“Still, he was not satisfied with this, but further bade me come to him, if I wanted anything of him. [-43-] Do not, I beg of you, regard this addition as slight.  It is really a good indication of his disposition.  That he should have refused to visit me a person speaking in his defence might refer to shrinking and sickness and fear.  But that he should send a summons to me admits of no excuse, and furthermore proves him to have acted from no other impulse than a readiness to yield me obedience in no point and a determination to impose corresponding demands in every case.  With now much insolence and abuse does this very course of his teem!  The proconsul of the Romans summons a man and the latter does not come:  then one of the Allobroges [sic] summons the proconsul of the Romans.  Do not think this a small matter and of little moment in that it was I, Caesar, whom he failed to obey, or because he called me Caesar.  It was not I that summoned him, but the Roman, the proconsul, the rods, the dignity, the legions:  it was not I that was summoned by him, but all of these.  Privately I have no dealings with him, but in common we have all spoken and acted, received his retort and suffered.

[-44-] “Therefore the more that anybody asserts that he has been registered among our friends and among our allies, the more he will prove him to deserve our hatred.  Why?  Because acts such as not even any of our admittedly bitterest foes has ever ventured to perform have been committed by Ariovistus under the titles of friendship and of alliance; it looks as though he had secured them for the very purpose of having a chance to wrong us with impunity.  On the other hand, our former treaty with him was not made with the idea of being insulted and plotted against, nor will it now be we who break the truce.  For we sent envoys to him as to one who was still a friend and ally, but he—­well you see how he has used us.  Accordingly just as when he chose to benefit us and desired to be well treated in return he justly obtained his wishes, so now, too, when he does the opposite of that in everything, with thorough justice would he be held in the position of a foe.  Do not be surprised that whereas once upon a time I myself did some little business in his behalf both in the senate and before the people I now speak in this way.  So far as I am concerned my sentiments are the same now as then:  I am not changing front.  And what are they?  To honor and reward the good and faithful, but to dishonor and punish the evil and unfaithful.  It is he that is changing front, in that he makes an unfair and improper use of the privileges bestowed by us.