Guards were put upon Him that would not suffer him to take a wink of Rest Eumenes whose Friendship they pretended so highly to value they betray'd to Antiochus the Price of Peace Attelus the Guardian only of a subjugated Country after they had rendred him ridiculous by their Taxes and their Contumelies of a Sovereign Prince they made the meanest of their Slaves and having forg'd an impious Will led his Son Aristonicus in Triumph like an Enemy because he only laid claim to his Paternal Inheritance Asia is by them entirely usurp'd and lastly Nicomedes being dead they have laid violent hands on all Bithynia tho' the Son of Nysa to whom they had been pleas'd to give the Title of Queen were then without doubt among the Living For wherefore should I name my self with whom though every way distinctly bounded from their Empire by Kingdoms and Tetrarchies because reported opulent and one that would not be a slave they found a way to quarrel and set upon Me Nicomedes not ignorant of their Impiety and as it happen'd afterwards before attesting that only the Cretans and Ptolemy liv'd free and uncontroul'd at that Time However in revenge of that Injustice I expell'd Nicomedes out of Bithynia recover'd Asia the spoils of King Antiochus and rescu'd Greece from ponderous Servitude My farther Progresses the basest of my Vassals Archelaus put a stop to by betraying my Army and they who either through Cowardice or wicked subtlety withdrew the Assistance of their Arms thinking to be secure by the Hardships I endur'd now reap the fatal harvest of their Treachery Ptolomy well brib'd can find no just occasion for a War The Cretans already assaulted are to expect no other Issue but utter devastation Assuredly for my own part when I understood that by reason of their Intestine Broils Battle and Bloodshed rather were delay'd then peace confirm'd contrary to the Opinion of Tigranes who too late approv'd my Counsel and notwithstanding thy remoter distance while my Neighbours were their Slaves and Vassals yet I undertook a second War at what time I overthrew by Land M. Cotta the Roman General nere Chalcedon and by Sea despoil'd 'em of a goodly Fleet of Ships But sitting down before Cyzicum and lingring there with a numerous Army Provision fail'd me without the least Relief of all my Allies and more then that the Winter debarr'd me the benefit of the Sea Thus without any molestation of the Enemy was I constrain'd to retreat into my own Kingdom no less unfortunate in the Loss of the best of my Souldiers together with my Fleets that were Shipwrackt within sight of Para and Heraclea But then having recruited my Army Cabira after several Conflicts between Me and Lucullus both Armies labour'd under pressing Necessities However Lucullus had at his devotion the Kingdom of Ariobarzanes as yet untouch'd by War I retreated into Armenia all the Countries round about Me being utterly destroy'd and laid wast At what time the Romans following not alone but their Custom of subverting all Kingdoms because the Nature of the Country would not suffer Multitudes to engage in set Battels they boasted the rash imprudence of Tigranes for a Victory Now consider I beseech thee whether if we should be subdu'd it would be advantageous any way to thee to make a more powerful Resistance or whether it be thy Opinion that then the War will be at end I know thee to be vastly Opulent and stor'd to infinite abundance with Men with Arms and Money And for that Reason 't is we covet such an Associate in the War They such an Enemy for booty But 't is the judgment of Tigranes while his Kingdom remains entire that the War may be made an end of against an Enemy far from home with little labour by the Valour of my own well disciplin'd and experienc'd Souldiers since we can neither vanquish nor be vanquish'd without hazard and prejudice to thy self Canst thou be ignorant that the Romans after the Ocean had set limits to their Western Conquests turn'd the fury of their Arms upon these parts That from the begining they ne'er had any thing but what they got by violence not so much as their Wives and Houses much less their Lands and Empire A medley of Vagabonds having neither Country nor Kindred born to be the Plague and Destruction of the whole World Whom neither Laws divine nor human no fear of Gods or Men can restrain from Ransack Ravage and Destruction both of Friends and Allies whether remote or neighbours Powerful or Indigent profess'd and mortal Enemies of all Mankind that are not Vassals to themselves of Soveraign Princes more especially For only few desire Liberty the greatest Part are contented with just Masters So we are suspected to be their Rivals and dreaded perhaps least we should prove the future Chastizers of their Insolencies But thou the Monarch of Seleucia the biggest of Cities and Soveraign Lord of Persia what canst Thou