us all. No one
can be ignorant that the latter decision is not only more just but more
expedient for us. The man neither understands how to handle business
himself (how or by what means could a person that lives in drunkenness
and dicing?) nor has he any companion who is of any account. He loves
only such as are like himself and makes them the confidants of all his
open and secret undertakings. Also he is most cowardly in extreme dangers
and most treacherous even to his intimate friends, neither of which
qualities is suited for generalship or war. [-40-] Who can be unaware
that this very man caused all our internal troubles and then shared the
dangers to the slightest possible degree? He tarried long in Brundusium
through cowardice, so that Caesar was isolated and on account of him
almost failed: likewise he held aloof from all succeeding wars,--that
against the Egyptians, against Pharnaces, the African, and the Spanish.
Who is unaware that he won the favor of Clodius, and after using the
latter's tribuneship for the most outrageous ends would have killed him
with his own hand, if I had accepted this promise from him? Again, in the
matter of Caesar, he was first associated with him as quaestor, when Caesar
was praetor in Spain, next attached himself to him during the tribuneship,
contrary to the liking of us all, and later received from him countless
money and excessive honors: in return for this he tried to inspire his
patron with a desire for supremacy, which led to talk against him and was
more than anything else responsible for Caesar's death.

[-41-] "Yet he once stated that it was I who directed the assassins to
their work. He is so senseless as to venture to invent so great praise
for me. And I for my part do not affirm that he was the actual slayer of
Caesar,--not because he was not willing, but because in this, too, he was
timid,--yet by the very course of his actions I say that Caesar perished
at his hands. For this is the man who provided a motive, so that there
seemed to be some justice in plotting against him, this is he who called
him 'king', who gave him the diadem, who previously slandered him
actually to his friends. Do I rejoice at the death of Caesar, I, who never
enjoyed anything but liberty at his hands, and is Antony grieved, who has
rapaciously seized his whole property and committed many injuries on
the pretext of his letters, and is finally hastening to succeed to his
position of ruler?

[-42-]