M. Tullius Cicero, For Ligarius
C. D. Yonge, Ed.

And the first beginning, and the first proposition of Tubero, I imagine, was this; that he intended to speak of wickedness of Quintus Ligarius. I make no doubt that you wondered how it was that no one made this statement respecting some one else, or how it was that he made it who had been in the same condition himself, or what new crime it was which he was bringing forward. Do you call that wickedness, Tubero? Why so? For that cause has not as yet been wicked by that name. Some call it mistake; some call it fear; those who give it a harder name term it hope, ambition, hatred, obstinacy; those who use the hardest language style it rashness. But up to this time no one except you has ever called it wickedness. My own opinion is, if any one seeks for a proper and accurate name for our misfortune, that some disaster sent by destiny descended upon and occupied the provident minds of men; so that no one ought to wonder that human counsels were overruled by divine necessity.