tted against by my dearest friend and
have been thrust into a conflict against my will, though I have committed
no crime nor even error? What virtue, what friendship shall henceforth be
deemed secure after this experience of mine? Has not faith, has not hope
perished? If the danger were mine alone, I should give the matter no
heed,--I was not born to be immortal,--but since there has been a public
secession (or rather obsession) and war is fastening its clutches upon all
of us alike, I should desire, were it possible, to invite Cassius here and
argue the case with him in your presence or in the presence of the senate;
and I would gladly, without a contest, withdraw from my office in his
favor, if this seemed to be for the public advantage. For it is on behalf
of the public that I continue to toil and undergo dangers and have spent
so much time yonder outside of Italy, during mature manhood and now in old
age and weakness, though I can not take food without pain nor get sleep
free from anxiety.

[Sidenote:--25--] "But since Cassius would never be willing to agree to
this (for how could he trust me after having shown himself so
untrustworthy towards me?), you, at least, fellow-soldiers, ought to be of
good cheer. Cilicians, Syrians, Jews and Egyptians have never proved your
superiors nor shall so prove, even if they assemble in numbers ten times
your own, whereas they are now by the same proportion inferior. Nor yet
would Cassius himself now appear worthy of any particular consideration,
however much he may seem to possess the qualities of generalship, however
many successes he may seem to have gained. An eagle is not formidable at
the head of an army of daws, nor a lion commanding fawns; and it was not
Cassius, but you, that brought to an end the Arabian or the famous
Parthian War. Again, even though he is renowned as a result of his
achievements against the Parthians, yet you have Verus, who has won more
victories than he and has acquired more territory in a not less, but more
distinguished manner.--But probably he has already changed his mind, on
hearing that I am alive, for surely he has done this on no other
assumption than that I was dead. And if he resists still further, yet when
he learns that we are approaching, he will surely hesitate both out of
fear of you and out of respect for me.

[Sidenote:--26--] "There is only one thing I fear, fellow-soldiers (you
shall be told the whole truth), and that is that he may