therefore, O tribunes of the people, in bringing forward a motion about the protection of the senate and consuls, and most deservedly are we all bound to feel and to prove to you the greatest gratitude for your conduct.  For how can we be free from fear and danger while menaced by such covetousness and audacity?  And as for that ruined and desperate man, what more hostile decision can be passed upon him than has already been passed by his own friends?  His most intimate friend, a man connected with me too, Lucius Lentulus, and also Publius Naso, a man destitute of covetousness, have shown that they think that they have no provinces assigned them, and that the allotments of Antonius are invalid.  Lucius Philippus, a man thoroughly worthy of his father and grandfather and ancestors, has done the same.  The same is the opinion of Marcus Turanius, a man of the greatest integrity and purity of life.  The same is the conduct of Publius Oppius; and those very men,—­who, influenced by their friendship for Marcus Antonius, have attributed to him more power than they would perhaps really approve of,—­Marcus Piso, my own connexion, a most admirable man and virtuous citizen, and Marcus Vehilius, a man of equal respectability, have both declared that they would obey the authority of the senate.  Why should I speak of Lucius Cinna? whose extraordinary integrity, proved under many trying circumstances, makes the glory of his present admirable conduct less remarkable; he has altogether disregarded the province assigned to him; and so has Caius Cestius, a man of great and firm mind.

Who are there left then to be delighted with this heavensent allotment?  Lucius Antonius and Marcus Antonius!  O happy pair! for there is nothing that they wished for more.  Caius Antonius has Macedonia.  Happy, too, is he!  For he was constantly talking about this province.  Caius Calvisius has Africa.  Nothing could be more fortunate, for he had only just departed from Africa, and, as if he had divined that he should return, he left two lieutenants at Utica.  Then Marcus Iccius has Sicily, and Quintus Cassius Spain.  I do not know what to suspect.  I fancy the lots which assigned these two provinces, were not quite so carefully attended to by the gods.

XI.  O Caius Caesar, (I am speaking of the young man,) what safety have you brought to the republic!  How unforeseen has it been! how sudden! for if he did these things when flying, what would he have done when he was pursuing?  In truth, he had said in a harangue that he would be the guardian of the city; and that he would keep his army at the gates of the city till the first of May.  What a fine guardian (as the proverb goes) is the wolf of the sheep!  Would Antonius have been a guardian of the city, or its plunderer and destroyer?  And he said too that he would come into the city and go out as he pleased.  What more need I say?  Did he not say, in the hearing of all the people, while sitting in front of the temple of Castor, that no one should remain alive but the conqueror?