Orations |
Translator: C. D. Yonge
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| 19 |
Quae lex melior , utilior , optima etiam re publica saepius flagitata quam ne praetoriae provinciae plus quam annum neve plus quam biennium consulares obtinerentur ? Hac lege sublata videnturne vobis posse Caesaris acta servari ? Quid ? lege quae promulgata est de tertia decuria nonne omnes iudiciariae leges Caesaris dissolvuntur ? Et vos acta Caesaris defenditis qui leges eius evertitis ? Nisi forte , si quid memoriae causa rettulit in libellum , id numerabitur in actis et , quamvis iniquum et inutile sit , defendetur : quod ad populum centuriatis comitiis tulit , id in actis Caesaris non habebitur .
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What law was ever better, more advantageous, more frequently demanded in the best ages of the republic, than the one which forbade the praetorian provinces to be retained more than a year, and the consular provinces more than two? If this law be abrogated, do you think that the acts of Caesar are maintained? What? are not all the laws of Caesar respecting judicial proceedings abrogated by the law which had been proposed concerning the third decury? And are you the defenders of the acts of Caesar who overturn his laws? Unless, indeed, anything which, for the purpose of recollecting it, he entered in a notebook, is to be counted among his acts, and defended, however unjust or useless it may he; and that which he proposed to the people in the comitia centuriata and carried, is not to be accounted one of the acts of Caesar. |
| 20 |
At quae est ista tertia decuria ? ‘Centurionum ’ inquit . Quid ? isti ordini iudicatus lege Iulia , etiam ante Pompeia , Aurelia non patebat ? ‘Census praefiniebatur ,’ inquit . Non centurioni quidem solum sed equiti etiam Romano ; itaque viri fortissimi atque honestissimi qui ordines duxerunt res et iudicant et iudicaverunt . ‘Non quaero ’ inquit ‘istos : quicumque ordinem duxit , iudicet .’ At si ferretis quicumque equo meruisset , quod est lautius , nemini probaretis ; in iudice enim spectari et fortuna debet et dignitas . ‘Non quaero ’ inquit ‘ista : addo etiam iudices manipularis ex legione Alaudarum . Aliter enim nostri negant posse se salvos esse .’ O contumeliosum honorem eis quos ad iudicandum nec opinantis vocatis ! Hic enim est legis index ut ei res in tertia decuria iudicent qui libere iudicare non audeant . In quo quantus error est , di immortales ! eorum qui istam legem excogitaverunt ! Vt enim quisque sordidissimus videbitur , ita libentissime severitate iudicandi sordis suas eluet laborabitque ut honestis decuriis potius dignus videatur quam in turpem iure coniectus .
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But what is that third decury? The decury of centurions, says he. What? was not the judicature open to that order by the Julian law, and even before that by the Pompeius and Aurelian laws? The income of the men, says he, was exactly defined. Certainly, not only in the case of a centurion, but in the case, too, of a Roman knight. Therefore, men of the highest honour and of the greatest bravery, who have acted as centurions, are and have been judges. I am not asking about those men, says he. Whoever has acted as centurion, let him be a judge. But if you were to propose a law, that whoever had served in the cavalry, which is a higher post, should be a judge, you would not be able to induce any one to approve of that; for a man's fortune and worth ought to be regarded in a judge. I am not asking about those points, says he; I am going to add as judges, common soldiers of the legion of Alaudae;for our friends say that that is the only measure by which they can be saved. Oh what an insulting compliment it is to those men whom you summon to act as judges though they never expected it! For the effect of the law is, to make those men judges in the third decury who do not dare to judge with freedom. And in that how great, O ye immortal gods! is the error of those men who have desired that law. For the meaner the condition of each judge is, the greater will be the severity of judgment with which he will seek to efface the idea of his meanness; and he will strive rather to appear worthy of being classed in the honourable decuries, than to have deservedly ranked in a disreputable one. |
| 21 |
Altera promulgata lex est ut et de vi et maiestatis damnati ad populum provocent , si velint . Haec utrum tandem lex est an legum omnium dissolutio ? Quis est enim hodie cuius intersit istam legem manere ? Nemo reus est legibus illis , nemo quem futurum putemus . Armis enim gesta numquam profecto in iudicium vocabuntur . ‘At res popularis .’ Vtinam quidem aliquid velletis esse populare ! Omnes enim iam cives de rei publicae salute una et mente et voce consentiunt . Quae est igitur ista cupiditas legis eius ferendae quae turpitudinem summam habeat , gratiam nullam ? Quid enim turpius quam qui maiestatem populi Romani minuerit per vim , eum damnatum iudicio ad eam ipsam vim reverti propter quam sit iure damnatus ?
