4.
I have no fear, O Romans, that when Antonius hears that I have asserted, both in
the senate and in the assembly of the people, that he never will submit himself
to the power of the senate, he will, for the sake of disproving my words, and
making me to appear to have had no foresight, alter his behavior and obey the
senate. He will never do so. He will not grudge me this part of my reputation;
he will prefer letting me be thought wise by you to being thought modest
himself.
[10]
Need I say more? Even if he were
willing to do so himself, do you think that his brother Lucius would permit him?
It has been reported that lately at Tibur, when Marcus Antonius appeared to him to he wavering, he,
Lucius, threatened his brother with death. And do we suppose that the orders of
the senate, and the words of the ambassadors, will be listened to by this.
Asiatic gladiator? It will be impossible for him to be separated from a brother,
especially from one of so much authority. For he is another Africanus among
them. He is considered of more influence than Lucius Trebellius, of more than
Titus Plancus
*** a noble young man. As for Plancus, who, having
been condemned by the unanimous vote of every one, amid the overpowering
applause of you yourselves, somehow or other got mixed up in this crowd, and
returned with a countenance so sorrowful, that he appeared to have been dragged
back rather than to have returned, he despises him to such degree, as if he were
interdicted from fire and water. At times he says that that man who set the
senate-house on fire has no right to a place in the senate-house.
[11]
For at this moment he is exceedingly in love with
Trebellius. He hated him some time ago, when he was opposing an abolition of
debts; but now he delights in him, ever since he has seen that Trebellius
himself can not continue in safety without an abolition of debts. For I think
that you have heard, O Romans, what indeed you may possibly have seen, that the
sureties and creditors of Lucius Trebellius meet every day. Oh confidence! for I
imagine that Trebellius has taken this surname; what can be greater confidence
than defrauding one's creditors? than flying from one's house? than, because of
one's debts, being forced to go to war? What has become of the applauses which
he received on the occasion of Caesar's triumph, and often at the games? Where
is the aedileship that was conferred on him by the zealous efforts of all good
men? who is there who does not now think that he acted virtuously by accident?
* * * * * *
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