Gardens, Cæfar had bequeathed as a Legacy to the Roman People; thefe he carried off, partly to Pompey's Gardens, partly to Scipio's Villa.

ARE you then jealous of Cafar's Memory? Do you love him even in Death? What greater Honour could he attain to while alive, than to have a Shrine, an Image, a PAVILION, and a Prieft? Therefore, as Jove, as Mars, as Romulus have their Priests, so is Mark Anthony Priest to the deified Cæfar. Why do you ftop here? Why are you not confecrated? Name your Day: Look out for a proper Perfon to perform the Ceremony: We are Colleagues, no body will withstand it. Deteftable Wretch! whether confidered as the Priest of a Tyrant, or of a breathless Body. I then demand of you, whether you know what a Day this is? Are you ignorant that Yefterday was the fourth Day of the Roman Games in the Circus? That you yourself proposed a Law to the People, that a fifth Day should be referved for Cæfar? Why then are we not in our proper Robes? Why do we now fuffer

w Commentators have very different Opinions with regard to this Paffage. Cicero here reproaches Anthony, because they were not in their Robes upon the Occafion of a Festival devoted to

the

fer an Honour to Cæfar, decreed by your Law, to be neglected? Do you, who have suffered that a Day should be profaned by the Addition of Thanksgivings, refufe, him Shrines? Either abolish your Superftition in every Respect, or preferve it entirely.

You may perhaps demand of me whether I approve of a Shrine, a PAVILION, and a Priest? No, I am against them all. But you, who infift upon ratifying the Acts of Cæfar, how can you account for ratifying fome, and neglecting others? Unless by owning that you made every thing fquare with your Intereft, not with his Dignity. What other Answer can you make? I am impatient to have a Specimen of your Oratorical Faculties. I know that your Grandfather was a Man of great Eloquence; but he never was fo perfpicuous a Speaker as

X

you;

the Memory of Cæfar. This has occafioned fome to imagine, that the Senators were always Pretextati, that is in their Robes of Ceremony: Others think, that Cicero here fpeaks only in Quality of Augur, who likewife had a Right to the Pretexta. Others are of Opinion, with great Probability, that Anthony's Zeal had carried him fo far as to get a Decree paffed, that the Senators fhould be present at the Games celebrated in his Honour in their Robes.

* Cicero throws out here a good deal of Wit; I am not sure if it is of the moft pure Kind. The Pun he makes ufe of is better understood in the Original, than it can be in the Tranflation: Differtiffimum cognovi avum tuum. At te etiam apertiorum in dicendo ille nunquam nudus eft concionatus tuum hominis fimplicis Pectus videmus.

you; for he never harangued while he was naked. Your plain Honefty bared your very Bofom to us. What! no Answer to this? Won't you fo much as mouthe at one? Is there nothing in all this long Oration which you hope you can answer? But what is past I

omit.

THIS very instant Day, in the fingle Moment of Time I am now speaking, account for it if you can, who the Senate is environed with a Body of Soldiers under Arms? Why are your Guards here present with Swords in their Hands? Why are not the Doors of the Temple of Concord thrown open? Why do you bring into the Forum the Ityraans, a Race the most favage of all Mankind, with their Quivers and their Darts? He anfwers me, that he does it to guard himself. Are not a thoufand Deaths then preferable to your not being able to live in your own Country without a Guard of armed Soldiers? But feeble and weak, believe me is that Guard; the Affections, the Love of your Fellow-Citizens, and not your Arms, must be your Defence. Thefe

We fee that it has been a very old Maxim, that a Tyrant never was fafe when furrounded by Guards: It is upon the Affections of the People alone that a fure Sway can be founded.

your

These the Roman People will pluck out of Hands, and I hope we shall live to fee it. But however you may dispose of us, believe when follow fuch Counsellors, your

me,

you

Ꮓ

Reign will be but short. For too long has thy generous Spouse (I mention her, I hope, with Decency) owed the third Debt she has to pay

to the People of Rome. The Romans have ftill able Steerfien to place at the Helm of their Government. Through whatever Quarters of the World they are dispersed, with them remains the Safety of this State, or rather the State itself, which, though juft avenged of her Wrongs, has not yet recovered her Luftre. True it is, our Country has Youths of the greatest Quality and Virtues, determined to defend her. However Conveniency may make it expedient for them to retire, yet the Distresses of their Country can recall them. Harmonious is the Name of Peace, and falutary her Qualities; but wide is the Difference between Peace and Servitude. Peace is the Tranquility of Freedom; Slavery, the most deteftable of Evils, is to be averted, not by Force only, VOL. II. A a but

z Fulvia who was Anthony's Wife, had had three Hufbands, Clodius, Curio, and Anthony. The firft was killed by Milo; the fecond, being fent by Cafar against Juba, King of Mauritania, was defeated and killed; and Cicero here prognoftica:es the Death of her third Husband, who was Anthony.

but even by Death. But though our brave Deliverers have withdrawn themselves from our Eyes, yet have they left a glorious Precedent. They have done what no Man ever did before; Brutus, in the Field of Battle, fought Tarquin, who was a King, while Monarchy was agreeable to the Conftitution of Rome. Spurius Caffius, Spurius Melius, Marcus Manlius, were put to Death for incurring but a Sufpicion of affecting Loyalty, But our Deliverers have the Merit of being the firft whofe Swords reached not the Affector, but the Poffeffor of Regal Power; an Action which, as it was glorious, nay divine in itfelf, fo it is worthy our Imitation, fince the Glory of its Authors is fuch, as that Heaven itself feems too narrow to contain it. For though the Consciousness of performing an amiable Action is a fufficient Reward; yet in my Opinion Immortality ought to appear no despicable Prize to a Mortal.

CALL to mind therefore, Marcus Antonius, that glorious Day when you abolished the Dictatorship; fet in View the Transports of the Senate and the People of Rome; oppofe to thefe Objects the Bags hoarded up by Thee and Thine; then wilt thou be fenfible of the