I recollect that Lucius Philippus has often stated these
 things positively in the senate. I see that is agreed upon by all men, that he, who is at this
 present moment in possession of the kingdom, is neither of the royal family nor of any royal
 disposition. 
 It is said, on the other hand, that there is no will; that the Roman people ought not to seem
 to covet every kingdom under the sun; that our citizens will emigrate to those regions, on
 account of the fertility of the soil and the abundance of everything which exists there.
 Will Publius Rullus, with the rest of the decemvirs, his
 colleagues, decide upon so important an affair as this? And which way will he decide? For each
 alternative is so important that it is quite impossible for you to entrust the decision to him,
 or to put up with his sentence. Will he desire to be popular? He will adjudge the kingdom to
 the Roman people. In consequence, he will also, in accordance with his own law, sell Alexandria , and sell Egypt . He will be found to be the judge, the arbiter, the master, of a most
 wealthy city, and of a most beautiful country; yes, he will be found to be the king of a most
 opulent kingdom. Will he abstain from taking all this? from desiring all this? He will decide
 that Alexandria belongs to the king; he will by
 his sentence deprive the Roman people of it.