from Them expect but Treachery at the Present and War hereafter The Romans draw their Swords against all Nations and People yet most keenly sharpen'd against those who being vanquish'd yield the richest spoils By daring and deceiving and raising War they are become Potent By such havocks and destructive Courses as these they will either extirpate all before 'em or perish themselves which Latter seems not so improbable to happen if thou from Mesopotamia and We from Armenia surround their Armies wanting Provision and destitute of all Assistance and only secure by some strange favour of Fortune through our own Divisions or our Cowardice And then will that Renown attend Thee having succour'd once two mighty Kings to have subdu'd the grand Robbers of the Nations Which I admonish and exhort thee to do unless thou hadst rather to our perdition a while prolong thy single Empire till they have leisure to subdue thee then be a Conqueror by our Alliance The Oration of C. Cotta the Consul to the People MAny dangers most worthy Romans have befallen me in Peace and as many Misfortunes have I met with in War of which some I have been forc'd to undergo others I have warded off by the Assistance of the Gods and my own Vertue In all which neither my Courage was wanting to my Business nor my Industry fail'd my Resolutions Adversity and Prosperity made an Alteration in my Estate but not of my Natural Inclinations On the other side in these Calamities all things deserted me when Fortune left me Moreover Old age cumbersom of it self re-doubles my cares considering my self in that miserable Condition that it is not permitted Me to hope for so much as an honest death For if I have been the Parricide of your security and being born by Restoration from Exile have dishonour'd my Houshold Gods my Country and the highest Degree of Magistracy what Torment can be thought sufficient for Me living or what punishment after my Decease From my first years of Adolescency your Eyes were still upon
Fathers makes me sensible of Me whom expos'd to a most cruel Enemy ' ere scarce my Age was capable of Action together with an Army most deserving as much as lies within your power you have betray'd to perish for want of Food the most miserable of all Deaths Was it with this Design the Roman People sent their Sons to War Are these the Guerdons of our Wounds and Blood so often shed for the Honour of our Country Tyr'd out with writing and sending Messengers I have wasted all my private Wealth and Hopes While you for three Years time have scarce allow'd me a single Years Expence I call the Immortal Gods to witness whether you think me to be a Bottomless Exchequer and whether I am able to Support an Army without Food or Pay I must confess indeed I hasten'd to this War with a more eager desire then prudent Consideration as one who having from you receiv'd the Title of General in forty days levy'd an Army and from the Alpes drave back the Enemy already pressing upon the Neck of Italy into Spain Through them I open'd another Passage more then ever Hannibal did and more convenient for our Marches I recover'd Gallia the Pyrenaeans Laceâ—ania and Jergetum and with raw Souldiers and much fewer in number stood the first shock of Victor Sertorius and surrounded with a cruel and barbarous Enemy winter'd in the field not in warm Quarters nor of my own choice But why should I enumerate Battels or winter Expeditions Towns levell'd with the Earth or taken by Composition Deeds are more prevalent then Words The Enemies Camp surpriz'd nere the River Subro the Battel by the River Durius and C. Heremius chief Leader of a Potent Adversary vanquish'd and his Army with the City of Valencia utterly ruin'd are sufficient Testimonies of the Truths I utter For which most grateful Fathers you repay Us with want and starving Hunger So that the Condition of mine is no better then that of the Enemies Army Neither of the two are paid and both ready to March Victors into Italy Of which I put ye in mind and beseech ye to take care That I may not be constrain'd to take private Resolutions in the midst of these Necessities The hither Spain of which the Enemy has no part either our selves or Sertorius have laid wast even to utter destruction unless some Maritime Towns which are rather a burthen and a charge to Us. The last year Gallia supply'd the Army of Metellus with Corn and Money Which now by reason of bad and blasted Harvests is scarce able to support it self And for my own part I have not only wasted my particlar Estate but lost all my Credit Our last Hopes are in your selves who unless you relieve our distresses must expect no other then what I now foretel ye and which I never shall be able to prevent that the Army will March from hence and with it all the whole War of Spain must be remov'd into Italy The Oration of Marcus Licinius Tribune of the