Orations (M. Tullius Cicero)

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	Orations Author: M. Tullius Cicero	Translator: C. D. Yonge
55	Etenim cum homines nefarii de patriae parricidio confiterentur , consciorum indiciis , sua manu , voce paene litterarum coacti se urbem inflammare , civis trucidare , vastare Italiam , delere rem publicam consensisse , quis esset qui ad salutem communem defendendam non excitaretur , praesertim cum senatus populusque Romanus haberet ducem , qualis si qui nunc esset , tibi idem quod illis accidit contigisset ? Ad sepulturam corpus vitrici sui negat a me datum . Hoc vero ne P . quidem Clodius dixit umquam : quem , quia iure ei inimicus fui , doleo a te omnibus vitiis iam esse superatum .	In truth, when wicked men, being compelled by the revelations of the accomplices, by their own handwriting, and by what I may almost call the voices of their letters, were confessing that they had planned the parricidal destruction of their country, and that they had agreed to burn the city, to massacre the citizens, to devastate Italy, to destroy the republic; who could have existed without being roused to defend the common safety? especially when the senate and people of Rome had a leader then, and if they had one now like he was then, the same fate would befall you which did overtake them.
56	Qui autem tibi venit in mentem redigere in memoriam nostram te domi P . Lentuli esse educatum ? An verebare ne non putaremus natura te potuisse tam improbum evadere , nisi accessisset etiam disciplina ?	He asserts that the body of his stepfather was not allowed burial by me. But this is an assertion that was never made by Publius Clodius, a man whom, as I was deservedly an enemy of his, I grieve now to see surpassed by you in every sort of vice. But how could it occur to you to recall to our recollection that you had been educated in the house of Publius Lentulus? Were you afraid that we might think that you could have turned out as infamous as you are by the mere force of nature, your natural qualities had not been strengthened by education?
57	Tam autem eras excors ut tota in oratione tua tecum ipse pugnares , non modo non cohaerentia inter se diceres , sed maxime diiuncta atque contraria , ut non tanta mecum quanta tibi tecum esset contentio . Vitricum tuum fuisse in tanto scelere fatebare , poena adfectum querebare . Ita quod proprie meum est laudasti ; quod totum est senatus reprehendisti . Nam comprehensio sontium mea , animadversio senatus fuit . Homo disertus non intellegit eum quem contra dicit laudari a se ; eos apud quos dicit vituperari . Iam illud cuius est , non dico audaciae — cupit enim se audacem — sed , quod minime volt , stultitiae , qua vincit omnis , clivi Capitolini mentionem facere , cum inter subsellia nostra versentur armati , cum in hac cella Concordiae , di immortales ! in qua me consule salutares sententiae dictae sunt , quibus ad hanc diem viximus , cum gladiis homines conlocati stent ? Accusa senatum ; accusa equestrem ordinem qui tum cum senatu copulatus fuit ; accusa omnis ordines , omnis civis , dum confiteare hunc ordinem hoc ipso tempore ab Ituraeis circumsederi . Haec tu non propter audaciam dicis tam impudenter , sed quia tantam rerum repugnantiam non vides . Nihil profecto sapis . Quid est enim dementius quam , cum rei publicae perniciosa arma ipse ceperis , obicere alteri salutaria ?	But you are so senseless that throughout the whole of your speech you were at variance with yourself; so that you said things which had not only no coherence with each other, but which were most inconsistent with and contradictory to one another; so that there was not so much opposition between you and me as there was between you and yourself. You confessed that your stepfather had been implicated in that enormous wickedness, yet you complained that he had had punishment inflicted on him. And by doing so you praised what was peculiarly my achievement, and blamed that which was wholly the act of the senate. For the detection and arrest of the guilty parties was my work, their punishment was the work of the senate. But that eloquent man does not perceive that the man against whom he is speaking is being praised by him, and that those before whom he is speaking are being attacked by him. But now what an act, I will not say of audacity, (for he is anxious to be audacious,) but (and that is what he is not desirous of) what an act of folly, in which he surpasses all men, is it to make mention of the Capitoline Hill, at a time when armed men are actually between our benches—when men, armed with swords, are now stationed in this same temple of Concord, O ye immortal gods, in which, while I was consul, opinions most salutary to the state were delivered, owing to which it is that we are all alive at this day. Accuse the senate; accuse the equestrian body, which at that time was united with the senate; accuse every order or society, and all the citizens, as long as you confess that this assembly at this very moment is besieged by Ityrean soldiers. It is not so much a proof of audacity to advance these statements so impudently, as of utter want of sense to be unable to see their contradictory nature. For what is more insane than, after you yourself have taken up arms to do mischief to the republic, to reproach another with having taken them up to secure its safety? On one occasion you attempted even to be witty. O ye good gods, how little did that attempt suit you!