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Another law was proposed, that men who had been condemned of violence and treason may appeal to the public if they please. Is this now a law, or rather an abrogation of all laws? For who is there at this day to whom it is an object that that law should stand? No one is accused under those laws; there is no one whom we think likely to be so accused. For measures which have been carried by force of arms will certainly never be impeached in a court of justice. But the measure is a popular one. I wish, indeed, that you were willing to promote any popular measure; for, at present, all the citizens agree with one mind and one voice in their view of its bearing on the safety of the republic. What is the meaning, then, of the eagerness to pass the law which brings with it the greatest possible infamy, and no popularity at all? For what can be more discreditable than for a man who has committed treason against the Roman people by acts of violence, after he has been condemned by a legal decision, to be able to return to that very course of violence, on account of which he has been condemned? |
| 22 |
Sed quid plura de lege disputo ? Quasi vero id agatur ut quisquam provocet : id agitur , id fertur ne quis omnino umquam istis legibus reus fiat . Quis enim aut accusator tam amens reperietur qui reo condemnato obici se multitudini conductae velit , aut iudex qui reum damnare audeat , ut ipse ad operas mercennarias statim protrahatur ? Non igitur provocatio ista lege datur , sed duae maxime salutares leges quaestionesque tolluntur . Quid est aliud hortari adulescentis ut turbulenti , ut seditiosi , ut perniciosi cives velint esse ? Quam autem ad pestem furor tribunicius impelli non poterit his duabus quaestionibus de vi et maiestate sublatis ?
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But why do I argue any more about this law? as if the object aimed at were to enable any one to appeal? The object is, the inevitable consequence must be, that no one can ever be prosecuted under those laws. For what prosecutor will be found insane enough to be willing, after the defendant has been condemned, to expose himself to the fury of a hired mob? or what judge will be bold enough to venture to condemn a criminal, knowing that he will immediately be dragged before a gang of hireling operatives? It is not, therefore, a right of appeal that is given by that law, but two most salutary laws and modes of judicial investigation that are abolished. And what is this but exhorting young men to be turbulent, seditious, mischievous citizens? To what extent of mischief will it not be possible to instigate the frenzy of the tribunes now that these two rights of impeachment for violence and for treason are annulled? |
| 23 |
Quid , quod obrogatur legibus Caesaris , quae iubent ei qui de vi itemque ei qui maiestatis damnatus sit aqua et igni interdici ? quibus cum provocatio datur , nonne acta Caesaris rescinduntur ? Quae quidem ego , patres conscripti , qui illa numquam probavi , tamen ita conservanda concordiae causa arbitratus sum ut non modo , quas vivus leges Caesar tulisset , infirmandas hoc tempore non putarem , sed ne illas quidem quas post mortem Caesaris prolatas esse et fixas videtis .
