Lentulus was clearly startled by thisquestion, which I had to believe was as completely unexpected tohim as it had been to me.
"Well, er, yes, I suppose that's true," heallowed, but when he opened his mouth to add what I was sure was aqualification to the effect that while this might have been true upto this point, there was this matter hanging over my head, Pisoimmediately cut in.
"Excellent! I'm glad that we agree on thispoint." Piso beamed at Lentulus, who still looked more bewilderedthan upset. Immediately moving on, Piso asked, "So, GnaeusLentulus, given that you're here as the appointed representativefor the state, I'm sure that you have been fully informed as to thespecifics of the part of the case that you have been charged with,the testimony of Marcus Primus. Is that correct?"
Lentulus' expression cleared, lookingslightly relieved that there was a question he could answer withconfidence.
"Yes, that would be correct. I am intimatelyfamiliar with every aspect of the testimony of Marcus Primus," hesaid confidently.
In answer, Piso nodded vigorously, agreeing,"Yes, I would expect no less. But," there was a subtle change inhis tone and, if I am any judge, he sounded like he wascommiserating with Lentulus when he finished, "I can only imaginehow unpleasant it must have been." Seeing Lentulus' confusion, headded helpfully, "Being there for his...interrogation and all. Veryunpleasant business, I can only imagine."
Lentulus glanced over at Sulpicianus, givingme the sense he was looking for direction. Unfortunately for him,the prosecuting Tribune was at that moment picking his nose,inspecting his haul with great interest.
"Tribune Piso," Lentulus finally replied,haltingly. "I'm not sure what you mean."
"What I mean?" Piso's surprise seemedgenuine. "Forgive me, Gnaeus Lentulus, you did say that you wereintimately familiar with every aspect of the testimony of MarcusPrimus, did you not?"
"Why, yes," Lentulus began, but was againcut off.
"Then it is only logical for someone in myposition to assume that, being intimately familiar with hisinterrogation, as you say, that you were present during saidinterrogation. Gentlemen." He turned to the Tribunal now. "Forgiveme, but in the interest of sparing time, let us not dance aboutwhat we all know to be the case, shall we? When I use the word'interrogation,' that is simply a euphemism for torture."
More than one man sucked in his breath athaving this put so baldly, but Piso was undeterred by theirreaction.
"Marcus Primus was tortured to extractthis...confession." Piso's voice dripped with sarcasm as the lastword passed over his lips. Holding up a hand, palm outward, hecontinued, "Now, I'm not saying that he didn't deserve everythingthat happened, given his crimes against the state. However," histone hardened, "let us not ignore the reality. So," he turned backto Lentulus, all the warmth and bantering quality missing from hiswords now, "since you have testified that you are intimatelyfamiliar with the case, you must have been present when he wastortured."
Lentulus did not answer immediately, hiseyes suddenly darting over to Sulpicianus, who although he was nowpaying attention, did not appear to have any idea what to do.
Finally, Lentulus replied, "No, that is notthe case. I was not present at the interrogation of MarcusPrimus."
"Not present?" Piso asked, feigningpuzzlement with his tone and uplifted shoulders, his hands heldoutwards in the direction of the Tribunal. "Then if you did nothear Marcus Primus actually utter the words, how can you be surewhat he said?"
For the first time, a look of what I thoughtwas anger flashed across the face of Lentulus.
"Because his testimony was witnessed by menof the utmost standing in Rome, whose ancestry is impeccable,"Lentulus said coldly. What he said next was uttered so softly thatI could barely catch it. "Be careful, Tribune. You are swimming indangerous waters."
If Piso was intimidated, he certainly didnot show it, waving the threat away with his hand as if it were apesky insect.
"A hero of Rome is on trial, with hiscareer, if not his life at stake, Gnaeus Lentulus. I think it wouldshame our ancestors to see me doing less than my utmost to makesure that he is exonerated as he should be. Now," and with thatPiso reasserted control, "your testimony is that you did notwitness anything Primus underwent during his interrogation. Is thatcorrect?"
The seated man shifted a bit, and he wasvisibly fuming, making his reply short and clipped.
"Yes."
"Have you ever witnessed a man undertorture, Gnaeus Lentulus?" Piso asked the question in such a mannerthat indicated to me he knew the answer.
If he did, he clearly was wrong.
"Yes, I have," Lentulus replied calmly.
Piso stood for a moment, and I could almostsee his mind working furiously as he tried to switch his line ofquestioning.
Then, so quickly that only someone sittingclosely to him would have noticed this had been unexpected, heasked, "Under what circumstances, might I ask?"
Lentulus considered for a moment, clearlytrying to find a trap.
Finally, he said, "It was a private matterconcerning my household. A slave had stolen something of enormousvalue, and we were forced to question the other house slaves."
"Ah." Piso nodded. "Yes, something ourancestors understood quite well, that a slave will lie unless he'sput to torture. That's the only way to get to the truth."
Piso seemed about to move on, when he askedin a casual manner, "Out of curiosity, how did that turn out?"
Lentulus made a face, but said nothing forseveral moments. At this moment, I happened to turn to catchScribonius' eye, to give him a shrug and tell him that this was afruitless line of questioning, but when I looked at him, I saw myfriend staring intently, not at Piso, but Lentulus, as if willinghim to speak.
"Actually," again, I believe only I wasclose enough to see that Piso had opened his mouth but was justbeaten by Lentulus, "in this case, it turned out that the slave whowas named as the culprit by his fellow slaves was innocent of thecharge. We only learned that later when we caught the true thieftrying to sell the item to a merchant in the Forum. It's a pity,really." Lentulus gave the members of the Tribunal a
