James Leigh Strachan-Davidson

“ I am glad to hear that you profess yourself desirous of promoting peace between citizens. If you connect that peace with liberty, you will do good service to the State and to your own reputation. But if your peace is to restore a traitor to the possession of an unbridled tyranny, then let me tell you that all true men have made up their minds to accept death rather than servitude. You will therefore act more wisely, to my judgment, if you decline to meddle with projects of accommodation which do not commend themselves to the Senate or to the People or to any loyal man. ”

“ Do you not comprehend that for brave men it is sufficient to have learned the lesson once for all, how noble an action, how acceptable a boon, how famous a record is the slaying of a tyrant? We could not bear him, and do you suppose that we are going to endure you. Believe me, men will hasten to such deeds in future, and there will be no tarrying. Turn and think, I entreat you, Mark Antony, at this eleventh hour think for the commonwealth. ”

“ Death is a thing that I can wish for, now that I have served my time and done my work. Two things alone ! crave, first, that dying I may leave the Romans a free people—that is the greatest boon which Heaven can grant me,—and next that as each has earned his recompense from the commonwealth so he may receive."
Cicero's first business in Rome was to come to an understanding with Hirtius and Pansa, who were to enter on their consulship on the 1st of January. ”

“ Must I not ponder day and night for your liberty and for the safety of the State? Do I not owe my all to you, Romans, whom you have set—me, a man sprung from your ranks—over the heads of the noblest of the nation? Am I ungrateful? Nay, you know that after I had attained my rank I laboured in the law-courts just as I had done when I was striving for it. Am I a novice in the affairs of State? Nay, it is now twenty years that I have served, ever battling against disloyal citizens. Therefore, Romans, with such wisdom as I have, and with efforts perhaps beyond such strength a? ”

“ The essential mischief, the predominance of the professional soldiers in the commonwealth, was not touched. It was of no avail that Italy declared herself with enthusiasm for the cause of the Republic and sent her sons by tens of thousands to fight for freedom. It was now too late to prepare for danger. A nation which will be free, must not trust its defence solely in the hands of a professional soldiery; in spite of the irksomeness and the comparative inefficiency of a short-service system, it must at all risks train the mass of the citizens to the use of arms. ”

“ The first taste of despotism had been bitter to the Roman people, and we hear no more of that apathy which had been so conspicuous in the struggle between Cæsar and Pompey (see p. 327) . "This much I must write," says Cicero to Decimus Brutus in the following January, [15] "that the Senate and people of Rome take the deepest interest not only in your safety but in your glory. I am much struck to see how precious your name is held, and how notable is the affection which all the citizens have for you. ”

“ Cæsar pursued no ideals but only practical objects. Whatever means, good or bad, he found ready to his hand from time to time, he used them with consummate skill, in the first place to further his own ambition to be absolute master, and in the next place to suppress certain crying evils and to realise certain definite improvements in administration. He secured Italy from the most pressing danger on her frontier, and he elicited a strong, humane, and orderly government from the confusions of the Civil War. ”

“ If they want peace, they should lay down their arms and beg for it; if they demand it by force of arms, then we must win our way to peace through victory, not through negotiation. . . . Show yourself worthy; sever yourself from an illassorted union with bad citizens; next offer yourself as a guide, chief, and leader to the Senate and to all honest men; lastly believe that peace consists not in laying down arms, but in flinging off the fear of arms and of slavery. If you will act and think as I say, then you shall be not only consul and consular, but a great consul and a great consular ”

“ Are not thousands rushing to arms at the call of liberty? Is there no one beside the veteran soldiers, who is stirred by the indignation of a freeman? . . . Finally (for the words of truth and honour will escape from my lips) , if the resolutions of this House are to be at the beck of the veterans, if all our deeds and words are to be fashioned to their will, it is better to take refuge in death, which Romans have always preferred to servitude." [59]
Cicero spoke as a prophet. The hard conditions of the time were such that the soldiers could impose the alternative of submission or death. ”

“ They argue, 'It will not do to rouse Antony's displeasure; he is a dangerous man and a bold one; there are many disloyal persons, and we must be cautious of them.' Well, they say the truth here; and, if they wish to count up those persons, they may begin with themselves who utter words like these." Cicero would fain stimulate them to action worthy of their high station. "Heavens! [51] what a task it is to support with dignity the character of a chief of the Roman commonwealth; those who bear it should shrink from offending not only the minds but the eyes of their fellow-citizens. ”

“ With our noble consuls for champions and leaders, with Heaven our aid, with ourselves watchful and provident for the time to come, with the Roman People at our back, verily it shall not be long before we are free, and our freedom will be the sweeter for the memory of the servitude that is past. ”

“ At Rome and throughout all Italy we are raising a conscription, if it be right to call that a conscription, where everyone comes forward of his own accord; men's minds are all ablaze with a craving for liberty and with hatred of the slavery we have borne so long." The legions of recruits thus raised find constant mention during the course of the war around Mutina. The consul Pansa had four of them under his command, [16] and Decimus Brutus at least as many more. Cicero himself placed only too much confidence in them. ”

“ The critics who have blamed him most bitterly would find it hard to define how, believing as he believed, Cicero ought to have acted. Cicero accepted it as the first axiom of politics, that "some sort of Free State" is the necessary condition of a noble and honourable existence; and that it is the last calamity for a people permanently to renounce this ideal and to substitute for it the slave's ideal of a good master. Englishmen and Americans, worthy of their birthright, are not likely to disagree with Cicero's judgment. ”