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What more? Is not this a substitution of a new law for the laws of Caesar, which enact that every man who has been convicted of violence, and also every man who has been convicted of treason, shall be interdicted from fire and water? And, when those men have a right of appeal given them, are not the acts of Caesar rescinded? And those acts, O conscript fathers, I, who never approved of them, have still thought it advisable to maintain for the sake of concord; so that I not only did not think that the laws which Caesar had passed ill his lifetime ought to be repealed, but I did not approve of meddling with those even which since the death of Caesar you have seen produced and published. |
| 24 |
De exsilio reducti a mortuo ; civitas data non solum singulis sed nationibus et provinciis universis a mortuo ; immunitatibus infinitis sublata vectigalia a mortuo . Ergo haec uno , verum optimo auctore domo prolata defendimus : eas leges quas ipse nobis inspectantibus recitavit , pronuntiavit , tulit , quibus latis gloriabatur eisque legibus rem publicam contineri putabat , de provinciis , de iudiciis , eas , inquam , Caesaris leges nos qui defendimus acta Caesaris evertendas putamus ?
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Men have been recalled from banishment by a dead man; the freedom of the city has been conferred not only on individuals, but on entire nations and provinces by a dead man; our revenues have been diminished by the granting of countless exemptions by a dead man. Therefore, do we defend these measures which have been brought from his house on the authority of a single, but, I admit, a very excellent individual; and as for the laws which he, in your presence, read, and declared, and passed,—in the passing of which he gloried, and on which he believed that the safety of the republic depended, especially those concerning provinces and concerning judicial proceedings,—can we, I say, we who defend the acts of Caesar, think that those laws deserve to be upset? |
| 25 |
Ac de his tamen legibus quae promulgatae sunt saltem queri possumus : de eis quae iam latae dicuntur ne illud quidem licuit . Illae enim sine ulla promulgatione latae sunt ante quam scriptae . Quaero autem quid sit cur aut ego aut quisquam vestrum , patres conscripti , bonis tribunis plebi leges malas metuat . Paratos habemus qui intercedant ; paratos qui rem publicam religione defendant : vacui metu esse debemus . ‘Quas tu mihi ’ inquit ‘intercessiones , quas religiones ?’ Eas scilicet quibus rei publicae salus continetur . ‘Neglegimus ista et nimis antiqua ac stulta ducimus : forum saepietur ; omnes claudentur aditus ; armati in praesidiis multis locis conlocabuntur .’ Quid tum ?
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And yet concerning those laws which were proposed, we have, at all events, the power of complaining; but concerning those which are actually passed we have not even had that privilege. For they, without any proposal of them to the people, were passed before they were framed. Men ask, what is the reason why I, or why any one of you, O conscript fathers, should be afraid of bad laws while we have virtuous tribunes of the people? We have men ready to interpose their veto; ready to defend the republic with the sanctions of religion. We ought to be strangers to fear. What do you mean by interposing the veto? says he; what are all these sanctions of religion which you are talking about? Those, forsooth, on which the safety of the republic depends. We are neglecting those things, and thinking them too old-fashioned and foolish. The forum will be surrounded, every entrance of it will be blocked up; armed men will be placed in garrison, as it were, at many points. |
| 26 |
quod ita erit gestum , id lex erit ? et in aes incidi iubebitis , credo , illa legitima : " consules populum iure rogaverunt " —hocine a maioribus accepimus ius rogandi ?— " populusque iure scivit . " Qui populus ? isne qui exclusus est ? Quo iure ? an eo quod vi et armis omne sublatum est ? Atque haec dico de futuris , quod est amicorum ante dicere ea quae vitari possint : quae si facta non erunt , refelletur oratio mea . Loquor de legibus promulgatis , de quibus est integrum vobis , demonstro vitia : tollite ! denuntio vim : arma removete !
