I find that all these were held by the
_fiscus_ until after the death of Cleander. Owing to the destruction of a
large part of the Palace records in the great fire I cannot make sure
whether what I am told is true. I am told that your town house and country
estates were granted by the _fiscus_, under proper seal, ostensibly by the
command of Commodus, to the present owner. That present owner is in
possession of the official transfer deeds and they are properly made out.
Yet neither from the present owner nor from the deeds can it be
ascertained which Prefect of the Palace authorized the transfer. Between
Cleander and Aemilius Laetus, Commodus had thirty different Prefects of
the Palace, most of them for very brief terms, one for less than a full
day, for he was appointed after noon one day and put to death before noon
of the day following. To a certainty, I cannot ever get legal proof that
the grant was gotten by bribery or was in any way illegal.
"Therefore I cannot command the present holder to return your former
property to the _fiscus_, in order that the _fiscus_ may turn it over to
you. Nor is there any precedent for one Prince revoking a grant made under
a predecessor. Nor is there anything in our law or customs enabling me to
bid the present holder to sell back to the _fiscus_ your entire former
property, even at a high valuation.
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