People to the Commonalty of Rome IF Worthy Romans you were not well acquainted with the difference between the Rights and Privileges which you inherit from your Ancestors and that same servitude design'd by Sylla my Discourse would then require a longer time and it behov'd me to instruct ye for what Oppressions and how oft the Armed Commons made a separation from the Fathers Now it suffices only to encourage ye and first to lead the way which I esteem most proper to redeem our Liberty Nor am I ignorant how vast a Power and Interest among the Nobility I am about to pull down from domineering Usurpation my self alone without assistance and unguarded only with the shadow of Magistracy and how much safer it is for a whole Faction to act in Combination then for Persons innocent to move singly by themselves But besides the good Hopes which I have in you This has overcome all my fears that the Misfortunes of Contending are far more satisfactory to a generous Courage then never at all to have contested Tho all others who have been created Tribunes to secure your Franchises have turn'd all their Power and Authority to your prejudice o'er sway'd by Favour Hopes or by Rewards and rather chose to sin for Hire then do justly Gratis For these reasons they all submitted under the Domination of a Few who by their Reputation in War have got Possession of the public Treasure Armies Kingdoms Provinces and make your spoils their Towre of safety while you the Multitude like to many Sheep surrender your selvs in Vassalage to this and t'other Paramounting Lord dispoyl'd of all those Blessings which your Fore-fathers left you But perhaps it is because as formerly you gave your Suffrages for Rulers now you give the same for Masters Therefore all your Tribunes flock to them and if it be your chance to recover your own again you shall see 'em upon the Turn of the Tyde return to you again For few have the Courage to defend what best they like the t'other are the stonger Party that fight in their own wrong But can you dream of meeting an Obstruction when unanimous and resolute from those that fear'd ye when remiss and negligent unless you think that Cotta a Consul of the middle Faction restor'd some certain Privileges to the Tribunes for any other reason then out of fear for tho L. Sicinius first adventuring to open his Mouth in behalf of the Tribunitian Power was disappointed while you only mutter'd at it yet they that oppos'd him first began to dread your Hatred ' ere you would be brought to resent the Oppression At which I never can sufficiently admire most worthy Romans For you knew it was a vanity to tire your Expectations After the Death of Sylla who impos'd that heavy Bondage you thought that then the end of all your Mischiefs was at hand But there sprung up a far more Cruel Catulus A Tumult brake out when Brutus and Aemilius Mamerous were Consuls But then C. Curio play'd the Tyrant even to the fatal destruction of the innocent Tribune You saw last year how furiously Lueullus threatned L. Quinctius and wrought him from his Purpose And lastly now how I am plagu'd and harrass'd among ' em A needless Trouble would they but once surcease their Usurpation before you made an end of serving Especially seeing whatever are the pretences for their civil Broils the main Contest on both sides is for Dominion over you Those other Figments of Licentiousness Hatred or Avarice are but Flashes that extinguish in a short Time Only one thing continues permanent the end at which both sides with ardour drive at and that is to dispoilye perpetually of the Tribunitial Power the only Buckler which your Ancestors provided to shield your Liberty which I admonish and beseech ye to consider and that you would not odly changing the Names of things to favour sloth call Servitude Tranquillity which it were not
than the Embassadors only he had heard from Gabinius that P. Autronius Ser. Sylla L. Vargunteius and many others were involv'd in the same Confedracy The Gauls confess'd the same things But as for Lentulus who dissembl'd and veil'd the Truth they convinc'd him not only by Letters but from several brags that he was wont to make in Public That the Kingdom of Rome was ascertain'd to three Cornelii by the Prophesies contain'd in the Sibilline Books That Cinna and Sylla had had their Turns and that he was the Third whose Fate it should be to rule the Roman People Moreover that from the Burning of the Capitol the twentieth Year was now arriv'd which the Soothsayers from several Prodigies had foretold should be deeply dy'd with Civil Blood Therefore the Letters being read after the Criminals had all acknowledg'd the Seals to be Lentulus's the Senate decreed That Lentulus being degraded from the Magistracy and the rest should be confin'd in free Prisons Therefore Lentulus was committed to the Custody of P. Lentulus Spinther