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What then?—whatever is accomplished by those means will be law. And you will order, I suppose, all those regularly passed decrees to be engraved on brazen tablets. “The consuls consulted the people in regular form,” (Is this the way of consulting the people that we have received from our ancestors?) “and the people voted it with due regularity.” What people? that which was excluded from the forum? Under what law did they do so? under that which has been wholly abrogated by violence and arms? But I am saying all this with reference to the future; because it is the part of a friend to point out evils which may be avoided: and if they never ensue, that will be the best refutation of my speech. I am speaking of laws which have been proposed; concerning which you have still full power to decide either way. I am pointing out the defects; away with them I am denouncing violence and arms; away with them too! |
| 27 |
Irasci quidem vos mihi , Dolabella , pro re publica dicenti non oportebit . Quamquam te quidem id facturum non arbitror —novi facilitatem tuam —conlegam tuum aiunt in hac sua fortuna quae bona ipsi videtur —mihi , ne gravius quippiam dicam , avorum et avunculi sui consulatum si imitaretur , fortunatior videretur —sed eum iracundum audio esse factum . Video autem quam sit odiosum habere eundem iratum et armatum , cum tanta praesertim gladiorum sit impunitas : sed proponam ius , ut opinor , aequum , quod M . Antonium non arbitror repudiaturum . Ego , si quid in vitam eius aut in mores cum contumelia dixero , quo minus mihi inimicissimus sit non recusabo ; sin consuetudinem meam quam in re publica semper habui tenuero , id est si libere quae sentiam de re publica dixero , primum deprecor ne irascatur ; deinde , si hoc non impetro , peto ut sic irascatur ut civi . Armis utatur , si ita necesse est , ut dicit , sui defendendi causa : eis qui pro re publica quae ipsis visa erunt dixerint ista arma ne noceant . Quid hac postulatione dici potest aequius ?
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You and your colleague, O Dolabella, ought not, indeed, to be angry with me for speaking in defence of the republic. Although I do not think that you yourself will be; I know your willingness to listen to reason. They say that your colleague, in this fortune of his, which he himself thinks so good, but which would seem to me more favourable if (not to use any harsh language) he were to imitate the example set him by the consulship of his grandfathers and of his uncle,—they say that he has been exceedingly offended. And I see what a formidable thing it is to have the same man angry with me and also armed; especially at a time when men can use their swords with such impunity. But I will propose a condition which I myself think reasonable, and which I do not imagine Marcus Antonius will reject. If I have said anything insulting against his way of life or against his morals, I will not object to his being my bitterest enemy. But if I have maintained the same habits that I have already adopted in the republic,—that is, if I have spoken my opinions concerning the affairs of the republic with freedom,—in the first place, I beg that he will not be angry with me for that; but, in the next place, if I cannot obtain my first request, I beg at least that he will show his anger only as he legitimately may show it to a fellow-citizen. Let him employ arms, if it is necessary, as he says it is, for his own defence: only let not those arms injure those men who have declared their honest sentiments in the affairs of the republic. Now, what can be more reasonable than this demand? |
| 28 |
Quod si , ut mihi a quibusdam eius familiaribus dictum est , omnis eum quae habetur contra voluntatem eius oratio graviter offendit , etiam si nulla inest contumelia , feremus amici naturam . Sed idem illi ita mecum loquuntur : ‘non idem tibi adversario Caesaris licebit quod Pisoni socero ,’ et simul admonent quiddam quod cavebimus : ‘nec erit iustior in senatum non veniendi morbi causa quam mortis ..
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But if, as has been said to me by some of his intimate friends, every speech which is at all contrary to his inclination is violently offensive, to him, even if there be no insult in it whatever; then we will bear with the natural disposition of our friend. But those men, at the same time, say to me, “You will not have the same licence granted to you who are the adversary of Caesar as might be claimed by Piso his father-in-law.” And then they warn me of something which I must guard against; and certainly, the excuse which sickness supplies me with, for not coming to the senate, will not be a more valid one than that which is furnished by death. |
| 29 |
Sed per deos immortalis !—te enim intuens , Dolabella , qui es mihi carissimus , non possum de utriusque vestrum errore reticere . Credo enim vos nobilis homines magna quaedam spectantis non pecuniam , ut quidam nimis creduli suspicantur , quae semper ab amplissimo quoque clarissimoque contempta est , non opes violentas et populo Romano minime ferendam potentiam , sed caritatem civium et gloriam concupivisse . Est autem gloria laus recte factorum magnorumque in rem publicam fama meritorum , quae cum optimi cuiusque , tum etiam multitudinis testimonio comprobatur .
