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[19]
But what is it that he has done himself? When he had published all these edicts,
he issued another, that the senate was to meet in a full house on the
twenty-fourth of November. On that day he himself was not present. But what were
the terms of his edict? These, I believe, are the exact words of the end of it:
“If any one fails to attend, all men will be at liberty to think him
the adviser of my destruction and of most ruinous counsels.” What are
ruinous counsels? those which relate to the recovery of the liberty of the Roman
people? Of those counsels I confess that I have been and still am an adviser and
prompter to Caesar. Although he did not stand in need of any one's advice; but
still I spurred on the willing horse, as it is said. For what good man would not
have advised putting you to death, when on your death depended the safety and
life of every good man, and the liberty and dignity of the Roman people?
M. Tullius Cicero. The Orations of Marcus Tullius Cicero, literally translated by C. D. Yonge. London. George Bell & Sons. 1903.
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