who was Edile Cethegus to the care of Q. Cornificius Statilius to C. Caesar Gabinius to Marcus Crassus Ceparius for by this time he had been apprehended upon the Road and brought back to Cn. Terentius the Senator And now the Conspiracy being detected the Common People who before out of their usual desire of Change had too much favour'd the War now vearing about curs'd Catiline's Designs applauded Cicero to the Skies and as if they had been snatcht from the Jaws of Bondage by their Gestures and their Countenances fill'd the Streets with Joy and Exultation For other Acts of War would rather afford 'em the Advantages of Plunder than bring detriment to Them whereas they lookt upon firing of Cities to be cruel excessive and chiefly pernicious to themselves since all their Riches consisted in their Cloths and Houshold-stuff The next day after one L. Tarquinius was brought before the Senate who was reported to have been apprehended upon the Road going to Catiline This Man promising to make great Discoveries of the Conspiracy if he might be assur'd of his Pardon and being thereupon commanded by the Senate to declare his knowledge inform'd the Senate the same things which Volturcius had done concerning the Firing of the City the Massacre of all the honest Party and the March of the Enemy and farther that he was sent by M. Crassus to give him an Account of what had happen'd least he should be deterr'd to hear that Lentulus Cethegus and so many others of the Conspirators were in Custody and to advise him so much the rather to hasten his March to the City as a means to revive the Spirits of the rest and the better to secure 'em from the danger they were in But when Tarquinius named Crassus a Person Illustrious by Extraction vastly Rich and most eminently Potent some deeming the thing incredible others tho' they thought it true yet because at such a Conjuncture the Power of so great a Man was rather to be appeas'd and qualify'd than exasperated the most part obnoxious to Crassus upon the score of their Private concerns unanimously cry'd out That the Witness was Perjur'd and demanded a Reference upon the whole Matter therefore by Cicero's Advice it was Decreed in a in full Senate That the Evidence was lookt upon as false that Tarquinius should be laid in Irons and that he should never be admitted more to give his Testimony unless he discover'd the Person who had put him upon inventing such a falshood Some Persons at that time were of opinion that this same Evidence was contriv'd by P. Autronius to the end that Crassus being Impeach'd might be the more ready to Protect the rest by his Power when involv'd in the same danger Others reported that Tarquinius was Suborn'd by Cicero least Crassus undertaking the Patronage of wicked Miscreants according to his Custom should joyn with Them to disturb the Public Peace And I have afterwards heard Crassus himself declare that the Affront though of so high a Nature was put upon him by Cicero At the same time neither Q. Catulus President of the Senate nor C. Piso could either by Favour Importunity or Bribes prevail with Cicero that C. Caesar might be falsely accus'd either by the Allobroges or any other Evidence For they were both his Mortal Enemies Piso as being Condemn'd upon an Impeachment of Bribery under pretence that he had unjustly punish'd with death a certain Piemontane Catulus burning with Revenge for that upon his standing for the Supream Pontificate in his Hoary years C. Caesar a young man had carry'd against him And now they thought they had an Opportunity put into their hands for that Caesar partly through his excessive Liberality in Private and partly through the Profuseness of his Public Presents had run himself deeply in Debt But when they could not perswade the Consul to such a dishonourable Compliance they themselves by running personally from place to place and spreading false Reports of what they had heard from Volturcius and the Allobroges had heap'd no small Odium upon him insomuch that some of the Roman Knights who guarded the Temple of Concord with their Partisans in their hands whether mov'd thereto by the Greatness of the Danger or the Inconstancy of their own Affections to make their zeal for the Common-wealth the more remarkable threatn'd him with their naked Weapons as he came forth of the Senate While these things were transacted in the Senate and that Rewards were decreed to the Embassadors of the Allobroges and Volturcius Lentulus's Enfranchiz'd slaves and some few of his Clients taking several Roads made it their business to sollicite Handicraft Tradesmen and Slaves and incense 'em to his Rescue while others sought out every where for the Ring-leaders of the Rabble who for Money were wont to perplex the Common-wealth Cethegus also by Messengers besought his Family and his Enfranchiz'd slaves all fellows cull'd