by Antony. Cicero had
at this time become the acknowledged chief of the Republican party,
having drifted into the position which Pompey had so long filled. Many
of Caesar's friends, frightened by his death, or rather cowed by the
absence of his genius, had found it safer to retreat from the Caesarean
party, of which the Antonys, with Dolabella, the cutthroats and
gladiators of the empire, had the command. Hirtius and Pansa, with
Balbus and Oppius, were among them. They, at this moment, were powerful
in Rome. The legions were divided--some with Antony, some with Octavian,
and some with Decimus Brutus. The greater number were with Antony, whom
they hated for his cruelty; but were with him because the mantle of
Caesar's power had fallen on to his shoulders. It was felt by Cicero that
if he could induce Octavian to act with him the Republic might be again
established. He would surely have influence enough to keep the lad from
hankering after his great uncle's pernicious power. He was aware that
the dominion did in fact belong to the owner of the soldiers, but he
thought that he could control this boy-officer, and thus have his
legions at the command of the Republic.

The Senate had been called together, nominally for the purpose of
desiring the Consuls of the year to provide a guard for its own safety.
Cicero makes it an occasion for perpetuating the feeling against Antony,
which had already become strong in Rome. He breaks out into praise of
Octavian, whom he calls "this young Caesar--almost a boy;" tells them
what divine things the boy had already done, and how he had drawn away
from the rebels those two indomitable legions, the Martia and the
Fourth. Then he proceeds to abuse Antony. Tarquinius, the man whose name
was most odious to Romans, had been unendurable as a tyrant, though
himself not a bad man; but Antony's only object is to sell the Empire,
and to spend the price. Antony had convoked the Senate for November,
threatening the Senators with awful punishments should they absent
themselves; but, when the day came, Antony, the Consul, had himself
fled. He not only pours out the vials of his wrath but of his ridicule
upon Antony's head, and quotes his bungling words. He gives instances of
his imprudence, and his impotence, and of his greed. Then he again
praises the young Caesar, and the two Consuls for the next year, and the
two legions, and Decimus Brutus, who is about to fight the battle of the
Republic for them in