7.
[20]
For what is there that is especially to be guarded against in the establishment of
colonies? If it be luxury—Capua
corrupted Hannibal himself. If it be pride—that appears from the general arrogance
of the Campanians to be innate there. If we want a bulwark for the state—then I
say, that Capua is not placed in front of this
city as an outwork, but is opposed to it as an enemy. But how is it armed? O ye immortal
gods! For in the Punic war all the power that Capua had, it had from its unassisted resources; but now, all the cities which
are around Capua will be occupied by colonists, by
the order of these same decemvirs. For, for this reason, the law itself allows,
“that the decemvirs may lead whoever they please as settlers to every town which
they choose.” And it orders the Campanian district, and that of Stella, to be divided among these colonists.
[21]
I do not complain of the diminution of the revenues; nor
of the wickedness of this loss and injury. I pass over those things which there is no one who
cannot complain of with the greatest weight and the greatest truth; that we have not been
able to preserve the most important part of the public patrimony of the state, that which has
been to us the source of our supply of corn, our granary in time of war, our revenue placed
under custody of the seals and bolts of the republic; that we, in short, have abandoned that
district to Publius Rullus, which itself by its own resources had resisted both the absolute
power of Sulla, and the corrupting liberality of the Gracchi. I do not say that, now that so
much has been lost, this is the only revenue which remains in the republic; the only one
which, while other sources of income are interrupted, does not fail us; the only one which is
splendid in peace, is; not worn out in war; which supports our soldiery, and is not afraid of
our enemies. I pass over all this which I might say; I reserve that for the assembly of the
people. I am speaking now of the danger to our safety and to our liberty.
[22]
For what do you think will remain to you unimpaired in the whole republic,
or in your liberty, or in your dignity, when Rullus, and those whom you are much more afraid
of than you are of Rullus, with his whole band of needy and unprincipled men, with all his
forces, with all his silver and gold, shall have occupied Capua and the cities around Capua?
These things, O conscript fathers, I will resist eagerly and vigorously; and I will not
permit men, while I am consul, to bring forth those plans against the republic which they
have long been meditating.
[23]
You made a great mistake, O Rullus, you and some of your
colleagues, when you hoped that, in being in opposition to a consul who studied the interests
of the people in reality, not by making a vain parade of so doing, you would be able to gain
popularity while overturning the republic. I challenge you; I invite you to the assembly; I
will accept the Roman people as an umpire between us
M. Tullius Cicero. The Orations of Marcus Tullius Cicero, literally translated by C. D. Yonge, B. A. London. Henry G. Bohn, York Street, Covent Garden. 1856.
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