“ It was a proud moment for his father when he had to announce to the Senate amongst other good news from the East, "the legion which was commanded by Lucius Piso, one of Antony's lieutenants, has gone over to my son Cicero, and placed itself at his disposal." [24]
Though despondent as to the future and bitterly disappointed at the result of a deed which "has taken away the despot but not the despotism," Cicero is absolutely fixed in his moral acceptance of the assassination. ”

“ Nevertheless the faithful friends who resolved to present to the world his confidential utterances, unspoiled by editorial garbling, have not only earned our gratitude by the gift of a unique historical monument, but have judged most nobly and most truly what was due to the reputation of Cicero. As it was in his life-time, so it has been with his memory: those who have known him most intimately have commonly loved him best. The reader must judge whether he rightly claims a place as a "hero of his nation" ”

“ Cicero made many mistakes as a politician. His forecast is often wrong; he is often taken by surprise; sometimes by the over-refining of his own subtle intellect, sometimes by applying the casuistry of his Greek book-learning too readily to the practical conduct of affairs, he allows himself to be led astray, where a man of less discursive mind might have shaped his course better. ”

“ When Plancus comes to count up the tale of Decimus Brutus' force, we find only one veteran legion, one of two years' standing, and eight legions of recruits. "Thus the whole army, though strong in numbers, is very weak in quality. How much reliance can be placed on the recruits in the field we know, alas, too well by experience." [62]
The interests as well as the sentiments of the veterans were against a peaceful solution. Antony had shown them that the task of avenging Cæsar might be made a profitable one. ”

“ When they receive the envoy of our enemies at their houses, admit him to their chambers, even draw him apart in conversation, I say that they think too little of their dignity and too much of their danger. ”

“ The altered situation was due to the action first of the veteran legions and secondly to Octavian. The weak point in the policy of the Liberators now became apparent. A military despotism, resting on standing army, is not to be overthrown by the assassination of the despot. If the Republicans could have possessed their souls in patience until the natural end of Cæsar's life, it is possible that his army might have acquiesced, as Cromwell's army did, in the will of the nation. ”

“ Plancus writes [60] that part of Lepidus' army is not less disloyal than Antony's own troops, and he fears that "the 10th legion, which was brought to a proper state of mind by my efforts, may break out again into its old frenzy." Cicero has to inform Decimus Brutus that it is impossible to carry out the arrangement by which he was to take command of the Martian and of the 4th legion after the death of the consuls. "Those who are familiar with those legions say that they could not be induced to join you on any terms." ”

“ The fear of these veteran troops is constantly before the eyes of men, and the need for humouring them is the favourite argument of the trimmers against Cicero's call for vigorous action on the part of the Senate. Sextus Pompeius is anxious to intervene in the war before Mutina, but abstains "for fear lest he should offend the minds of the veterans." ”

“ For the first time since the coalition of Cæsar and Pompey, seventeen years before, he sees the path of duty clear, he feels the 44 B.C. power to act and to speak freely in the cause of the commonwealth, and for the sake of that cause he is willing cheerfully to lay down his life. ”

“ He professed the greatest devotion, and treated Cicero with all possible respect and friendliness. [31] "I maintain, however," writes Cicero, [32] "that he cannot possibly be a loyal citizen; he has around him so many who threaten death to our friends." On arriving at Rome, Octavian found that his inheritance was usurped by Antony, who had no inclination to share his wealth and power with a lad of eighteen, and who treated his claims with contempt. The first object of the young Cæsar was to bring Antony to reason, and to this end he proceeded to ally himself with the Republicans. ”

“ They are superior to the others in numbers, they are superior by reason of their time of life, and above all superior in the goodness of their cause." Cicero's reliance on the new levies proved to be ill-placed, but their forwardness is a sure token of the depth of republican feeling which had survived Cæsar's victory. The hypocritical utterances of Pollio, show clearly enough what were the thoughts of honest and loyal citizens whose language he strives to imitate. ”

“ Antony was worsted by the combined forces of the consuls and Octavian, and retired during the night to his camp before Mutina. In this encounter Pansa received a wound, from the effects of which he died about a fortnight later. While Pansa still lived, a second engagement took place before Mutina. This time Antony's forces were entirely defeated, his best troops were cut to pieces, and he was driven to a precipitate retreat. Hirtius was killed in the act of storming the enemy's camp.
With the relief of Decimus Brutus and the flight of Antony Rome believed that the war was at an end. ”

“ When the news arrived that Dolabella had murdered Trebonius, he was declared a public enemy, and Brutus and Cassius were invested with full powers in the East. All this was not accomplished without some opposition. "We have a brave Senate," Cicero writes, [48] "but all the courage seems to be on the lower benches." The consulars were "partly timid and partly ill-disposed." [49] Cicero's policy was too straightforward and decided for them. "They pose [50] as far-seeing citizens and earnest Senators. They say that I have sounded the trumpet for war. They are advocates of peace. ”

“ This consciousness puts every thought of self aside and gives rigour and dignity to all his words and actions.
After the assassination the Liberators retired to the Capitol, where they were joined later in the day by Cicero and by Dolabella, who took March 15.up the consulship which had been decreed to him in succession to Cæsar. Antony, the other consul, seized on Cæsar's treasury at the temple of Ops, and Cæsar's State papers were also committed to him by Calpurnia, the widow of the Dictator. ”

“ This necessity was even more urgent in the ancient than in the modern world, for the use of the rifle can be taught far more rapidly than the use of the shield, the sword, and the javelin; a few highly practised soldiers could in those days put to the rout whole regiments of half-trained men. [55] In all the civil wars of Rome there is only one instance in which short-service men won a battle from veterans. The exception is the engagement in the lines of Dyrrachium in 48 B.C. (see p. 339) , and in that case the credit rests rather with the commander than with the troops. ”