[19]
Who had a greater number of enemies than Caius Marius? There were Lucius
Crassus, Marcus Scaurus, (were there no more?) and all the Metelli. But
those men not only forbore to recall that enemy of theirs from Gaul by their votes, but also, out of
consideration for the Gallic war, they even voted him the province out of
the regular order. A most important war has been waged in Gaul; very mighty nations have been
subdued by Caesar; but they are not yet established with laws, or with any
fixed system of rights, or by a peace which can be very thoroughly depended
on. We see that the war has been carried on, and, to say the truth, nearly
brought to a conclusion; but we shall only see it all actually terminated in
a successful manner, if the man who commenced it remains to follow it up to
the last. If a successor is appointed to him, there is great danger that we
may hear that the embers of this momentous war are again fanned into a flame
and rekindled. Therefore I, a senator, an enemy, if you please, of the man
himself, feel it my duty to be, as I always have been, a
friend to the republic.
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