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But, in the name of the immortal gods! for while I look upon you, O Dolabella, who are most dear to me, it is impossible for me to keep silence respecting the error into which you are both falling; for I believe that you, being both, men of high birth, entertaining lofty views, have been eager to acquire, not money, as some too credulous people suspect, a thing which has at all times been scorned by every honourable and illustrious man, nor power procured by violence and authority such as never ought to be endured by the Roman people, but the affection of your fellow-citizens, and glory. But glory is praise for deeds which have been done, and the fame earned by great services to the republic; which is approved of by the testimony borne in its favour, not only by every virtuous man, but also by the multitude. |
| 30 |
Dicerem , Dolabella , qui recte factorum fructus esset , nisi te praeter ceteros paulisper esse expertum viderem . Quem potes recordari in vita inluxisse tibi diem laetiorem quam cum expiato foro , dissipato concursu impiorum , principibus sceleris poena adfectis , urbe incendio et caedis metu liberata te domum recepisti ? Cuius ordinis , cuius generis , cuius denique fortunae studia tum laudi et gratulationi tuae se non obtulerunt ? Quin mihi etiam , quo auctore te in his rebus uti arbitrabantur , et gratias boni viri agebant et tuo nomine gratulabantur . Recordare , quaeso , Dolabella , consensum illum theatri , cum omnes earum rerum obliti propter quas fuerant tibi offensi significarent se beneficio novo memoriam veteris doloris abiecisse .
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I would tell you, O Dolabella, what the fruit of good actions is, if I did not see that you have already learnt it by experience beyond all other men. What day can you recollect in your whole life, as ever having beamed on you with a more joyful light than the one on which, having purified the forum, having routed the throng of wicked men, having inflicted due punishment on the ringleaders in wickedness, and having delivered the city from conflagration and from fear of massacre, you returned to your house? What order of society, what class of people, what rank, of nobles even was there who did not then show their zeal in praising and congratulating you? Even I, too, because men thought that you had been acting by my advice in those transactions, received the thanks and congratulations of good men in your name. Remember, I pray you, O Dolabella, the unanimity displayed on that day in the theatre, when every one, forgetful of the causes on account of which they had been previously offended with you, showed that in consequence of your recent service they had banished all recollection of their former indignation. |
| 31 |
Hanc tu , P . Dolabella ,— magno loquor cum dolore —hanc tu , inquam , potuisti aequo animo tantam dignitatem deponere ?
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Could you, O Dolabella, (it is with great concern that I speak,)—could you, I say, forfeit this dignity with equanimity? |
| 32 |
Tu autem , M . Antoni , —absentem enim appello —unum illum diem quo in aede Telluris senatus fuit non omnibus his mensibus quibus te quidam multum a me dissentientes beatum putant anteponis ? Quae fuit oratio de concordia ! quanto metu senatus , quanta sollicitudine civitas tum a te liberata est cum conlegam tuum , depositis inimicitiis , oblitus auspiciorum a te ipso augure populi Romani nuntiatorum , illo primum die conlegam tibi esse voluisti ; cum tuus parvus filius in Capitolium a te missus pacis obses fuit ! quo senatus die laetior , quo populus Romanus ? qui quidem nulla in contione umquam frequentior fuit . Tum denique liberati per viros fortissimos videbamur , quia , ut illi voluerant , libertatem pax consequebatur . Proximo , altero , tertio , denique reliquis consecutis diebus non intermittebas quasi donum aliquod cotidie adferre rei publicae ; maximum autem illud quod dictaturae nomen sustulisti . Haec inusta est a te , a te , inquam , mortuo Caesari nota ad ignominiam sempiternam . Vt enim propter unius M . Manli scelus decreto gentis Manliae neminem patricium Manlium Marcum vocari licet , sic tu propter unius dictatoris odium nomen dictatoris funditus sustulisti .
