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l1. M . TULLI CICER ON ISPRO PUBLIO SESTIO ORATIO

1 uod pro tantis opibusim perii nequaquamanimo invenirentur, qui auderent se et salutem suamin discrim en oFerre pro statu civitatis et pro com -

i libertate, is hoc tempore m iretur potius, siun

i publicae tantaque ignitateetis multi cives forti et magnoa

1. Si quis tea, iudices, mirabatur, quid esset,n

uem bonum et fortem civem viderit, quam si quemaut timidum aut sibi potius quam rei publicae con-sulentem . Nam ut om ittatis de unius cuiusque casucogitando recordari, uno aspectu intueri potestis eos,ui cum senatu, cum bonis om nibus rem publicamad:ictam excitarintet latrocinio domestico liberarint,de fama, de cid-eos, de capite,tate, de fortunis, de liberis dim icantes ; eos autem ,qui omnia divina et hum ana violarint, vexarint,perturbarint, everterint) non solum alacresvolitare, sed etiam fortissimispericulum moliri, de se nihil2

laetosqueatque optimis cidbus

tim ere.ln quo cum multa sunt indigna,tum nihil minus est

naaestos sordidatos

j . >a From tlle disorder caused by the hired bands of ClodiuaS.The caputof a Roman citizen comprised bis righl anuivileges as such. : A criminal trial. See b 9.r36

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Il. .'& SPEECH OF M . TULLIUS CICEROIN DEFENCE O F PU BLIUS SESTIU Sof the jury,anyone Jwhy, great as are thel.csollrces of our State and the))o slllcient num ber of bravecollld bealld theirfound who would daretoeXPOSethemselvesVery lives tothe general liberty

should rather wonder if hedanger for theolnstitution and for stability of ourat this pre-

sentpatriotic and courageous citizen, than if he fnds any-one M'ho is either faint-hearted or studies his own in-heim e fnds any

prestige of our Empire,and great-hearted m en

this, gentlem enwas the reason1. lf beforeAs'olldered what

tcrest m ore than that of the State. There is no needyour thoughts the fate of this or that indi-vidual ; one comprehensive look M4l1 show you theplight of those who joined with the Senate and a1lood citizens in lifting up our a icted Stateing it from and free-brigandage can seein sorrow, in mourning, before judges, fghting fortlleir rights, their good nam e, their citizenship, theirfortunes, their children ; whereas those who haveT'iolated, injured, confounded and overturned every-tlliny l'uman and divine, not only bustle about briskand Joyful, but also devise danger 0 for tlle bravestn'ld best of our citizens, wllile they llave no fear for

at hom e.c You them

to recall to

tllem selves.And in this,inignation, thelthouqh tlzere is much to call forth 2m ost lntolerable thing is that they37

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CICEROferendum , quam uod iam n0n Per nOnPCl* Pervos nobis, per optimos viros optimis civibus pericu-tur et, quos lapiibus, quos feao,um inferre conan vi, manu, copiis delere non po-tlos facibus, quoshos vestra auctoritatey vestra relip'onellerunt, ,tentiis se oppressuros arbitrantur. Egovestris senautem, iuices, quoniam,l qua

t scelere perditos, sedomines egestate

voce mihi in agenisgratiis morandoqueomme eorum, qui de m e optime

t benefcio esse utendum putabamj eaeriti sun ,nunc

latrones suos,

uti eoruna depelleno ,ogor inpotissimum vox haec serviat,

iisquorum opera et mihi

periculist vobis et populo Rom ano restituta est.

3atque eloquentissimo, peroratanihilque ab eo praeterm issum est, quod aut pro reublica conquerendum fuit aut pro reo disputand= ,

a Q. Hortensio, clariss% o virocausa est P. SestiII. Etquam quam

propugna*oquem Per-fectum , ne ceteris civibus deesset. Atque ego sicstatuo, iudices, a me in hac causa atque hoc extremo

dicendi loco pietatis potius quam defensionis, que-rellaequam eloquentiae, doloris quam ingenii partes4 esse susceptas.rius,quam qui ante me dixerunt, peto a vobis, ut

ltaque si aut acrius egero aut libe-tantum orationim eae Concedatis,quantllm et PiO dO-

esttam en adgreiarei potissimum defuisse videatur, per

ad i cendum , ne m ea

1 Added by Ilalm : quamquam Rdd.* By securing my return from exile.8

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PRO SES'rIO, i. Q= ii 4o ltlzger use-uined by want and wickedness, but it isorigands, longer m en

you, gentle-en, employ to bring danger upon us- the'lbest llen to ruin the best citizens. And they qattertllemselves that, by the aid of your authority, youronscience, your votes, they will be able to crush thoseellom they have been unable to annihilate by stones,5b)r steel, by fre, by force, violence, and bands ofbrigands. But for myself, gentlem en,I thought thatI slzould have found employm ent for my voice in re-turning thanks and comm em orating the service doneme b)r those who have earned m y deepest gratitude @ ;since, however, I am compelled to use it in repellingthe dangers that threaten them , may that voice thenbe of service to those above al1 others by whose exer-tions it has been restored to myself, and to you, andto thel I .

Rom an People !And although thatQuintusofm any distinguishedCase Hoe ensius,Publius Sestius andhas fully and eloquent 3dealt with thehas omitted nothing

theyhiredlzeir

which wasinterestaccused,for fearthat m an

rightly putof the State forward aSa com plaint in thein defence of ther arguednevertheless I shall venture tothat addressm y adVOCaCY Daay Seem to have ou,azledabovea1lothers, thanks to whose eFortsithas not failed the rest of our fellow-citizens. And,indeed, I am convinced, gentlemen, since I speak lastand in such a cause, that I have undertaken a duty ofgratitude rather than of defence, of complaint rathertllan of eloquence, of sorrow rather than of ability.lf therefore, I express m yself more passionately and 4m th greater freedom than those who have spokenbefore me, I beg you will excuse everything ln myspeech that you t Hlnk can be rendered excusable by39