowardly man who has never held you in the least affection... But you,
poor father, know nothing of that. And better it is for you to have your
anxieties and your illusions than to learn of the actions of your son.
Because that news could be fatal to you. But take care for your own
safety, Toranius. Your tormentors know your hiding-place. Any moment
perhaps they could rush upon you...
Indeed, the door soon yields under repeated blows, and half a score of
soldiers, eyes thirsting for blood, with swords unsheathed, surround the
old man. But he has no fear; at the moment of death he is still
preoccupied only with his son's life. And in the midst of much flashing of
blood-stained weapons, already held in the arms of a fierce centurion, the
old man pushed him away sharply: "Let me say one word before you kill me;
my son, where is he? Has he obtained Antony's pardon?" And the fierce
centurion replied to him pitilessly "Your son? He was the one who sent us
here, who betrayed your hiding-place; now, Toranius, we are going to take
you." The old man turned pale, stood incredulous for a moment then
dropping his arms that were pushing away the fierce centurion, he gave
himself up to the blows of the already drawn swords.
School composition c. 1884. BNF NAF 16611.
Updated 01.03.19