§1.16.8ac vide quanto diligentius homines metuant quam meminerint, quia Antonius vivat atque in armis sit, de Caesare vero quod fieri potuit ac debuit transactum est neque iam revocari in integrum potest.
And see how much more diligently men fear than they remember, because Antonius is alive and in arms, whereas regarding Caesar, what could and should have been done is finished and can no longer be restored to its original state.
Octavius is est qui quid de nobis iudicaturus sit exspectet populus Romanus;
Is Octavius the one whose judgment about us the Roman people should await?
nos ii sumus de quorum salute unus homo rogandus videatur? ego vero, ut istoc revertar, is sum qui non modo non supplicem sed etiam coerceam postulantis ut sibi supplicetur.
Are we those for whose safety a single man seems to have to be petitioned? But I, to return to that point of yours, am one who would not only not supplicate, but would even restrain those who demand that they be supplicated.
aut longe a servientibus abero mihique esse iudicabo Romam ubicumque liberum esse licebit, ac vestri miserebor quibus nec aetas neque honores nec virtus aliena dulcedinem vivendi minuere potuerit.
Either I shall be far away from those who serve and shall judge that Rome is wherever it will be permitted to be free, and I shall pity you, whom neither age nor honors nor another's virtue could diminish the sweetness of living.
§1.16.9mihi quidem ita beatus esse videbor, si modo constanter ac perpetuo placebit hoc consilium ut relatam putem gratiam pietati meae.
As for me, I shall indeed seem to myself so happy, provided this resolve pleases me constantly and perpetually, that I shall think a return has been made to my piety.
quid enim est melius quam memoria recte factorum et libertate contentum neglegere humana? sed certe non succumbam succumbentibus nec vincar ab iis qui se vinci volunt experiarque et temptabo omnia neque desistam abstrahere a servitio civitatem nostram.
For what is better than, content with the memory of right deeds and with freedom, to disregard human affairs? But I will certainly not yield to those who yield, nor be conquered by those who wish to be conquered; and I will try and essay all things, nor will I cease to drag our state away from servitude.
si secuta fuerit quae debet fortuna, gaudebimus omnes; si minus, ego tamen gaudebo.
If the fortune that ought to follow does follow, we shall all rejoice; if not, I shall rejoice nonetheless.
quibus enim potius haec vita factis aut cogitationibus traducatur quam iis quae pertinuerint ad liberandos civis meos?
For by what deeds or thoughts should this life rather be passed than by those which have pertained to liberating my fellow citizens?
§1.16.10te, Cicero, rogo atque hortor ne defetigere neu diffidas, semper in praesentibus malis prohibendis futura quoque explores ne se, nisi ante sit occursum, insinuent.
I ask and exhort you, Cicero, not to grow weary nor to lose heart, always to explore the future as well while preventing present evils, lest they insinuate themselves unless they are met beforehand.
fortem et liberum animum, quo et consul et nunc consularis rem publicam vindicasti, sine constantia et aequabilitate nullum esse putaris.
Think that the brave and free mind, with which both as consul and now as a consular you have defended the republic, is nothing without constancy and uniformity.
fateor enim duriorem esse condicionem spectatae virtutis quam incognitae.
For I confess that the condition of proven virtue is harder than that of unknown virtue.
bene facta pro debitis exigimus, quae aliter eveniunt ut decepti ab iis infesto animo reprehendimus.
We demand good deeds as duties, and when they turn out otherwise, we censure them with hostile minds as if deceived by them.
itaque resistere Antonio Ciceronem, etsi maxima laude dignum est, tamen, quia ille consul hunc consularem merito praestare videtur, nemo admiratur; §1.16.11idem Cicero, si flexerit adversus alios iudicium suum quod tanta firmitate ac magnitudine direxit in exturbando Antonio, non modo reliqui temporis gloriam eripuerit sibi sed etiam praeterita evanescere coget.
Therefore, that Cicero resists Antonius, although it is worthy of the greatest praise, yet, because that consul seems rightly to exhibit the duty to this consular, no one wonders at it; the same Cicero, if he warps against others his judgment which he directed with such firmness and greatness in driving out Antonius, will not only have snatched from himself the glory of his remaining time, but will also force his past glory to vanish.
nihil enim per se amplum est nisi in quo iudici ratio exstat.
For nothing is grand in itself except that in which the reason of judgment is apparent.
quin neminem magis decet rem publicam amare libertatisque defensorem esse vel ingenio vel rebus gestis vel studio atque efflagitatione omnium.
Indeed, it becomes no one more to love the republic and to be a defender of freedom, whether by talent, or by deeds, or by the zeal and demand of all.
qua re non Octavius est rogandus ut velit nos salvos esse, magis tute te exsuscita, ut eam civitatem in qua maxima gessisti liberam atque honestam fore putes, si modo sint populo duces ad resistendum improborum consiliis.
Wherefore Octavius is not to be petitioned to wish us to be safe; rather, rouse yourself, so that you may believe that the state in which you performed the greatest deeds will be free and honorable, provided only the people have leaders to resist the counsels of wicked men.