Vitulus returned to his domus after having sat out a frustrating case as Iudex adjudicating the squabble between the Faustus brothers. He had seen the prosecuting advocate fail to turn up, and Vitulus knew exactly why - Tiberius Iulius Caesar had shielded his ears from the warning words of his doctors and had insisted on walking about the city, appearing in the Senate and acting as advocate when his injuries were still fresh and quite simply he was not up to it. When Caesar had paid Vitulus a personal visit, he had come by foot and scoffed at Vitulus's suggestion to take a litter home.

Clearly, the man had a great deal of energy, and some determination too. Quintus had reacted angrily in the courts to the non-appearance of Tiberius Iulius and refused to have him back in the courts while he remained Urban Praetor. Once home, Vitulus looked over the case Caesar had recently presented him with, this accusation that one of Caesar's clients had killed the philosopher Patonius. The more Vitulus looked at the case before him, the more he doubted Caesar's word on the nature of the incident. Was it possible that Caesar could have falsely accused his client Caius Marcius Rex of murder?

Vitulus wasn't at all sure, but the more he thought about it, the likelier it seemed. Here was a man who, when he had hauled himself back to the Senate after the injuries he had sustained fighting the pirates in Sardinia, had first thought to blame his deputies and excuse himself. That he had not taken responsibility for the men under him, for good and bad, had so shocked the Princeps Senatus that he had publicly rebuked Caesar in the Curia Hostilia. Perhaps Marcius Rex was a similar scapegoat.

After pondering the case late into the night, Vitulus finally came to a decision. He would defend Marcius Rex in the courts, and he would also expedite the case so that it would be heard as quickly as possible. Vitulus then penned a brief note and sent a messenger directly to Veii, where Tiberius Caesar had been headed to meet up with the Senior Consul.

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From: Q. Flaminius Vitulus, Praetor Urbanus
To: Ti. Iulius Caesar, Legatus

In the interest of serving justice, I have decided to represent Caius Marcius Rex in the case of Iulius Caesar (yourself) versus Marcius Rex. I wish to have this case heard as soon as possible so that all doubt over this matter be quickly cleared up and the matter resolved. I urge you to appoint an advocate by the end of October 644 AUC [Oct 20th 2008 IRL] or I shall have the Praetor Peregrinus appoint one for you. May I suggest that you might wish to approach Aedile Appius Terentius who is currently active in the courts - of course, you may choose who you wish as long as they are present in Rome currently and able to take on the case immediately.

Quintus Flaminius Vitulus

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