detection and arrest of the guilty parties was my work, their punishment was the work of the senate.  But that eloquent man does not perceive that the man against whom he is speaking is being praised by him, and that those before whom he is speaking are being attacked by him.  But now what an act, I will not say of audacity, (for he is anxious to be audacious,) but (and that is what he is not desirous of) what an act of folly, in which he surpasses all men, is it to make mention of the Capitoline Hill, at a time when armed men are actually between our benches—­when men, armed with swords, are now stationed in this same temple of Concord, O ye immortal gods, in which, while I was consul, opinions most salutary to the state were delivered, owing to which it is that we are all alive at this day.

Accuse the senate; accuse the equestrian body, which at that time was united with the senate; accuse every order of society, and all the citizens, as long as you confess that this assembly at this very moment is besieged by Ityrean[12] soldiers.  It is not so much a proof of audacity to advance these statements so impudently, as of utter want of sense to be unable to see their contradictory nature.  For what is more insane than, after you yourself have taken up arms to do mischief to the republic, to reproach another with having taken them up to secure its safety?  On one occasion you attempted even to be witty.  O ye good gods, how little did that attempt suit you!  And yet you are a little to be blamed for your failure in that instance, too.  For you might have got some wit from your wife, who was an actress.  “Arms to the gown must yield.”  Well, have they not yielded?  But afterwards the gown yielded to your arms.  Let us inquire then whether it was better for the arms of wicked men to yield to the freedom of the Roman people, or that our liberty should yield to your arms.  Nor will I make any further reply to you about the verses.  I will only say briefly that you do not understand them, nor any other literature whatever.  That I have never at any time been wanting to the claims that either the republic or my friends had upon me; but nevertheless that in all the different sorts of composition on which I have employed myself, during my leisure hours, I have always endeavoured to make my labours and my writings such as to be some advantage to our youth, and some credit to the Roman name.  But, however, all this has nothing to do with the present occasion.  Let us consider more important matters.

IX.  You have said that Publius Clodius was slain by my contrivance.  What would men have thought if he had been slain at the time when you pursued him in the forum with a drawn sword, in the sight of all the Roman people; and when you would have settled his business if he had not thrown himself up the stairs of a bookseller’s shop, and, shutting them against you, checked your attack by that means?  And I confess that at that time I favoured you, but even