Odds to Sanballat, six to one.
"Witnesses: SANBALLAT." There was no noise, no motion.

Each person seemed held in the pose the reading found him.

Messala stared at the memorandum, while the eyes which had him in view opened wide, and stared at him.

He felt the gaze, and thought rapidly.

So lately he stood in the same place, and in the same way hectored the countrymen around him.
They would remember it.