letters of cicero-第25部分

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nor　Cassius　could　remain　in　it　with　safety；　and　that　it　was　held　down　by　Antony's　armed　guards；　I　thought　that　I　too　ought　to　leave　it：　for　a　city　held　down　by　traitors；　with　all　opportunity　of　giving　aid　cut　off；　was　a　shocking　spectacle。　But　the　same　spirit　as　always　had　animated　me；　staunch　to　the　love　of　country；　did　not　admit　the　thought　of　a　departure　from　its　dangers。　Accordingly；　in　the　very　midst　of　my　voyage　to　Achaia；　when　in　the　period　of　the　Etesian　gales　a　south　windas　though　remonstrating　against　my　designhad　brought　me　back　to　Italy；　I　saw　you　at　Velia　and　was　much　distressed：　for　you　were　on　the　point　of　leaving　the　country；　Brutusleaving　it；　I　say；　for　our　friends　the　Stoics　deny　that　wise　men　ever　〃flee。〃　As　soon　as　I　reached　Rome　I　at　once　threw　myself　in　opposition　to　Antony's　treason　and　insane　policy：　and　having　roused　his　wrath　against　me；　I　began　entering　upon　a　policy　truly　Brutus…likefor　this　is　the　distinctive　mark　of　your　familythat　of　freeing　my　country。　The　rest　of　the　story　is　too　long　to　tell；　and　must　be　passed　over　by　me；　for　it　is　about　myself。　I　will　only　say　this　much：　that　this　young　Caesar；　thanks　to　whom　we　still　exist；　if　we　would　confess　the　truth；　was　a　stream　from　the　fountain…head　of　my　policy。　To　him　I　voted　honours；　none　indeed；　Brutus；　that　were　not　his　due。　none　that　were　not　inevitable。　　For　directly　we　began　the　recovery　of　liberty；　when　the　divine　excellence　of　even　Decimus　Brutus　had　not　yet　bestirred　itself　sufficiently　to　give　us　an　indication　of　the　truth；　and　when　our　sole　protection　depended　on　the　boy　who　had　shaken　Antony　from　our　shoulders；　what　honour　was　there　that　he　did　not　deserve　to　have　decreed　to　him？　However；　all　I　then　proposed　for　him　was　a　complimentary　vote　of　thanks；　and　that　too　expressed　with　nioderation。　I　also　proposed　a　decree　conferring　imperium　on　him；　which；　although　it　seemed　too　great　a　compliment　for　one　of　his　age；　was　yet　necessary　for　one　commanding　an　armyfor　what　is　an　army　without　a　commander　with　imperium？　Philippus　proposed　a　statue；　Servius　at　first　proposed　a　license　to　stand　for　office　before　the　regular　time。　Servilius　afterwards　proposed　that　the　time　should　be　still　farther　curtailed。　At　that　time　nothing　was　thought　too　good　for　him。

But　somehow　men　are　more　easily　found　who　are　liberal　at　a　time　of　alarm；　than　grateful　when　victory　has　been　won。　For　when　that　most　joyful　day　of　Decimus　Brutus's　relief　from　blockade　had　dawned　on　the　Republic　and　happened　also　to　be　his　birthday；　I　proposed　that　the　name　of　Brutus　should　be　entered　in　the　fasti　under　that　date。　And　in　that　I　followed　the　example　of　our　ancestors；　who　paid　this　honour　to　the　woman　Laurentia；　at　whose　altar　in　the　Velabrum　you　pontiffs　are　accustomed　to　offer　service。　And　when　I　proposed　this　honor　to　Brutus　I　wished　that　there　should　be　in　the　fasti　an　eternal　memorial　of　a　most　welcome　victory：　and　yet　on　that　very　day　I　discovered　that　the　ill…disposed　in　the　senate　were　somewhat　in　a　majority　over　the　grateful。　In　the　course　of　those　same　days　I　lavished　honoursif　you　like　that　wordupon　the　dead　Hirtius；　Pansa；　and　even　Aquila。　And　who　has　any　fault　to　find　with　that；　unless　he　be　one　who；　no　sooner　an　alarm　is　over；　forgets　the　past　danger？　There　was　added　to　this　grateful　memorial　of　a　benefit　received　some　consideration　of　what　would　be　for　the　good　of　posterity　also；　for　I　wished　that　there　should　exist　some　perpetual　record　of　the　popular　execration　of　our　most　ruthless　enemies。　I　suspect　that　the　next　step　does　not　meet　with　your　approbation。　It　was　disapproved　by　your　friends；　who　are　indeed　most　excellent　citizens；　but　inexperienced　in　public　business。　I　mean　my　proposing　an　ovation　for　Caesar。　For　myself；　howeverthough　I　am　perhaps　wrong；　and　I　am　not　a　man　who　believes　his　own　way　necessarily　rightI　think　that　in　the　course　of　this　war　I　never　took　a　more　prudent　step。　The　reason　for　this　I　must　not　reveal；　lest　I　should　seem　to　have　a　sense　of　favours　to　come　rather　than　to　be　grateful　for　those　received。　I　have　said　too　much　already：　let　us　look　at　other　points。　I　proposed　honours　to　Decimus　Brutus；　and　also　to　Lucius　Plancus。　Those　indeed　are　noble　spirits　whose　spur　to　action　is　glory：　but　the　senate　also　is　wise　to　avail　itself　of　any　meansprovided　that　they　are　honourableby　which　it　thinks　that　a　particular　man　can　be　induced　to　support　the　Republic。　Butyou　sayI　am　blamed　in　regard　to　Lepidus：　for；　having　placed　his　statue　on　the　rostra；　I　also　voted　for　its　removal。　I　tried　by　paying　him　a　compliment　to　recall　him　from　his　insane　policy。　The　infatuation　of　that　most　unstable　of　men　rendered　my　prudence　futile。　Yet　all　the　same　more　good　was　done　by　demolishing　the　statue　of　Lepidus；　than　harm　by　putting　it　up。

