But what can be more base, or more shameful, or more utterly unbecoming, than to lead an army against the senate, against one’s fellow-citizens, against one’s country?  Or what can deserve greater blame than doing that which is unlawful?  But it is not lawful for any one to lead an army against his country? if indeed we say that that is lawful which is permitted by the laws or by the usages and established principles of our ancestors.  For it does not follow that whatever a man has power to do is lawful for him to do; nor, if he be not hindered, is he on that account permitted to do so.  For to you, O Lepidus, as to your ancestors, your country has given an army to be employed in her cause.  With this army you are to repel the enemy, you are to extend the boundaries of the empire, you are to obey the senate and people of Rome, if by any chance they direct you to some other object.

VII.  If these are your thoughts, then are you really Marcus Lepidus the Pontifex Maximus, the great-grandson of Marcus Lepidus, Pontifex Maximus.  If you judge that everything is lawful for men to do that they have the power to do, then beware lest you seem to prefer acting on precedents set by those who have no connexion with you, and these, too, modern precedents, to being guided by the ancient examples in your own family.  But if you interpose your authority without having recourse to arms, in that case indeed I praise you more; but beware lest this thing itself be quite unnecessary.  For although there is all the authority in you that there ought to be in a man of the highest rank, still the senate itself does not despise itself; nor was it ever more wise, more firm, more courageous.  We are all hurried on with the most eager zeal to recover our freedom.  Such a general ardour on the part of the senate and people of Rome cannot be extinguished by the authority of any one:  we hate a man who would extinguish it; we are angry with him, and resist him; our arms cannot be wrested from our hands; we are deaf to all signals for retreat, to all recal from the combat.  We hope for the happiest success; we will prefer enduring the bitterest disaster to being slaves.  Caesar has collected an invincible army.  Two perfectly brave consuls are present with their forces.  The various and considerable reinforcements of Lucius Plancus, consul elect, are not wanting.  The contest is for the safety of Decimus Brutus.  One furious gladiator, with a band of most infamous robbers, is waging war against his country, against our household gods, against our altars and our hearths, against four consuls.  Shall we yield to him?  Shall we listen to the conditions which he proposes?  Shall we believe it possible for peace to be made with him?