[26]
But it makes no difference, O judges,
whether the federate states enact these laws that no one shall be permitted
to leave those states for the purpose of sharing in the dangers of our wars,
or that those things cannot possibly be ratified which we have given to
their citizens on account of their virtue. For we should not any the more
have the advantage of these men for our assistants if we once take away all
the rewards of virtue, than we should if we were to make it
absolutely unlawful for them to meddle at all in our laws. In truth, as,
ever since the original birth of man, there have been but few men found,
who, without any hope of reward, have been willing to expose their lives to
the weapons of the enemy even for the sake of their own country, do you
suppose that there will be any one who will expose himself to dangers in the
defence of a republic with which he has not any connection, when not only no
reward is held out to him, but when all reward for such conduct is
prohibited from being bestowed?
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M. Tullius Cicero. The Orations of Marcus Tullius Cicero, literally translated by C. D. Yonge, B. A. London. George Bell & Sons, York Street, Covent Garden. 1891.
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