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And you, O Marcus Antonius, (I address myself to you, though in your absence,) do you not prefer that day on which the senate was assembled in the temple of Tellus, to all those months during which some who differ greatly in opinion from me think that you have been happy? What a noble speech was that of yours about unanimity! From what apprehensions were the veterans, and from what anxiety was the whole state relieved by you on that occasion! when, having laid aside your enmity against him, you on that day first consented that your present colleague should be your colleague, forgetting that the auspices had been announced by yourself as augur of the Roman people; and when your little son was sent by you to the Capitol to be a hostage for peace. On what day was the senate ever more joyful than on that day? or when was the Roman people more delighted? which had never met in greater numbers in any assembly whatever. Then, at last, we did appear to have been really delivered by brave men, because, as they had willed it to be, peace was following liberty. On the next day, on the day after that, on the third day, and on all the following days, you were on without intermission, giving every day, as it were, some fresh present to the republic; but the greatest of all presents was that, when you abolished the name of the dictatorship. This was in effect branding the name of the dead Caesar with everlasting ignominy, and it was your doing,—yours, I say. For as, on account of the wickedness of one Marcus Manlius, by a resolution of the Manlian family it is unlawful that any patrician should be called Manlius, so you, on account of the hatred excited by one dictator, have utterly abolished the name of dictator. |
| 33 |
Num te , cum haec pro salute rei publicae tanta gessisses , fortunae tuae , num amplitudinis , num claritatis , num gloriae paenitebat ? Vnde igitur subito tanta ista mutatio ? Non possum adduci ut suspicer te pecunia captum . Licet quod cuique libet loquatur , credere non est necesse . Nihil enim umquam in te sordidum , nihil humile cognovi . Quamquam solent domestici depravare non numquam ; sed novi firmitatem tuam . Atque utinam ut culpam , sic etiam suspicionem vitare potuisses !
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When you had done these mighty exploits for the safety of the republic, did you repent of your fortune, or of the dignity and renown and glory which you had acquired? Whence then is this sudden change? I cannot be induced to suspect that you have been caught by the desire of acquiring money; every one may say what he pleases, but we are not bound to believe such a thing; for I never saw anything sordid or anything mean in you. Although a man's intimate friends do sometimes corrupt his natural disposition, still I know your firmness; and I only wish that as you avoid that fault, you had been able also to escape all suspicion of it. |
| 34 |
Illud magis vereor ne ignorans verum iter gloriae gloriosum putes plus te unum posse quam omnis et metui a civibus tuis quam diligi malis . Quod si ita putas , totam ignoras viam gloriae . Carum esse civem , bene de re publica mereri , laudari , coli , diligi gloriosum est ; metui vero et in odio esse invidiosum , detestabile , imbecillum , caducum . Quod videmus etiam in fabula illi ipsi qui ‘Oderint , dum metuant ’ dixerit perniciosum fuisse . Vtinam , M . Antoni , avum tuum meminisses ! de quo tamen audisti multa ex me eaque saepissime . Putasne illum immortalitatem mereri voluisse , ut propter armorum habendorum licentiam metueretur ? Illa erat vita , illa secunda fortuna , libertate esse parem ceteris , principem dignitate . Itaque , ut omittam res avi tui prosperas , acerbissimum eius supremum diem malim quam L . Cinnae dominatum , a quo ille crudelissime est interfectus .
