Why, therefore, was the Carthaginian in Spain suffered to destroy those best and bravest men, the two Scipios?
Why did Maximus[279] lose his son, the consul?
Why did Hannibal kill Marcellus?
Why did Cannae deprive us of Paulus?
Why was the body of Regulus delivered up to the cruelty of the Carthaginians?
Why was not Africanus protected from violence in his own house?
To these, and many more ancient instances, let us add some of later date.

Why is Rutilius, my uncle, a man of the greatest virtue and learning, now in banishment?
Why was my own friend and companion Drusus assassinated in his own house?
Why was Scaevola, the high-priest, that pattern of moderation and prudence, massacred before the statue of Vesta?
Why, before that, were so many illustrious citizens put to death by Cinna?
Why had Marius, the most perfidious of men, the power to cause the death of Catulus, a man of the greatest dignity?
But there would be no end of enumerating examples of good men made miserable and wicked men prosperous.

Why did that Marius live to an old age, and die so happily at his own house in his seventh consulship?
Why was that inhuman wretch Cinna permitted to enjoy so long a reign?
XXXIII.

He, indeed, met with deserved punishment at last.

But would it not have been better that these inhumanities had been prevented than that the author of them should be punished afterward?
Varius, a most impious wretch, was tortured and put to death.