and exercis'd in Insolence to make a Body and by force of Arms to break in upon him The Consul therefore understanding how these Plots were laid having plac'd his Guards as the time and the occasion requir'd after he had summon'd a Senate made a Motion what should be done with those Prisoners that were under Custody For not long before a full Senate had adjudg'd 'em to have acted against the Commonwealth Upon that Motion therefore D. Junius Silanus being first of all desir'd to deliver his Opinion in regard he was at that time design'd Consul had declar'd That not only they who were in Prison but also L. Cassius P. Furius P. Vmbrenus and Q. Annias so soon as they were apprehended should be put to death Though afterwards being mollify'd by Caius Caesar's Oration he had protested his Compliance altogether with Tiberius Nero's Vote which Report he did not think however fit to have been made till the Guards were doubled But Caesar being ask'd his Opinion by the Consul deliver'd himself in these words It
who abandoning themselves to the felicity of bodily Pleasures consume their days in Luxury and Idleness and suffer the Wit of Man then which there is nothing more sublime nothing more boundless in human Nature to grow stupid and lie fallow through sluggishness and want of careful Manuring More especially since the Gifts and Sciences belonging to the Mind are so many and so various by which we may arrive to highest degree of Reputation 3. Yet in the midst of this Diversity neither Magistracy nor Empire nor any Administration indeed of Public Affairs to me at this present seem so eagerly to be thirsted after for Honour is not bestow'd on Vertue Neither are they that by Fraud have obtain'd Advancement safe or for their eminent Authority the more honest For for a Man to rule his Country or his Parents by force though he have Power and be never so much a Corrector of Misdemeanors yet is it troublesom to the Sufferers especially since all Mutations of Affairs portend Slaughter Exile and other Effects of Hostile Violence Vainly therefore to take pains and acquire nothing else by restless toil but Hatred of himself is Extremity of Madness unless there be any so possess'd with a slavish and pernicious desire to surrender their Honour and their Liberty to the Power of a Few 4. But among the Crouds of Business which are proper for the Exercise of the Wit the Remembrances of great Transactions seem chiefly beneficial Of the Excellency of which Application since many have discours'd I deem it not fit to be repeated least some besides may think it Insolence in me by Praises to extol the Study which my self affects 'T is true that I believe there may be some who because I have determin'd to live remote from Public Affairs may give the name of Idleness to this same Toil of Mine so great and profitable though surely none but such whose chiefest Industry it is to court the Mobile and to ingratiate themselves by Popular Banquets Who if they again consider both at what time I obtain'd the Magistracy and who they were that could not gain that Honour and afterwards what sort of Men were brought into the Senate certainly they will be then convinc'd that the Change of my Judgment proceeded rather from Desert then loytring Drowsiness and that greater Advantage will accrew to the Commonwealth from my Leisure then the Business of others For I have frequently heard that Q. Maximus and P. Scipio the most renowned Persons of our Commonwealth were wont to say That when they beheld the Statues of their Ancestors their Minds were ardently inflam'd to Vertue not that the Wax or the Figure had such an efficacy in its self but only that the flame was kindl'd in the breasts of those Illustrious Persons by the remembrance of past Transactions nor could be extinguish'd before their Vertue and Courage had equall'd the Fame and Glory of their Predecessors Quite otherwise who is there now adays that does not strive to outvie his Ancestors in Riches and Expences rather then in Probity and Industry Upstarts also who formerly were wont by their Vertue to anticipate Nobility now by Stealth and private Bribery contemning worthy means press forward to Commands and Honors As if Pretorships and Consulships and all high Employments whatever were Noble and Magnificent in themselves and not to be esteem'd and valu'd according to the merit of those Persons that enjoy'd ' em But I have been too free and ran too high in detestation of the corrupted Manners of the Commonwealth I now return to the Design in hand 5. A War I am about to Write which the Roman People wag'd with Jugurth King of the Numidians First because it was a great and furious Contest and Victory various on both sides and in the next place for that then it was the first Opposition was made against the Nobility Which Contention made a Confusion of all things both