13.
[28]
And all this shall be so done, O Romans, that affairs of the greatest importance shall be
transacted with the least possible disturbance; the greatest dangers shall be avoided without
any tumult; an internal civil war the most cruel and terrible in the memory of man, shall be
put an end to by me alone in the robe of peace acting as general and commander-in-chief. And
this I will so arrange, O Romans, that if it can be by any means managed, even the most
worthless man shall not suffer the punishment of his crimes in this city. But if the violence
of open audacity, if danger impending over the republic drives me of necessity from this
merciful disposition, at all events I will manage this, which seems scarcely even to be hoped
for in so great and so treacherous a war, that no good man shall fall, and that you may all
be saved by the punishment of a few.
[29]
And I promise you this, O Romans, relying neither on my own prudence, nor on human
counsels, but on many and manifest intimations of the will of the immortal gods; under whose
guidance I first entertained this hope and this opinion; who are now defending their temples
and the houses of the city, not afar off, as they were used to, from a foreign and distant
enemy, but here on the spot, by their own divinity and present help. And you, O Romans, ought
to pray to and implore them to defend from the nefarious wickedness of abandoned citizens,
now that all the forces of all enemies are defeated by land and sea, this city which they
have ordained to be the most beautiful and flourishing of all cities.
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