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THE SIXTH ORATION OF M. T. CICERO AGAINST MARCUS ANTONIUS. CALLED ALSO THE SIXTH PHILIPPIC. ADDRESSED TO THE PEOPLE.
[11]
What of
Bestia, who professes that he is a candidate for the consulship in the place of
Brutus? May Jupiter avert from us this
most detestable omen! But how absurd is it for a man to stand for the consulship
who can not be elected praetor! unless, indeed, he thinks his conviction may be
taken as an equivalent to the praetorship Let this second Caesar, this great
Vopiscus,1 a
man of consummate genius, of the highest influence, who seeks the consulship
immediately after having been aedile, be excused from obedience to the laws.
Although, indeed, the laws do not bind him, on account, I suppose, of his
exceeding dignity. But this man has been acquitted five times when I have
defended him. To win a sixth city victory is difficult, even in the case of a
gladiator. However, this is the fault of the judges; not mine. I defended him
with perfect good faith; they were bound to retain a most illustrious and
excellent: citizen in the republic; who now, however, appears to have no other
object except to make us understand that those men whose judicial decisions we
annulled, decided rightly and in a manner advantageous to the republic.
1 Vopiscus is another name of Bestia.
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