Pedo brings him before the judgement seat of
 Aeacus, who was holding court under the Lex Cornelia to try cases of murder and
 assassination. Pedo requests the judge to take the prisoner's name, and produces a
 summons with this charge: Senators killed, 35; Roman Knights, 221; others as the
 sands of the seashore for multitude. Claudius finds no counsel. At Ii. ix,
 385 length out steps P. Petronius, an old chum of his, a finished scholar in
 the Claudian tongue, and claimed a remand. Not granted. Pedo Pompeius prosecutes
 with loud outcry. The counsel for the defence tries to reply; but Aeacus, who is the
 soul of justice, will not have it. Aeacus hears the case against
 Claudius, refuses to hear the other side and passes sentence against him, quoting
 the line: As he did, so be he done by, this is justice undefiled. A proverbial line. A great silence fell. Not a soul but was stupefied at this new way of
 managing matters; they had never known anything like it before. It was no new thing
 to Claudius, yet he thought it unfair. There was a long discussion as to the
 punishment he ought to endure. Some said that Sisyphus had done his job of porterage
 long enough; Tantalus would be dying of thirst, if he were not relieved; the drag
 must be put at last on wretched Ixion's wheel. But it was determined not to let off
 any of the old stagers, lest Claudius should dare to hope for any such relief. It
 was agreed that some new punishment must be devised: they must devise some new task,
 something senseless, to suggest some craving without result. Then Aeacus decreed he
 should rattle dice for ever in a box with no bottom. At once the poor wretch began
 his fruitless task of hunting for the dice, which for ever slipped from his
 fingers.