58	At etiam quodam loco facetus esse voluisti . Quam id te , di boni , non decebat ! In quo est tua culpa non nulla . Aliquid enim salis a mima uxore trahere potuisti . ‘ Cedant arma togae .’ Quid ? tum nonne cesserunt ? At postea tuis armis cessit toga . Quaeramus igitur utrum melius fuerit libertati populi Romani sceleratorum arma an libertatem nostram armis tuis cedere . Nec vero tibi de versibus plura respondebo : tantum dicam breviter , te neque illos neque ullas omnino litteras nosse ; me nec rei publicae nec amicis umquam defuisse , et tamen omni genere monumentorum meorum perfecisse operis subsicivis ut meae vigiliae meaeque litterae et iuventuti utilitatis et nomini Romano laudis aliquid adferrent . Sed haec non huius temporis : maiora videamus .	And yet you are a little to be blamed for your failure in that instance, too. For you might have got some wit from your wife, who was an actress. “Arms to the gown must yield.” Well, have they not yielded? But afterwards the gown yielded to your arms. Let us inquire then whether it was better for the arms of wicked men to yield to the freedom of the Roman people, or that our liberty should yield to your arms. Nor will I make any further reply to you about the verses. I will only say briefly that you do not understand them, nor any other literature whatever. That I have never at any time been wanting to the claims that either the republic or my friends had upon me; but nevertheless that in all the different sorts of composition on which I have employed myself, during my leisure hours, I have always endeavoured to make my labours among my writings such as to be some advantage to our youth, and some credit to the Roman name. But, however, all this has nothing to do with the present occasion. Let us consider more important matters.
59	P . Clodium meo consilio interfectum esse dixisti . Quidnam homines putarent , si tum occisus esset cum tu illum in foro inspectante populo Romano gladio insecutus es negotiumque transegisses , nisi se ille in scalas tabernae librariae coniecisset eisque oppilatis impetum tuum compressisset ? Quod quidem ego favisse me tibi fateor , suasisse ne tu quidem dicis . At Miloni ne favere quidem potui ; prius enim rem transegit quam quisquam eum facturum id suspicaretur . At ego suasi . Scilicet is animus erat Milonis ut prodesse rei publicae sine suasore non posset . At laetatus sum . Quid ergo ? in tanta laetitia cunctae civitatis me unum tristem esse oportebat ?	You have said that Publius Clodius was slain by my contrivance. What would men have thought if he had been slain at the time when you pursued him in the forum with a drawn sword, in the sight of all the Roman people; and when you would have settled his business if he had not thrown himself up the stairs of a bookseller's shop, and, shutting them against you, checked your attack by that means? And I confess that at that time I favoured you, but even you yourself do not say that I had advised your attempt. But as for Milo, it was not possible even for me to favour his action. For he had finished the business before any one could suspect that he was going to do it. Oh, but I advised it. I suppose Milo was a man of such a disposition that he was not able to do a service to the republic if he had not some one to advise him to do it. But I rejoiced at it. Well, suppose I did; was I to be the only sorrowful person in the city, when every one else was in such delight?
60	Quamquam de morte Clodi fuit quaestio non satis prudenter illa quidem constituta — quid enim attinebat nova lege quaeri de eo qui hominem occidisset , cum esset legibus quaestio constituta ?— quaesitum est tamen . Quod igitur , cum res agebatur , nemo in me dixit , id tot annis post tu es inventus qui diceres ?	Although that inquiry into the death of Publius Clodius was not instituted with any great wisdom. For what was the reason for having a new law to inquire into the conduct of the man who had slain him, when there was a form of inquiry already established by the laws? However, an inquiry was instituted.
61	Quod vero dicere ausus es idque multis verbis , opera mea Pompeium a Caesaris amicitia esse diiunctum ob eamque causam culpa mea bellum civile esse natum , in eo non tu quidem tota re sed , quod maximum est , temporibus errasti .	And have you now been found, so many years afterwards, to say a thing which, at the time that the affair was under discussion, no one ventured to say against me? But as to the assertion that you have dared to make, and that at great length too, that it was by my means that Pompeius was alienated from his friendship with Caesar, and that on that account it was my fault that the civil war was originated; in that you have not erred so much in the main facts, as (and that is of the greatest importance) in the times.
