but especially that he has taken away four hundred thousand sesterces out of Sicily contrary to the laws. We will make this so plain to you by witnesses, by private documents, and by public records, that you shall decide that, even if we had abundant space and leisure days for making a long speech without any inconvenience, still there was no need at all of a long speech in this matter.
II
IN OPPOSITION TO A NEW AGRARIAN LAW[1]
(61 B.C.)
After a very long interval, almost beyond the memory of our times, you have for the first time made me, a new man, consul; and you have opened that rank which the nobles have held strengthened by guards, and fenced round in every possible manner, in my instance first, and have resolved that it should in future be open to virtue. Nor have you only made me consul, tho that is of itself a most honorable thing, but you have made me so in such a way as very few nobles in this city have ever been made consuls before in, and no new man whatever before me.
For, in truth, if you please to recollect, you
71
- ↑ Delivered to the people in the Roman forum; Cicero's second oration on the same subject, the first having been delivered in the senate. Translated by Charles Duke Yonge. Abridged.