Divine and Human and proceeded to that degree of mortal Rage that only War and the Devastation of Italy put an end to their Intestine Animosities But before I enter into the beginning of this Story I must look back a little into Antiquity to the end that all things may be more clearly display'd in orderd to the better understanding of the rest In the second Punic War when Hannibal Captain of the Carthaginians had broken the Strength of Italy more then ever any one since the Grandeur of the Roman Name Massinissa King of the Numidians being admitted into a League of Friendship by P. Scipio Sirnam'd Africanus for his Valour had perform'd many noble and famous warlike Exploits In recompence of which the Carthaginians being vanquish'd and Syphax taken Pris'ner whose Power was great and his Dominions in Africa spacious at that time the Roman People freely bestow'd upon the King what Cities and Countries they had then subdu'd by force of their own Arms. For which reason he continu'd in his Friendship to Us advantageous and sincere till his Life and Sov'raignty ended both together After that his Son Micipsa obtain'd the Kingdom and reign'd sole Monarch Manastabales and Gulassa his Brothers being carry'd off by Sickness To him were born in lawful Wedlock Adherbal and Hiempsal with whom he bred up Jugurth the Son of his Brother Manastabales and gave him Royal Education in his Palace notwithstanding that Massinissa had left him only in a private Condition in regard his Mother was no more then a Concubine 6. Who when he arriv'd to years of maturity surpassing in strength lovely to behold but far more vigorous in Parts and Wit would not be corrupted by Luxury and Ease but according to the Custom of that Nation enur'd himself to Riding Darting and to out-run his Equals to out-do all and yet to be belov'd by all Sometimes he spent his time in Hunting and was still the formost or among the formost that first wounded the Lion or any other wild Beasts thus performing most but speaking least of himself With which altho' Micipsa were well pleas'd at the beginning as believing Jugurth's Courage would be an Honour to his Kingdom but when he found in his declining years and while his Children yet were small the sprightly Youth improving daily more and more then violently disturb'd with Jealousies and Fears he began to revolve many things in his Thoughts The Nature of Mortals greedy of Dominion and precipitately prone to gratifie their Ambition terrify'd him besides the opportunity of his own and his Childrens Age enough to overturn the Loyalty of meaner Courages Add to this the Affections of the Numidians kindl'd toward Jugurth which made him anxious whether to contrive the Death of such a man or no to remove all Occasions of Sedition or War 7. In the midst of these Difficulties when he saw that a Man so acceptable to the People could neither be destroy'd by Force nor Treachery in regard that Jugurth was a Person prompt of his hands and covetous of Military Honour
invincible Empire of the Roman People to consume away with Age or by Discord and Dissention to be dissolv'd For should that come to pass assuredly neither Day or Night would ease the Anguish of your Mind but still a restless Fury that were would give ye leave to close your Eyes would be the Torment of your latter days For I am certainly convinc'd that the Lives of all Mankind are observ'd by the All-seeing Eye of the Divine Deity that there is an account taken of all the good or evil Deeds of Men and that naturally various rewards attend the good and bad Perchance they move with a slower pace yet every man hopes according to his Conscience Certainly had your Country and your Progenitors the Liberty to discourse ye they would use no other then these Expressions Oh Caesar we most valiant Men begate thee in a most noble City to be to Us our Honour and Protection a terrour to our Enemies What we with many Hardships and Dangers won that we deliver'd to thee as soon as born together with thy Life the most renowned Country upon Earth the most illustrious Family in all that Country a vertuous Education and Riches honestly obtain'd moreover all the Dignities of Peace and the rewards of War For these most extraordinary Kindnesses we do not require from thee any Act of Lewdness or Impiety but to restore our Liberty subverted Which being once perform'd the Renown of thy Vertue will swiftly fly through all the habitable World For as yet tho thy Atchievments have been famous both in Peace and War however thy Glory is but equal with that of many other illustrious Persons But if thou dost restore almost from utter Ruin a City the most celebrated for its Name and large extent of Empire who will be more renown'd who more illustrious upon Earth But if otherwise it befal this Empire through thy lingring Sickness or Death who so stupid not to dread