Chapter 45

115 Remember, then, Marcus Antony, the day you abolished the dictatorship. Set before your eyes the joy of the Senate and the Roman people. Compare it with this trafficking of yours and your people’s: then you will understand the distance between honor and profit. But just as some people, through illness and dulled senses, cannot taste the sweetness of food, so the lustful, the greedy, the criminal have no taste for true glory. Yet if glory cannot draw you to act rightly, cannot even fear turn you from the foulest acts? You do not fear the courts. If that is because you are innocent, I commend you; but if it is because you have force at your disposal, do you not understand what a man who has no fear of the courts on those terms ought to fear?

116 If you do not fear brave men and outstanding citizens because weapons keep them from your person, believe me, your own people will not bear with you much longer. And what sort of life is it to fear one’s own people day and night? Unless, of course, you have bound them to you by greater favors than Caesar bestowed on some of the men who killed him—or unless you are in any respect to be compared with him. He had talent, judgment, memory, learning, care, reflection, diligence. He had achieved great things in war, disastrous though they were for the republic. He had contemplated kingship for many years and, through immense labor and immense dangers, accomplished his design. With gladiatorial shows, monuments, public gifts, and banquets he had charmed the unthinking multitude. He had bound his own followers to him with rewards, his opponents with the appearance of mercy. Why say more? Partly through fear, partly through submission, he had already brought a free state into the habit of slavery.

115 Remember the day you abolished the dictatorship, Antony. Picture the Senate and Rome’s people rejoicing. Compare that with the buying and selling you and your people do now. Then you’ll understand how praise differs from profit. Some people are sick, and their senses grow numb. They can’t taste how good food is. It’s the same with lustful, greedy, criminal men. They can’t taste real praise. But suppose praise can’t draw you toward doing right. Can’t fear at least turn you away from the most disgusting deeds? You aren’t afraid of trials. If that’s because you’re innocent, I applaud you. But what if you rely on force instead? Don’t you understand what that leaves you to fear?

116 Perhaps you don’t fear brave men and outstanding citizens. Your armed guards keep them away from you. But your own people won’t put up with you much longer. Believe me. What kind of life is that? Fearing your own men day and night? Unless you’ve bound them with greater favors than Caesar gave some of his killers. Or unless you’re in any way his equal. He had talent, judgment, memory, and learning. He took care, thought things through, and worked hard. He’d done great things in war, though they brought disaster to the republic. He’d spent many years planning to be king. He achieved his plan through huge effort and great risks. He won over the unthinking crowd with gladiatorial shows, monuments, cash handouts, and banquets. He tied his men to him with rewards. He tied his enemies to him by seeming merciful. Why go on? He’d already got a free state used to slavery. Fear helped, and so did tolerance.