[34]
[You have heard, judges, how much it was
in Clodius's interest] that Milo should be slain. Now turn your attention to
Milo. What advantage could it be to Milo that Clodius should be slain? What
reason was there why Milo, I will not say should do such an action, but
should even wish for his death? Oh, Clodius was an obstacle to Milo's hope
of obtaining the consulship. But he was obtaining it in spite of him. Yes, I
might rather say be was obtaining it all the more because Clodius was
opposing him, nor in fact was I a more efficient support to him than Clodius
was. The recollection, O judges, of the services which Milo had done to me
and to the republic had weight with you. My entreaties and my tears with
which I perceived at that time that you were greatly moved had weight with
you, but still more weight had your own fear of the dangers which were
impending. For who of the citizens was there who could turn his eyes to the
unrestrained praetorship of Publius Clodius, without feeling the greatest
dread of a revolution? and unrestrained you saw that it would be unless you
had a consul who had both courage and power to restrain him, and as the
whole Roman people saw that Milo alone was that man, who could hesitate by
his vote to release himself from fear and the republic from danger?
But now that Clodius is removed, Milo has got to labour by more ordinary
practices to preserve his dignity. That preeminent glory which was then
attributed to him alone, and which was daily increasing in consequence of
his efforts to repress the frenzy of Clodius, has been put an end to by the
death of Clodius. You have gained your object of being no longer afraid of
any one of the citizens; he has lost that incessant arena for his valour,
that which procured him votes for the consulship, that
ceaseless and ever-springing fountain of his glory. Therefore, Milo's
canvass for the consulship, which could not be hindered from prospering
while Clodius was alive, now, the moment that he is dead, is attempted to be
checked. So that the death of Clodius is not only no advantage, but is even
a positive injury to Milo.
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