the Devastations Wars and Slaughters that will ravage all the Nations of the World Thus if you have an honest Intention to gratifie your Country and your Ancestors succeeding Ages enjoying the fruits of your Labours and living in Peace and Liberty will pay their acknowledgments to Your Vertue and your Death will prove far more Illustrious then your Life For the Living sometimes Fortune sometimes Envy worries but when Life has paid the debt of Nature Detraction ceasing Vertue more and more exalts it self And thus what I thought necessary to be done and advantageous to Your self as briefly as was possible I have laid open beseeching the Immortal Gods that whatsoever course you take all your endeavours may be Crown'd with prosperous Success for your own good and the welfare of the Public The Declamation of C. Crispus Salustius against M. Tullius Cicero I should not easily be induc'd to brook thy scurrillous Reproaches Marcus Tullius if I thought it were not rather the distemper of thy Mind then thy Judgment that provok'd thee to this Petulant Humor However because I find thou hast neither Moderation nor Modesty I will vouchsafe thee an Answer to the end that if thou hast taken any Pleasure in Obloquy thou maist be quit of it by being sharply told thy own Where shall I complain To whom shall I make my Moan most noble Conscript Fathers that the Commonwealth is rent in pieces and obnoxious to the Treachery of every Audacious Sycophant Must it be to the People of Rome so corrupted with Bribes and Exhibitions that they put both themselves and all their Fortunes to Sale Or to you most noble Conscript Fathers whose authority is the scorn of every lewd and wicked Rakeshame More especially when M. Tullius defends the Laws and Judicial Proceedings of the Roman People and Governs in this Senate as if he were a Branch of the Renowned Scipio Africanus and not an Upstart an Inn-mate and but lately admitted to the Privileges of this City Thinkst thou Marcus Tullius thy Words and Actions are unknown to the World Hast thou not so liv'd from thy Childhood as not to believe any thing a Defilement to thy Body which another took delight in Did it not cost thee the loss of thy Chastity to learn that Scolding Eloquence of thine from M. Piso No wonder then that thou putst it as ignominiously to sale as thou didst lewdly purchase it But I am apt to believe thy Domestic Splendor elevates thy Thoughts Thy Sacrilegious Wife besmear'd with Perjury Thy Daughter a Whore that goes snips with her Mother more gamesom and obedient then is decent to a Father Thy House thou gottest by Violence and Rapine fatal to thee and thine as if it were to let us understand how strangely this City is ranvers'd while thou the most vile of Men Usurp'st the Habitation of M. Crassus once a Consular Person Which being so yet Cicero makes his Braggs that he hath sate in Council with the Immortal Gods and thence that he was hither sent a Guardian and Protector of the City not to give him the Title of Hangman who derives his Glory from the Public Calamity as if thy Consulship were not the Cause of that Conspiracy and the Commonwealth half ruin'd when she had Thee for her Preserver But perhaps those things advance thee more which in Consultation with thy Wife Terentia after thy Consulship were acted by thee for the Public good when at home ye contriv'd the Judgements of thy Plautian Law condemning some of the Conspirators to death and fining others When one built up the Tusculanum for thee another the Pompeian Country Palace another purchas'd thee a City House But he that could do nothing he was sure to be accus'd ether he came to storm thy House or he had plotted to Murder the Senate in short thou hadst evidence enough against him If I accuse thee falsely give an account how thou cam'st by such an Estate what were thy Gettings by bawling and wrangling at the Bar where thou hadst the Money to erect those sumptuous Edifices the Tusculanum and the Pompeianum Or if thou hast nothing to say who can be so silly as to doubt thou didst rake thy Wealth out of the Blood and Bowels but of thy fellow Citizens But perhaps this Upstart of Arpinum descended from the Family of C. Marius imitates his Courage contemns the private grudges of the Nobility takes care of the Roman People neither terrify'd by Threats nor coax'd with Favour But is this an Argument of his Amity and Verture A very probable Story the most inconstant of Men a Cringer to his Enemies contumelious to his Friends sometimes of this sometimes of that side faithful to no body a Shuttlecock of a Senator a Mercinary Patron no part of whose Body is free from the Contamination of Lewdness a vain Tongue rapacious Hands an Abyss like Throat and speedy Heels to run for his Life qualities so lewd that 't is a shame to name ' em Yet being such as we have here describ'd him this very Man