[16]
But I suppose that improvident and rash man did not see all this! On the
contrary, who is a more considerate than he? Who is more secret in his
plans? Who is more prudent? Although in this place it is not so much on the
ground of cleverness and prudence that it seems to me that I should defend
Deiotarus, as on that of good faith and religious feeling and conduct. You
are well acquainted, O Caius Caesar, with the honesty of the man, with his
virtuous habits, with his wisdom and firmness. Indeed, who is there who has
ever heard of the name of the Roman people, who has not heard also of the
integrity, and wisdom, and virtue, and good faith of Deiotarus? A crime,
then, that cannot be imputed to an imprudent man, on account of his fear of
instant destruction, nor to an unscrupulous man, unless he be at the same
time utterly insane; will you pretend that such a crime was thought of by a
most virtuous man, and one too who was never accounted a fool?
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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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