1A rare and remarkable thing has happened to Varenus, though it is still uncertain. 1The Bithynians are reported to have dropped their prosecution of him as rashly begun. 1'Reported', do I say? 1A deputy of the province is here; he has brought the council's decree to Caesar, he has brought it to many leading men, he has brought it also to us, Varenus' advocates. 2Yet that same Magnus persists; 2indeed, he keeps harassing Nigrinus, an excellent man, most persistently. 2Through him he was demanding of the consuls that Varenus be compelled to produce his accounts. 3I was standing by Varenus now merely as a friend, and had decided to keep silent.
3For nothing would have been so damaging as if I, an advocate assigned by the senate, were to defend as a defendant a man who needed not to seem a defendant at all. 4When, however, Nigrinus' demand was finished and the consuls had turned their eyes to me, I said: 'You will see that there is good reason for my silence when you have heard the true deputies of the province.' 4Nigrinus in reply: 'To whom have they been sent?' 4I: 'To me as well: I have the decree of the province.' 5He again: 'It may be clear to you.' 5To this I said: 'If what favours your side is clear to you, what is better may be clear to me too.' 6Then the deputy Polyaenus set out the reasons for abandoning the prosecution, and asked that Caesar's hearing should not be prejudged.
6Magnus replied, and Polyaenus again. 6I myself, interjecting rarely and briefly, kept for the most part to silence. 7For I have learnt that it is sometimes no less the mark of an orator to be silent than to speak. 7And indeed I recall that I have helped certain men on capital charges more by silence than by the most carefully prepared speech. 8A mother who had lost her son — for what prevents me, although I had another reason for writing this letter, from discussing our pursuits? 8— had accused his freedmen, who were also her co-heirs, of forgery and poisoning before the emperor, and had obtained Julius Servianus as judge.
9I had defended the accused before an immense gathering; 9for the case was very well known, and besides there were very distinguished talents on both sides. 9The investigation, which went in favour of the accused, put an end to the hearing. 10Afterwards the mother approached the emperor and declared that she had found new evidence. 10Suburanus was instructed to give his time to her as she reopened the concluded case, if she brought anything new. 11Julius Africanus was appearing for the mother, the grandson of that orator after hearing whom Passienus Crispus said: 'Good, by Hercules, good; 11but what is the point of being so good?' 11His grandson, a talented young man but not a little crafty, after saying a great deal and filling his allotted time, said: 'I ask you, Suburanus, to allow me to add one word.' 12Then, when everyone was looking at me as if I would reply at length, I said: 'I would have replied if Africanus had added that one word, in which I do not doubt that all the new evidence would have lain.' 13I do not easily recall winning so much approval by pleading as I did then by not pleading.
13In the same way my having so far kept silent on Varenus' behalf has now been both approved and well received. 14The consuls, as Polyaenus requested, kept everything open for the emperor; 14his hearing I await in suspense. 14For that day will either give us security and rest on Varenus' behalf, or lay upon us again our interrupted labour with renewed anxiety. 14Farewell.