[13]
We
see in the forum a statue of Lucius Antonius; just as we see one of Quintus
Tremulus, who conquered the Hernici, before the temple of Castor. Oh the
incredible impudence of the man! Has he assumed all this credit to himself,
because as a mirmillo at Mylasa he
slew the Thracian, his friend? How should we be able to endure him, if he had
fought in this forum before the eyes of you all? But, however, this is but one
statue. He has another erected by the Roman knights who received horses from the
state;1 and they too inscribe on that, “To
their patron.” Who was ever before adopted by that order as its
patron? If it ever adopted any one as such, it ought to have adopted me. What
censor was ever so honored? what imperator?
“But he distributed land among them.” Shame on their sordid
natures for accepting it! shame on his dishonesty for giving it!
Moreover, the military tribunes who were in the army of Caesar have erected him a
statue.
*** What order is that? There have been plenty of tribunes
in our numerous legions in so many years.
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1 After the year B.C. 403, there were two classes of Roman knights; one of which received a horse from the state, and were included in the eighteen centuries of service; the other class, first mentioned by Livy (v. 7) in the account of the siege of Veii, served with their own horses, and instead of having a horse found them, received a certain pay (three times that of the infantry), and were not included in the eighteen centuries of service. The original knights, to distinguish them from these latter, are often called equites equo publico, sometimes also flexumines or trossuli. Vide Smith, Dict. Ant. p. 394-96, v. Equites.
M. Tullius Cicero. The Orations of Marcus Tullius Cicero, literally translated by C. D. Yonge. London. George Bell & Sons. 1903.
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