Controversia II AD
Calpurnius Flaccus - Exc. (Calpurnius FlaccusExc.23)
Text
“Civitatem peregrinus usurpans veneat”. “Liceat in matribus adulteria vindicare et de iniusto supplicio tribunos appellare”. Qui videbatur de civibus natus, cum absente patre eam, quae mater videbatur, in adulterio deprehensam insequeretur armatus, ait illa : ‘Non es meus’. Perseverauit et occidit. Postea iudicio peregrinus pronuntiatus, emptus est ab interfectae patre. Ab eodem agitur in crucem. Reversus peregre is, qui pater videbatur, appellat tribunos de iniusto supplicio.
Translation
“A foreigner passing himself off as a citizen shall be sold into slavery”. “One may punish mothers caught in adultery”. “One may appeal to the tribunes on the grounds of unjust punishment”. There was a certain man who was apparently the son of citizens. When, during his father's absence, he pursued with a weapon the woman who was apparently his mother after she was surprised in the act of adultery, she said to him: "you are not my legal son." He pressed on and then killed her. Afterwards declared in court to be a foreigner, he was bought as a slave by the father of the slain woman. He is led off to crucifixion by this same man. After he returned from abroad, the man who was his apparent legal father appeals to the tribunes on the grounds of unjust punishment.
Main Characters
Foreigner
Characters
Apparent - mother, Apparent - father, Apparent - father of the mother
Issues
Accusations
Unjust punishment
Narrative themes
Adultery, Citizenship, Crucifixion, Slavery
Legal references
Civitatem peregrinus usurpans veneat - foreigner, Liceat in matribus adulteria vindicare - adultery, Punishment (