casting any such vote? How will that man spare either you or
anybody else, when he dared while I was alive, in possession of such
great power, a victor over the Armenians, to seek for my will, take it by
violence from those who had received it, open it, and read it publicly?
And how will he manifest any humanity to others with whom he has no
connection, when he has shown himself such a man toward me,--his friend,
his table companion, his relative?

[-21-] "Now in case we are to draw any inferences from his decrees, he
threatens you openly, having made the majority of you enemies outright,
but against me personally no such declaration has been made, though he is
at war with me and is already acting in every way like one who has not
only conquered me but murdered me. Hence, when he treated me in such a
way whom he pretends not yet even at this day to regard as an enemy, he
will surely not keep his hands off you, with whom he clearly admits that
he is at odds. What does it signify that he is threatening us all alike
with arms but in his decree declares he is at war with some and not
with others? It is not, by Jupiter, with the intention of making any
distinction between us, or treating one class in one way and another in
another, if he prevails, but it is in order to set us at variance and in
collision and thus render us weaker. He is not unaware that while we are
in accord and doing everything as one body he can never in any way get
the upper hand, but if we quarrel, and some choose one policy and the
rest another, he may perhaps prevail. [-22-] It is for this reason that
he assumes this kind of attitude toward us. I and the Romans that cleave
to me foresee the danger, although so far as the decrees are concerned we
enjoy a kind of amnesty: we comprehend his plot and neither abandon you
nor look personally to our own advantage. In like manner you, too, whom
he does not even himself deny that he regards as hostile, yes, most
hostile, ought to bear in mind all these facts, and embracing common
dangers and common hopes cooeperate in every way and show enthusiasm to an
equal degree in our enterprise and set over against each other carefully
first what we shall suffer (as I said), if defeated, and what we shall
gain, if victorious. For it is a great thing for us to escape being
worsted and so enduring any form of insult or rapacity, but greatest of
all to conquer and effect whatever any one of us may wish. On the other
hand, it