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"Although it be a thing incredible, O Romans! because of the
great length of time, that so unexpected an event hath happened, yet are
we now in possession of liberty. How long indeed this will last is uncertain,
and lies at the disposal of the gods, whose grant it is; yet such it is
as is sufficient to make us rejoice, and be happy for the present, although
we may soon be deprived of it; for one hour is sufficient to those that
are exercised in virtue, wherein we may live with a mind accountable only
to ourselves, in our own country, now free, and governed by such laws as
this country once flourished under. As for myself, I cannot remember our
former time of liberty, as being born after it was gone; but I am beyond
measure filled with joy at the thoughts of our present freedom. I also
esteem those that were born and bred up in that our former liberty happy
men, and that those men are worthy of no less esteem than the gods themselves
who have given us a taste of it in this age; and I heartily wish that this
quiet enjoyment of it, which we have at present, might continue to all
ages. However, this single day may suffice for our youth, as well as for
us that are in years. It will seem an age to our old men, if they might
die during its happy duration: it may also be for the instruction of the
younger sort, what kind of virtue those men, from whose loins we are derived,
were exercised in. As for ourselves, our business is, during the space
of time, to live virtuously, than which nothing can be more to our advantage;
which course of virtue it is alone that can preserve our liberty; for as
to our ancient state, I have heard of it by the relations of others; but
as to our later state, during my lifetime, I have known it by experience,
and learned thereby what mischiefs tyrannies have brought upon this commonwealth,
discouraging all virtue, and depriving persons of magnanimity of their
liberty, and proving the teachers of flattery and slavish fear, because
it leaves the public administration not to be governed by wise laws, but
by the humor of those that govern. For since Julius Caesar took it into
his head to dissolve our democracy, and, by overbearing the regular system
of our laws, to bring disorders into our administration, and to get above
right and justice, and to be a slave to his own inclinations, there is
no kind of misery but what hath tended to the subversion of this city;
while all those that have succeeded him have striven one with another to
overthrow the ancient laws of their country, and have left it destitute
of such citizens as were of generous principles, because they thought it
tended to their safety to have vicious men to converse withal, and not
only to break the spirits of those that were best esteemed for their virtue,
but to resolve upon. their utter destruction. Of all which emperors, who
have been many in number, and who laid upon us insufferable hardships during
the times of their government, this Caius, who hath been slain today, hath
brought more terrible calamities upon us than did all the rest, not only
by exercising his ungoverned rage upon his fellow citizens, but also upon
his kindred and friends, and alike upon all others, and by inflicting still
greater miseries upon them, as punishments, which they never deserved,
he being equally furious against men and against the gods. For tyrants
are not content to gain their sweet pleasure, and this by acting injuriously,
and in the vexation they bring both upon men's estates and their wives;
but they look upon that to be their principal advantage, when they can
utterly overthrow the entire families of their enemies; while all lovers
of liberty are the enemies of tyranny. Nor can those that patiently endure
what miseries they bring on them gain their friendship; for as they are
conscious of the abundant mischiefs they have brought on these men, and
how magnanimously they have borne their hard fortunes, they cannot but
be sensible what evils they have done, and thence only depend on security
from what they are suspicious of, if it may be in their power to take them
quite out of the world. Since, then, we are now gotten clear of such great
misfortunes, and are only accountable to one another, (which form of government
affords us the best assurance of our present concord, and promises us the
best security from evil designs, and will be most for our own glory in
settling the city in good order,) you ought, every one of you in particular,
to make provision for his own, and in general for the public utility: or,
on the contrary, they may declare their dissent to such things as have
been proposed, and this without any hazard of danger to come upon them,
because they have now no lord set over them, who, without fear of punishment,
could do mischief to the city, and had an uncontrollable power to take
off those that freely declared their opinions. Nor has any thing so much
contributed to this increase of tyranny of late as sloth, and a timorous
forbearance of contradicting the emperor's will; while men had an over-great
inclination to the sweetness of peace, and had learned to live like slaves;
and as many of us as either heard of intolerable calamities that happened
at a distance from us, or saw the miseries that were near us, out of the
dread of dying virtuously, endured a death joined with the utmost infamy.
We ought, then, in the first place, to decree the greatest honors we are
able to those that have taken off the tyrant, especially to Cherea Cassius;
for this one man, with the assistance of the gods, hath, by his counsel
and by his actions, been the procurer of our liberty. Nor ought we to forget
him now we have recovered our liberty, who, under the foregoing tyranny,
took counsel beforehand, and beforehand hazarded himself for our liberties;
but ought to decree him proper honors, and thereby freely declare that
he from the beginning acted with our approbation. And certainly it is a
very excellent thing, and what becomes free-men, to requite their benefactors,
as this man hath been a benefactor to us all, though not at all like Cassius
and Brutus, who slew Caius Julius [Caesar]; for those men laid the foundations
of sedition and civil wars in our city; but this man, together with his
slaughter of the tyrant, hath set our city free from all those sad miseries
which arose from the tyranny."
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