[55]
Oh, but this frantic violence of a demented tribune of
the people could easily be crushed and put down by the virtue and superior
numbers of the good citizens. What? when Syria was given to Gabinius, Macedonia to Piso, boundless authority and vast sums of
money to both of them, to induce them to place everything in your power, to
assist you, to supply you which followers, and troops, and their own
prepared centurions, and money, and bands of slaves; to all you with their
infamous assemblies, to deride the authority of the senate, to threaten the
Roman knights with death and proscription, to terrify me with threats, to
threaten me with contests and murder, to fill my house with their friends,
which had heretofore been full of virtuous men; through fear of
proscription; to deprive me of the crowds of good men who used to associate
with me, to strip me of their protection; to forbid the senate, that most
illustrious body, not only to fight for me, but even to implore men, and to
entreat them in my behalf, and, changing their garments, to lament my
danger,—was not even this violence?
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