Vibius Valerius Trevericus receives a letter from Drakus Domitius Cordatus, currently in Rhodes on Senate business:

"Greetings honored Praetor,

I will be making a formal appeal before your court as soon as I have representation to do so. As you know, I am currently in Rhodes on Senate business, and need to contact a representative at Rome.

However, I would like to bring one point to your attention. The claimants are arguing that the late payment of my purchases constitutes an emergency loan. This is clearly a case in which the claimants are trying to fleece me. The law does not state that in such cases the claimants are entitled to emergency loan interest rates. Indeed, there is no interest at all. The errors of my clerks were and are unacceptable, and these gentlemen deserve their money forthwith. In fact, I have already sent orders that all these men are to receive the original amounts due to them.

I would even go so far as to argue that it is possible I owe these men some compensation for their troubles. However, the massive amount these men are requesting is absurd. No man should be able to earn 57% above and beyond the total amount owed for less than one month of overdue status, particularly when such was not stipulated in the contract.

I would ask, honored praetor, that you disallow the claim of the claimants that the overdue payment be treated as an emergency loan.

I look forward to your reply, and wish to offer to you my aid to you should you ever need it, and I hope that you follow my reasoning as outlined above.

Drakus Domitius Cordatus
Pontifex Maximus
Princeps Senatus"

Vibius Valerius takes another wax board and writes down:

"Greetings Drakus Domitius and greetings as well Marcus Minucius!

As Drakus Domitius told me the orders are already sent to pay back the owed amounts to you, Marcus Minucius, and all your clients.

But I agree to Drakus Domitius as I see no reason to treat the overdue payments as an emergency loan, an interest rate of 57% has a light taste of usury to me. So I propose that Drakus Domitius pays the usual interest rate of 10% per year as the compensation he promissed to give. In this case, and if all transactions are finished at the end of this month - OCT DLXII - I shall not have to open a trial on that affair.

Vibius Valerius Trevericus
Praetor Urbanus of Rome"

Vibius Valerius tells his secretary to make two copies of the note and send them to Drakus Domitius in Rhodes and to Marcus Minucius. Then he leans back contently and rests...