Enough　about　honours；　now　I　must　say　a　few　words　about　penalties。　For　I　have　gathered　from　frequent　expressions　in　your　letters　that　in　regard　to　those　whom　you　have　conquered　in　war；　you　desire　that　your　clemency　should　be　praised。　I　hold；　indeed；　that　you　do　and　say　nothing　but　what　becomes　a　philosopher。　But　to　omit　the　punishment　of　a　crimefor　that　is　what　〃pardoning〃　amounts　toeven　if　it　is　endurable　in　other　cases；　is　mischievous　in　a　war　like　this。　For　there　has　been　no　civil　war；　of　all　that　have　occurred　in　the　state　within　my　memory；　in　which　there　was　not　certain　to　be　some　form　of　constitution　remaining；　whichever　of　the　two　sides　prevailed。　In　this　war；　if　we　are　victorious；　I　should　not　find　it　easy　to　affirm　what　kind　of　constitution　we　are　likely　to　have；　if　we　are　conquered；　there　will　certainly　never　be　any。　1　therefore　proposed　severe　measures　against　Antony；　and　severe　ones　also　against　Lepidus；　and　not　so　much　out　of　revenge　as　in　order　that　I　might　for　the　present　prevent　unprincipled　men　by　this　terror　from　attacking　their　country；　and　might　for　the　future　establish　a　warning　for　all　who　were　minded　to　imitate　their　infatuation。

However；　this　proposal　was　not　mine　more　than　it　was　everybody's。　The　point　in　it　which　had　the　appearance　of　cruelty　was　that　the　penalty　extended　to　the　children　who　did　not　deserve　any。　But　that　is　a　thing　of　long　standing　and　characteristic　of　all　states。　For　instance；　the　children　of　Themistocles　were　in　poverty。　And　if　the　same　penalty　attaches　to　citizens　legally　condemned　in　court；　how　could　we　be　more　indulgent　to　public　enemies？　What；　moreover；　can　anyone　say　against　me　when　he　must　confess　that；　had　that　man　conquered；　he　would　have　been　still　more　revengeful　towards　me？

Here　you　have　the　principles　which　dictated　my　senatorial　proposals；　at　any　rate　in　regard　to　this　class　of　honours　and　penalties。　For；　in　regard　to　other　matters；　I　think　you　have　been　told　what　opinions　I　have　expressed　and　what　votes　I　have　given。　But　all　this　is　not　so　very　pressing。　What　is　really　pressing；　Brutus；　is　that　you　should　come　to　Italy　with　your　army　as　soon　as　possible。　There　is　the　greatest　anxiety　for　your　arrival。　Directly　you　reach　Italy　all　classes　will　flock　to　you。　For　whether　we　win　the　victoryand　we　had　in　fact　won　a　most　glorious　one；　only　that　Lepidus　set　his　heart　on　ruining　everything　and　perishing　himself　with　all　his　friendsthere　will　be　need　of　your　counsel　in　establishing　some　form　of　constitution。　And　even　if　there　is　still　some　fighting　left　to　be　done；　our　greatest　hope　is　both　in　your　personal　influence　and　in　the　material　strength　of　your　army。　But　make　haste；　in　God's　name！　You　know　the　importance　of　seizing　the　right　moment；　and　of　rapidity。　What　pains　I　am　taking　in　the　interests　of　your　sister's　children；　I　hope　you　know　from　the　letters　of　your　mother　and　sister。　In　undertaking　their　cause　I　shew　more　regard　to　your　affection；　which　is　very　precious　to　me；　than；　as　some　think；　to　my　own　consistency。　But　there　is　nothing　in　which　I　more　wish　to　be　and　to　seem　consistent　than　in　loving　you。





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