Moreover, the military tribunes who were in the army of Caesar have erected him a statue.  What order is that?  There have been plenty of tribunes in our numerous legions in so many years.  Among them he has distributed the lands of Semurium.  The Campus Martius was all that was left, if he had not first fled with his brother.  But this allotment of lands was put an end to a little while ago, O Romans, by the declaration of his opinion by Lucius Caesar a most illustrious man and a most admirable senator.  For we all agreed with him and annulled the acts of the septemvirs.  So all the kindness of Nucula[37] goes for nothing, and the patron Antonius is at a discount.  For those who had taken possession will depart with more equanimity.  They had not been at any expense, they had not yet furnished or stocked their domains, partly because they did not feel sure of their title, and partly because they had no money.

But as for that splendid statue, concerning which, if the times were better, I could not speak without laughing, “To Lucius Antonius, patron of the middle of Janus"[38] Is it so?  Is the middle of Janus a client of Lucius Antonius?  Who ever was found in that Janus who would have lent Lucius Antonius a thousand sesterces?

Vi.  However, we have been spending too much time in trifles.  Let us return to our subject and to the war.  Although it was not wholly foreign to the subject for some characters to be thoroughly appreciated by you, in order that you might in silence think over who they were against whom you were to wage war.

But I exhort you, O Romans, though perhaps other measures might have been wiser, still now to wait with calmness for the return of the ambassadors.  Promptness of action has been taken from our side, but still some good has accrued to it.  For when the ambassadors have reported what they certainly will report, that Antonius will not submit to you nor to the senate, who then will be so worthless a citizen as to think him deserving of being accounted a citizen?  For at present there are men, few indeed, but still more than there ought to be, or than the republic deserves that there should be, who speak in this way,—­“Shall we not even wait for the return of the ambassadors?” Certainly the republic itself will force them to abandon that expression and that pretence of clemency.  On which account, to confess the truth to you, O Romans, I have less striven to day, and laboured all the less to day, to induce the senate to agree with me in decreeing the existence of a seditious war, and ordering the apparel of war to be assumed.  I preferred having my sentiments applauded by every one in twenty days’ time, to having it blamed to day by a few.  Wherefore, O Romans, wait now for the return of the ambassadors, and devour your annoyance for a few days.  And when they do return, if they bring back peace, believe me that I have been desirous that they should, if they bring back war, then allow me the praise of foresight.