X. 25 What could I leave to my posterity more glorious than the fact, that
the senate had declared its judgment that any citizen who did not defend me,
did not desire the safety of the republic? Therefore your authority, and the
preeminent dignity of the consul, had this great effect, that
every one thought that he was committing a shameful crime if he did not come to
that summons. And this same consul, when that incredible multitude, when Italy
itself I might almost say, had come to Rome, summoned you repeatedly to the
Capitol; and at that time you had an opportunity of seeing what great power
excellence of natural disposition and true nobleness have. For Quintus
Metellus, himself an enemy of mine, and a brother of an enemy of mine, as soon
as he was assured of your inclinations, laid aside his own private dislike to
me and allowed Publius Servilius, a most illustrious man, and also a most
virtuous one, and a most intimate friend of my own, to recall him, by what I
may call the divine influence of his authority and eloquence, to the exploits
and virtues of his race and of their common family, so as to take to his
counsels his brother, in the shades below, the companion of my fortunes, and
all the Metelli, those most admirable citizens, summoning them as it were from
Acheron; and among them the great conqueror of Numidia, whose departure from
his country formerly seemed grievous to all the citizens, but scarcely even
vexatious to himself. 26 He, therefore, turns out now, not
only a defender of my safety, having been previously to this one kindness of
his always my enemy, but even the seconder of my restoration to my dignity. And
on that day when you met in the senate to the number of four hundred and
seventeen, and when all these magistrates were present one alone dissented; he
who thought that the conspirators could by his law be awakened from the shades
below. And on that day when in most weighty and copious language you delivered
your decision, that the republic had been preserved by my counsels, he as
consul again took care that the same things should be said by the chief men of
the state in the assembly the next day; and he then spoke on my behalf with the
greatest eloquence, and brought the assembly into such a state, all Italy
standing by and listening, that no one would listen to the hateful and detested
voice of any of my hired or profligate enemies.
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