62	Ego M . Bibulo , praestantissimo civi , consule nihil praetermisi , quantum facere enitique potui , quin Pompeium a Caesaris coniunctione avocarem . In quo Caesar felicior fuit . Ipse enim Pompeium a mea familiaritate diiunxit . Postea vero quam se totum Pompeius Caesari tradidit , quid ego illum ab eo distrahere conarer ? Stulti erat sperare , suadere impudentis . Duo tamen tempora inciderunt quibus aliquid contra Caesarem Pompeio suaserim . Ea velim reprehendas , si potes : unum ne quinquenni imperium Caesari prorogaret , alterum ne pateretur ferri ut absentis eius ratio haberetur . Quorum si utrumvis persuasissem , in has miserias numquam incidissemus . Atque idem ego , cum iam opes omnis et suas et populi Romani Pompeius ad Caesarem detulisset , seroque ea sentire coepisset quae multo ante provideram , inferrique patriae bellum viderem nefarium , pacis , concordiae , compositionis auctor esse non destiti , meaque illa vox est nota multis : ‘ Vtinam , Cn . Pompei , cum C . Caesare societatem aut numquam coisses aut numquam diremisses ! Fuit alterum gravitatis , alterum prudentiae tuae .’ Haec mea , M . Antoni , semper et de Pompeio et de re publica consilia fuerunt . Quae si valuissent , res publica staret , tu tuis flagitiis , egestate , infamia concidisses .	When Marcus Bibulus, a most illustrious citizen, was consul, I omitted nothing which I could possibly do or attempt to draw off Pompeius from his union with Caesar. In which, however, Caesar was more fortunate than I, for he himself drew off Pompeius from his intimacy with me. But afterwards, when Pompeius joined Caesar with all his heart, what could have been my object in attempting to separate them then? It would have been the part of a fool to hope to do so, and of an impudent man to advise it. However, two occasions did arise, on which I gave Pompeius advice against Caesar. You are at liberty to find fault with my conduct on those occasions if you can. One was when I advised him not to continue Caesar's government for five years more. The other, when I advised him not to permit him to be considered as a candidate for the consulship when he was absent. And if I had been able to prevail on him in either of these particulars, we should never have fallen into our present miseries. Moreover, I also, when Pompeius had now devoted to the service of Caesar all his own power, and all the power of the Roman people, and had begun when it was too late to perceive all those things which I had foreseen long before, and when I saw that a nefarious war was about to be waged against our country, I never ceased to be the adviser of peace, and concord, and some arrangement. And that language of mine was well known to many people,—“I wish, O Cnaeus Pompeius, that you had either never joined in a confederacy with Caius Caesar, or else that you had never broken it off. The one conduct would have become your dignity, and the other would have been suited to your prudence.” This, O Marcus Antonius, was at all times my advice both respecting Pompeius and concerning the republic. And if it had prevailed, the republic would still be standing, and you would have perished through your own crimes, and indigence, and infamy.
63	Sed haec vetera , illud vero recens , Caesarem meo consilio interfectum . Iam vereor , patres conscripti , ne , quod turpissimum est , praevaricatorem mihi apposuisse videar , qui me non solum meis laudibus ornaret sed etiam oneraret alienis . Quis enim meum in ista societate gloriosissimi facti nomen audivit ? Cuius autem qui in eo numero fuisset nomen est occultatum ? Occultatum dico ? cuius non statim divolgatum ? Citius dixerim iactasse se aliquos ut fuisse in ea societate viderentur , cum conscii non fuissent , quam ut quisquam celari vellet qui fuisset .	But these are all old stories now. This charge, however, is quite a modern one, that Caesar was slain by my contrivance. I am afraid, O conscript fathers, lest I should appear to you to have brought up a sham accuser against myself (which is a most disgraceful thing to do); a man not only to distinguish me by the praises which are my due, but to load me also with those which do not belong to me. For who ever heard my name mentioned as an accomplice in that most glorious action? and whose name has been concealed who was in the number of that gallant band? Concealed, do I say? Whose name was there which was not at once made public? I should sooner say that some men had boasted in order to appear to have been concerned in that conspiracy, though they had in reality known nothing of it than that any one who had been an accomplice in it could have wished to be concealed.
