e conduct of such as lived otherwise he did not concern
himself minutely. Among those who conspired against him he invoked
justice upon only those whose lives were of no profit even to themselves.
The rest he placed in such a position that for a great while they could
obtain no excuse either true or false for attacking him. It is nothing
surprising that he was occasionally the object of conspiracies, for
even the gods do not please all alike. The excellence of good rulers
is discernible not in the villainies of others but in their own good
behavior.

[-41-] "I have spoken, Quirites, of his greatest and most striking
characteristics in a rather summary way. For if one should desire to
enumerate all of his great points individually, it would need many days.
Furthermore, I know that though you will have heard so few facts from me,
they will lead you to remember for yourselves everything else, and it
will seem almost as if I had spoken that too. In the rest that I have
said about him I have not been speaking in a spirit of vainglory [7], nor
has that been your state of mind in listening; but I intended that his
many noble achievements might obtain an ever memorable glory in your
souls. Who would not feel inclined to make mention of his senators?--how
without giving offence he removed the scum that had come to the surface
from the factions, how by this very act he exalted the remainder,
magnified it by increasing the property requirement, and enriched it by
grants of money; how he voted on an equality with the senators and
had their help in making changes; how he communicated to them all the
greatest and most important matters either in the meeting-place or else
at his house, whither he called different members at different times
because of his age and bodily infirmity. Who would not like to cite the
condition of the rest of the Romans, before whom he set public works,
money, games, festivals, amnesty, an abundance of food, safety not only
from the enemy and evildoers but even from the acts of Heaven, nor such
alone as befall by day, but by night as well? Or, again, the allies?--how
he made their freedom free from danger and their alliance to involve
no loss. Or the subject nations?--how no one of them was treated with
insolence or abuse. How can one forget a man who was in private life
poor, in public life rich, saving in his own case but liberal of
expenditures for others?--one who even endured all toil and danger for
you