ealth of plundered
provinces! I could reverse the picture. But, as it is, your present
miseries and your past deeds dissuade me. Your hopelessness and daring,
your wrongs and valor, your injuries and thirst of vengeance, warn me,
alike, that words are weak, and exhortation needless. Now understand with
me, how matters stand. The stake for which we play, is fair before your
eyes:--learn how our throw for it is certain. The consular elections, as
you all well know, will be held, as proclaimed already, on the fifteenth
day before the calends of November. My rivals are Sulpicius, Muraena, and
Silanus. Antonius and Cicero will preside--the first, my friend! a bold and
noble Roman! He waits but an occasion to declare for us. Now, mark me.
Caius Manlius--you all do know the man, an old and practised soldier, a
scar-seamed veteran of Sylla,--will on that very day display yon eagle to
twenty thousand men, well armed, and brave, and desperate as ourselves, at
Fiesole. Septimius of Camerinum writes from the Picene district, that
thirty thousand slaves will rise there at his bidding; while Caius Julius,
sent to that end into Apulia, has given out arms and nominated leaders to
twice five thousand there. Ere this, they have received my mandate to
collect their forces, and to march on that same day toward Rome. Three
several armies, to meet which there is not one legion on this side of
Cisalpine Gaul! What, then, even if all were peace in Rome, what then
could stand against us? But there shall be that done here, here in the
very seat and heart, as I may say, of Empire, that shall dismay and
paralyse all who would else oppose us. Cethegus, when the centuries are
all assembled in the field of Mars, with fifteen hundred gladiators well
armed and exercised even now, sets on the guard in the Janiculum, and
beats their standard down. Then, while all is confusion, Statilius and
Gabinius with their households,--whom, his work done, Cethegus will join
straightway--will fire the city in twelve several places, break open the
prison doors, and crying "Liberty to slaves!" and "Abolition of all
debts!"--rush diverse throughout the streets, still gathering numbers as
they go. Meanwhile, with Lentulus and Cassius, the clients of your houses
being armed beneath their togas with swords and breast-plates, and casques
ready to be donned, I will make sure of Cicero and the rest. Havoc, and
slaughter, and flames every where will make the city ours. Then ye, w