64	Quam veri simile porro est in tot hominibus partim obscuris , partim adulescentibus neminem occultantibus meum nomen latere potuisse ? Etenim si auctores ad liberandam patriam desiderarentur illis actoribus , Brutos ego impellerem , quorum uterque L . Bruti imaginem cotidie videret , alter etiam Ahalae ? Hi igitur his maioribus ab alienis potius consilium peterent quam a suis et foris potius quam domo ? Quid ? C . Cassius in ea familia natus quae non modo dominatum , sed ne potentiam quidem cuiusquam ferre potuit , me auctorem , credo , desideravit : qui etiam sine his clarissimis viris hanc rem in Cilicia ad ostium fluminis Cydni confecisset , si ille ad eam ripam quam constituerat , non ad contrariam navis appulisset . Cn .	Moreover, how likely it is, that among such a number of men, some obscure, some young men who had not the wit to conceal any one, my name could possibly have escaped notice? Indeed, if leaders were wanted for the purpose of delivering the country, what need was there of my instigating the Bruti, one of whom saw every day in his house the image of Lucius Brutus, and the other saw also the image of Ahala? Were these the men to seek counsel from the ancestors of others rather than from their own? and but of doors rather than at home? What? Caius Cassius, a man of that family which could not endure, I will not say the domination, but even the power of any individual,—he, I suppose, was in need of me to instigate him? a man who even without the assistance of these other most illustrious men, would have accomplished this same deed in Cilicia, at the mouth of the river Cydnus, if Caesar had brought his ships to that bank of the river which he had intended, and not to the opposite one.
65	Domitium non patris interitus , clarissimi viri , non avunculi mors , non spoliatio dignitatis ad recuperandam libertatem , sed mea auctoritas excitavit ? An C . Trebonio ego persuasi ? cui ne suadere quidem ausus essem . Quo etiam maiorem ei res publica gratiam debet qui libertatem populi Romani unius amicitiae praeposuit depulsorque dominatus quam particeps esse maluit . An L . Tillius Cimber me est auctorem secutus ? quem ego magis fecisse illam rem sum admiratus quam facturum putavi , admiratus autem ob eam causam quod immemor beneficiorum , memor patriae fuisset . Quid duos Servilios — Cascas dicam an Ahalas ?— et hos auctoritate mea censes excitatos potius quam caritate rei publicae ? Longum est persequi ceteros , idque rei publicae praeclarum fuisse tam multos , ipsis gloriosum .	Was Cnaeus Domitius spurred on to seek to recover his dignity, not by the death of his father, a most illustrious man, nor by the death of his uncle, nor by the deprivation of his own dignity, but by my advice and authority? Did I persuade Caius Trebonius? a man whom I should not have ventured even to advise. On which account the republic owes him even a larger debt of gratitude, because he preferred the liberty of the Roman people to the friendship of one man, and because he preferred overthrowing arbitrary power to sharing it. Was I the instigator whom Lucius Tillius Cimber followed? a man whom I admired for having performed that action, rather than ever expected that he would perform it; and I admired him on this account, that he was unmindful of the personal kindnesses which he had received, but mindful of his country. What shall I say of the two Servilii? Shall I call them Cascas, or Ahalas? and do you think that those men were instigated by my authority rather than by their affection for the republic? It would take a long time to go through all the rest; and it is a glorious thing for the republic that they were so numerous, and a most honourable thing also for themselves.
66	At quem ad modum me coarguerit homo acutus recordamini . ‘ Caesare interfecto ’ inquit ‘ statim cruentum alte extollens Brutus pugionem Ciceronem nominatim exclamavit atque ei recuperatam libertatem est gratulatus .’ Cur mihi potissimum ? quia sciebam ? Vide ne illa causa fuerit appellandi mei quod , cum rem gessisset consimilem rebus eis quas ipse gesseram , me potissimum testatus est se aemulum mearum laudum exstitisse .	But recollect, I pray you, how that clever man convicted me of being an accomplice in the business. When Caesar was slain, says he, Marcus Brutus immediately lifted up on high his bloody dagger, and called on Cicero by name; and congratulated him on liberty being recovered. Why on man above all men? Because I knew of it beforehand? Consider rather whether this was not his reason for calling on me, that, when he had performed an action very like those which I myself had done, he called me above all men to witness that he had been an imitator of my exploits.
