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THE SIXTH ORATION OF M. T. CICERO AGAINST MARCUS ANTONIUS. CALLED ALSO THE SIXTH PHILIPPIC. ADDRESSED TO THE PEOPLE.
43.
[110]
And are you then diligent in doing honor to Caesar's memory? Do you love him even
now that he is dead? What greater honor had he obtained than that of having a
holy cushion, an image, a temple, and a priest? As then Jupiter, and Mars, and Quirinus have priests,
so Marcus. Antonius is the priest of the god Julius. Why then do you delay? why
are not you inaugurated? Choose a day; select some one to inaugurate you; we are
colleagues; no one will refuse. O you detestable man, whether you are the priest
of a tyrant, or of a dead man! I ask you then, whether you are ignorant what day
this is? Are you ignorant that yesterday was the fourth day of the Roman games
in the Circus? and that you yourself submitted a motion to the people, that a
fifth day should be added besides, in honor of Caesar? Why are we not all clad
in the praetexta? Why are we permitting the honor which by your law was
appointed for Caesar to be deserted? Had you no objection to so holy a day being
polluted by the addition of supplications, while you did not choose it to be so
by the addition of ceremonies connected with a sacred cushion? Either take away
religion in every case, or preserve it in every case.
[111]
You will ask whether I approve of his having
a sacred cushion, a temple and a priest? I approve of none of those things. But
you, who are defending the acts of Caesar, what reason can you give for
defending some, and disregarding others? unless, indeed, you choose to admit
that you measure every thing by your own gain, and not by his dignity. What will
you now reply to these arguments—(for I am waiting to witness your
eloquence; I knew your grandfather, who was a most eloquent man, but I know you
to be a more undisguised speaker than he was; he never harangued the people
naked; but we have seen your breast, man, without disguise as you are)? Will you
make any reply to these statements? will you dare to open your mouth at all? Can
you find one single article in this long speech of mine, to which you trust that
you can make any answer? However, we will say no more of what is past.
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