ended; up rose Catulus, a tyrant far crueller than Sulla. There was an outbreak in the consulship of Brutus and Mamercus,[1] and after it Gaius Curio was long enough your master to cause the death of a guiltless tribune.
You saw with what passion Lucullus last year assailed Lucius Quintius; what tempests are now roused against me! But these acts they certainly committed in vain, if it was their intention to put an end to their mastery before you did to your slavery; especially since in these civil dissensions, although other motives were alleged, the real object of the contest on both sides was to determine who should be your masters. Therefore the other struggles, inspired as they were by licence, by hatred, or by avarice, blazed up for a time only; one issue only has persisted, which has been the aim of both sides and has been taken away from you for the future: the tribunician power, a weapon given you by your ancestors, with which to defend your liberties. Of this fact I warn you and I beg you to bear it in mind; do not change the names of things to suit your own cowardice and give to slavery the title of peace. Even peace you will not be allowed to enjoy, if wickedness triumph over right and honour; you might have done so, if you had never roused yourselves. As it is, they are on their guard, and if you do not gain the victory, they will hold you in tighter bonds, since the greater the injustice the greater its safety.
What then do you advise? some one of you will say. First of all, you must give up this habit which you have, ye men of active tongue but of weak spirit, not to retain the thought of liberty outside of the place
- ↑ 77 B.C.