67	Tu autem , omnium stultissime , non intellegis , si , id quod me arguis , voluisse interfici Caesarem crimen sit , etiam laetatum esse morte Caesaris crimen esse ? Quid enim interest inter suasorem facti et probatorem ? aut quid refert utrum voluerim fieri an gaudeam factum ? Ecquis est igitur exceptis eis qui illum regnare gaudebant qui illud aut fieri noluerit aut factum improbarit ? Omnes ergo in culpa . Etenim omnes boni , quantum in ipsis fuit , Caesarem occiderunt : aliis consilium , aliis animus , aliis occasio defuit ; voluntas nemini .	But you, O stupidest of all men, do you not perceive, that if it is a crime to have wished that Caesar should be slain—which you accuse me of having wished—it is a crime also to have rejoiced at his death? For what is the difference between a man who has advised an action, and one who has approved of it? or what does it signify whether I wished it to be done, or rejoice that it has been done? Is there any one then, except you yourself and these men who wished him to become a king, who was unwilling that that deed should be done, or who disapproved of it after it was done? All men, therefore, are guilty as far as this goes. In truth, all good men, as far as it depended on them, bore a part in the slaying of Caesar. Some did not know how to contrive it, some had not courage for it, some had no opportunity,—every one had the inclination.
68	Sed stuporem hominis vel dicam pecudis attendite . Sic enim dixit : ‘ Brutus , quem ego honoris causa nomino , cruentum pugionem tenens Ciceronem exclamavit : ex quo intellegi debet eum conscium fuisse .’ Ergo ego sceleratus appellor a te quem tu suspicatum aliquid suspicaris ; ille qui stillantem prae se pugionem tulit , is a te honoris causa nominatur ? Esto ; sit in verbis tuis hic stupor : quanto in rebus sententiisque maior ? Constitue hoc , consul , aliquando , Brutorum , C . Cassi , Cn . Domiti , C . Treboni , reliquorum quam velis esse causam ; edormi crapulam , inquam , et exhala . An faces admovendae sunt quae excitent tantae causae indormientem ? Numquamne intelleges statuendum tibi esse utrum illi qui istam rem gesserunt homicidaene sint an vindices libertatis .	However, remark the stupidity of this fellow,—I should rather say, of this brute beast. For thus he spoke:—“Marcus Brutus, whom I name to do him honour, holding aloft his bloody dagger, called upon Cicero, from which it must be understood that he was privy to the action.” Am I then called wicked by you because you suspect that I suspected something; and is he who openly displayed his reeking dagger; named by you that you may do him honour? Be it so. Let this stupidity exist in your language: how much greater is it in your actions and opinions? Arrange matters in this way at last, O consul; pronounce the cause of the Bruti, of Caius Cassius, of Cnaeus Domitius, of Caius Trebonius and the rest to be whatever you please to call it: sleep off that intoxication of yours, sleep it off and take breath. Must one apply a torch to you to waken you while you are sleeping over such an important affair? Will you never understand that you have to decide whether those men who performed that action are homicides or assertors of freedom?
69	Attende enim paulisper cogitationemque sobrii hominis punctum temporis suscipe . Ego qui sum illorum , ut ipse fateor , familiaris , ut a te arguor , socius , nego quicquam esse medium : confiteor eos , nisi liberatores populi Romani conservatoresque rei publicae sint , plus quam sicarios , plus quam homicidas , plus etiam quam parricidas esse , si quidem est atrocius patriae parentem quam suum occidere . Tu homo sapiens et considerate , quid dicis ? si parricidas , cur honoris causa a te sunt et in hoc ordine et apud populum Romanum semper appellati ? cur M . Brutus referente te legibus est solutus , si ab urbe plus quam decem dies afuisset ? cur ludi Apollinares incredibili M . Bruti honore celebrati ? cur provinciae Bruto , Cassio datae , cur quaestores additi , cur legatorum numerus auctus ? Atqui haec acta per te . Non igitur homicidas . Sequitur ut liberatores tuo iudicio , quando quidem tertium nihil potest esse .	For just consider a little; and for a moment think of the business like a sober man. I who, as I myself confess, am an intimate friend of those men, and, as you accuse me, an accomplice of theirs, deny that there is any medium between these alternatives. I confess that they, if they be not deliverers of the Roman people and saviours of the republic, are worse than assassins, worse than homicides, worse even than parricides: since it is a more atrocious thing to murder the father of one's country, than one's own father. You wise and considerate man, what do you say to this? If they are parricides, why are they always named by you, both in this assembly and before the Roman people, with a view to do them honour? Why has Marcus Brutus been, on your motion, excused from obedience to the laws, and allowed to be absent from the city more than ten days? Why were the games of Apollo celebrated with incredible honour to Marcus Brutus? why were provinces given to Brutus and Cassius? why were quaestors assigned to them? why was the number of their lieutenants augmented? And all these measures were owing to you. They are not homicides then. It follows that in your opinion they are deliverers of their country, since there can be no other alternative.
