"But I return to the point that he has none of the qualities of a
great general or such as to bring victory, and does not possess many or
formidable forces. The majority of the soldiers and the best ones have
abandoned him to his fate, and also, by Jupiter, he has been deprived
of the elephants. The remainder have perfected themselves rather in
outraging and pillaging the possessions of the allies than in waging war,
A proof of the sort of spirit that animates them lies in the fact that
they still adhere to him, and of their lack of fortitude in that they
have not taken Mutina, though they have now been besieging it for so long
a time. Such is the condition of Antony and of his followers found to be.
But Caesar and Brutus and those arrayed with them are firmly intrenched
without outside aid; Caesar, in fact, has won over many of his rival's
soldiers, and Brutus is keeping the same usurper out of Gaul: and if you
come to their assistance, first by approving what they have done of their
own motion, next by ratifying their acts, at the same time giving them
legal authority for the future, and next by sending out both the consuls
to take charge of the war, it is not possible that any of his present
associates will continue to aid him. However, even if they should cling
to him most tenaciously, they would not he able to resist all the rest
at once, but he will either lay down his arms voluntarily, as soon as
he ascertains that you have passed this vote, and place himself in your
hands, or he will be captured involuntarily as the result of one battle.

"I give you this advice, and, if it had been my lot to be consul, I
should have certainly carried it out, as I did in former days when I
defended you against Catiline and Lentulus (a relative of this very man),
who had formed a conspiracy. [-43-] Perhaps some one of you regards these
statements as well put, but thinks we ought first to despatch envoys to
him, then, after learning his decision, in case he will voluntarily give
up his arms and submit himself to you, to take no action, but if he
sticks to the same principles, then to declare war upon him: this is the
advice which I hear some persons wish to give you. This policy is very
attractive in theory, but in fact it is disgraceful and dangerous to the
city. Is it not disgraceful that you should employ heralds and embassies
to citizens? With foreign nations it is proper and necessary to treat by
heralds in advance, but upon c