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What I am more afraid of is lest, being ignorant of the true path to glory, you, should think it glorious for you to have more power by yourself than all the rest of the people put together, and lest you should prefer being feared by your fellow-citizens to being loved by them. And if you do think so, you are ignorant of the road to glory. For a citizen to be dear to his fellow-citizens, to deserve well of the republic, to be praised, to be respected, to be loved, is glorious; but to be feared, and to be an object of hatred, is odious, detestable; and moreover, pregnant with weakness and decay. And we see that, even in the play, the very man who said, "“What care I though all men should hate my name, So long as fear accompanies their hate?”" found that it was a mischievous principle to act upon. I wish, O Antonius, that you could recollect your grandfather, of whom, however, you have repeatedly heard me speak. Do you think that he would have been willing to deserve even immortality, at the price of being feared in consequence of his licentious use of arms? What he considered life, what he considered prosperity, was the being equal to the rest of the citizens in freedom, and chief of them all in worth. Therefore, to say no more of the prosperity of your grandfather, I should prefer that most bitter day of his death to the domination of Lucius Cinna, by whom he was most barbarously slain. |
| 35 |
Sed quid oratione te flectam ? Si enim exitus C . Caesaris efficere non potest ut malis carus esse quam metui , nihil cuiusquam proficiet nec valebit oratio . Quem qui beatum fuisse putant , miseri ipsi sunt . Beatus est nemo qui ea lege vivit ut non modo impune sed etiam cum summa interfectoris gloria interfici possit . Qua re flecte te , quaeso , et maiores tuos respice atque ita guberna rem publicam ut natum esse te cives tui gaudeant : sine quo nec beatus nec carus nec iucundus quisquam esse omnino potest .
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But why should I seek to make an impression on you by my speech? For, if the end of Caius Caesar cannot influence you to prefer being loved to being feared, no speech of any one will do any good or have any influence with you; and those who think him happy are themselves miserable. No one is happy who lives on such terms that he may be put to death not merely with impunity, but even to the great glory of his slayer. Wherefore, change your mind, I entreat you, and look hack upon your ancestors, and govern the republic in such a way that your fellow-citizens may rejoice that you were born without which no one can be happy nor illustrious. |
| 36 |
Populi quidem Romani iudicia multa ambo habetis , quibus vos non satis moveri permoleste fero . Quid enim gladiatoribus clamores innumerabilium civium ? quid populi versus ? quid Pompei statuae plausus infiniti ? quid duobus tribunis plebis qui vobis adversantur ? parumne haec significant incredibiliter consentientem populi Romani universi voluntatem ? Quid ? Apollinarium ludorum plausus vel testimonia potius et iudicia populi Romani parum magna vobis videbantur ? O beatos illos qui , cum adesse ipsis propter vim armorum non licebat , aderant tamen et in medullis populi Romani ac visceribus haerebant ! Nisi forte Accio tum plaudi et sexagesimo post anno palmam dari , non Bruto putabatis , qui ludis suis ita caruit ut in illo apparatissimo spectaculo studium populus Romanus tribueret absenti , desiderium liberatoris sui perpetuo plausu et clamore leniret .
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And, indeed, you have both of you had many judgments delivered respecting you by the Roman people, by which I am greatly concerned that you are not sufficiently influenced. For what was the meaning of the shouts of the innumerable crowd of citizens collected at the gladiatorial games? or of the verses made by the people? or of the extraordinary applause at the sight of the statue of Pompeius? and at that sight of the two tribunes of the people who are opposed to you? Are these things a feeble indication of the incredible unanimity of the entire Roman people? What more? Did the applause at the games of Apollo, or, I should rather say, testimony and judgment there given by the Roman people, appear to you of small importance? Oh! happy are those men who, though they themselves were unable to be present on account of the violence of arms, still were present in spirit. and had a place in the breasts and hearts of the Roman people. Unless, perhaps, you think that it was Accius who was applauded on that occasion, and who bore off the palm sixty years after his first appearance, and not Brutus, who was absent from the games which he himself was exhibiting, while at that most splendid spectacle the Roman people showed their zeal in his favour though he was absent, and soothed their own regret for their deliverer by uninterrupted applause and clamour. |