neither knew nor foresaw any such result. On what occasion did you
voluntarily abolish the commands given by Caesar or by the lot to each
man, and allow this person to distribute many appointments to his friends
and companions, sending his brother Gaius to Macedonia, and assigning
Gaul to himself with the aid of the legions which he was not by any means
keeping to use in your defence? Do you not remember how, when he found
you startled at Caesar's demise, he carried out all the plans that
he chose, communicating some to you carefully dissimulated and at
inopportune moments, and on his own responsibility executing others that
inflicted injuries, while all his acts were characterized by violence? He
used soldiers, and barbarians at that, against you. And need any one be
surprised that in those days some vote was passed which should not have
been, when even now we have not obtained a free hand to speak and do what
is requisite in any other way than by the aid of a body-guard? If we had
been formerly endued with this power, he would not have obtained what any
one may say he has obtained, nor would he have risen to the prominence
enabling him to do the deeds that were a natural sequence. Accordingly,
let no one retort that the rights which we were seen to give him under
command and compulsion and amid laments were legally and rightfully
bestowed. For, even in private business, that is not considered binding
which a man does under compulsion from another.

[-23-] "And yet all these measures which you are seen to have voted you
will find to be slight and varying but little from established custom.
What was there dreadful in the fact that one man was destined to govern
Macedonia or Gaul in place of another? Or what was the harm if a man
obtained soldiers during his consulship? But these are the facts that are
harmful and abominable,--that your land should be damaged, allied cities
besieged, that our soldiers should be armed against us and our means
expended to our detriment: this you neither voted nor intended. Do not,