70	Quid est ? num conturbo te ? Non enim fortasse satis quae diiunctius dicuntur intellegis . Sed tamen haec summa est conclusionis meae : quoniam scelere a te liberati sunt , ab eodem amplissimis praemiis dignissimos iudicatos . Itaque iam retexo orationem meam . Scribam ad illos ut , si qui forte , quod a te mihi obiectum est , quaerent sitne verum , ne cui negent . Etenim vereor ne aut celatum me illis ipsis non honestum aut invitatum refugisse mihi sit turpissimum . Quae enim res umquam , pro sancte Iuppiter ! non modo in hac urbe sed in omnibus terris est gesta maior ; quae gloriosior , quae commendatior hominum memoriae sempiternae ? In huius me tu consili societatem tamquam in equum Troianum cum principibus includis ?	What is the matter? Am I embarrassing you? For perhaps you do not quite understand propositions which are stated disjunctively. Still this is the sum total of my conclusion; that since they are acquitted by you of wickedness, they are at the same time pronounced most worthy of the very most honourable rewards. Therefore, I will now proceed again with my oration. I will write to them, if any one by chance should ask whether what you have imputed to me be true, not to deny it to any one. In truth, I am afraid that it must be considered either a not very creditable thing to them, that they should have concealed the fact of my being an accomplice; or else a most discreditable one to me that I was invited to be one, and that I shirked it. For what greater exploit (I call you to witness, O august Jupiter!) was ever achieved not only in this city, but in all the earth? What more glorious action was ever done? What deed was ever more deservedly recommended to the everlasting recollection of men? Do you, then, shut me up with the other leaders in the partnership in this design, as in the Trojan horse? I have no objection; I even thank you for doing so, with whatever intent you do it.
71	Non recuso ; ago etiam gratias , quoquo animo facis . Tanta enim res est ut invidiam istam quam tu in me vis concitare cum laude non comparem . Quid enim beatius illis quos tu expulsos a te praedicas et relegatos ? qui locus est aut tam desertus aut tam inhumanus qui illos , cum accesserint , non adfari atque appetere videatur ? qui homines tam agrestes qui se , cum eos aspexerint , non maximum cepisse vitae fructum putent ? quae vero tam immemor posteritas , quae tam ingratae litterae reperientur quae eorum gloriam non immortalitatis memoria prosequantur ? Tu vero ascribe me talem in numerum .	For the deed is so great a one, that I can not compare the unpopularity which you wish to excite against me on account of it, with its real glory. For who can be happier than those men whom you boast of having now expelled and driven from the city? What place is there either so deserted or so uncivilized, as not to seem to greet and to covet the presence of those men wherever they have arrived? What men are so clownish as not, when they have once beheld them, to think that they have reaped the greatest enjoyment that life can give? And what posterity will be ever so forgetful, what literature will ever be found so ungrateful, as not to cherish their glory with undying recollection? Enroll me then, I beg, in the number of those men.
72	Sed unam rem vereor ne non probes : si enim fuissem , non solum regem sed etiam regnum de re publica sustulissem ; et , si meus stilus ille fuisset , ut dicitur , mihi crede , non solum unum actum sed totam fabulam confecissem . Quamquam si interfici Caesarem voluisse crimen est , vide , quaeso , Antoni , quid tibi futurum sit , quem et Narbone hoc consilium cum C . Trebonio cepisse notissimum est et ob eius consili societatem , cum interficeretur Caesar , tum te a Trebonio vidimus sevocari . Ego autem — vide quam tecum agam non inimice — quod bene cogitasti aliquando , laudo ; quod non indicasti , gratias ago ; quod non fecisti , ignosco .	But one thing I am afraid you may not approve of. For if I had really been one of their number, I should have not only got rid of the king, but of the kingly power also out of the republic; and if I had been the author of the piece, as it is said, believe me, I should not have been contented with one act, but should have finished the whole play. Although, if it be a crime to have wished that Caesar might be put to death, beware, I pray you, O Antonius, of what must be your own case, as it is notorious that you, when at Narbo, formed a plan of the same sort with Caius Trebonius; and it was on account of your participation in that design that, when Caesar was being killed, we saw you called aside by Trebonius But I (see how far I am from any horrible inclination toward,) praise you for having once in your life had a righteous intention; I return you thanks for not having revealed the matter; and I excuse you for not having accomplished your purpose.