Tullies Oration to the Senate.

COnscript Fathers and graue Senators of Room, I was borne in Arpinatum of base parentage, the first of the Ciceroes that euer pleaded in Rostro, or bare title in the city. If then aduanced by your fauours to these fortunes, I should aspire without proportion to clime beyonde my degrée, let me be the first and last whose pre∣sumption shall grow to this preiudice. The temple of Ia∣nus in Roome hath hir gates shut, the s•reetes are full of armed men, the stones of the Capitol blusheth at the bloud of Romaines shed against hir walles: and all this mutiny (cry mine aduersaries) growes from Tully. Not that Tully was then out of his bedde, but that men of poore families lifted vp to honor are soonest bitten with enuy. I appeale graue Senatours for my life to your owne censures: if e∣uer I haue not béene more carefull to profit my country, then desirous of preferment for my labours. But what Page  77 then say the people is cause of such broy•es, Terentia the daughter of Flaminius, that firebrand that set Troy to cin∣ders. Beauty is like to bring Roome to confusion: For the greatest houses and families are diuided, the Lentuly and Vatinij, and this for Terentia. Let the cause be examined before the Senators, and as they heare so let them doome, Lentulus chosen by the Senate, was sent Captaine euer many Legions against the Parthians, where he tyed for∣tune to his thoughtes: and by his great victories and con∣quests set vp trophées of Romaine chiualry. Returning with glory to Roome, hauing set in his place Lepidus, he was enamonred not onely of the beauty but vertues of Terentia: the fame of whose excellency was spred amongst the Parthians. Coueting to match with so honourable a Lady, he courted hir, but in vaine: not that shée disdained Lentulus, but that shée had fixed hir fancy before shée sawe Lentulus: and the platforme of loue is able to receiue but one impression. If honours, if conquestes, if parentage, if reuenewes, if courage, if goods of fortune, body, or minde, might haue woonne Terentia, al this was vnited in young Lentulus: But Loue that liketh without exceptions, had ouerbard hir heart with such former fancies, as the passio∣nate sute of Lentulus coulde haue no entrance. His thoughtes were extreame, and the disquiet of his minde brought a disease to his body. But when he knew that Te∣rentia loued his friend, he appeased his passions, and rested content with his fortunes. The vnconstant goddesse whose smyles are ouershadowed frowns, not contēt honor should spring vp without enuy: sends Terentia to walke abroade towards Arpinatum where then Fabius liued, as famous for his rusticke and vnciuile life, as now he is woondred at for his braue and courtly behauiour. Spying Terentia hee was as Lentulus snared in hir beautie, that the Romains to report a miracle said loue made him of a clowne braue & resolute gentleman. The excellencie of Terentia hauing newe pollished nature in Fabius, hee sues for hir fauour, but hir thoughtes that were forepointed with other pas∣sions, Page  78 intreates him to bridle affection and to make a con∣quest of himselfe by subduing the force of fancie, séeing hir resolution was directed to loue none but one, and that was Tullie. This worde graue Senators and Romaynes sounding basely in the eares of Fabius, caused him take armes, and Lentulus to defende his friend Cicero, as for him before had lost his loue, so he ment to loose his life and withstoode him in the face. Thus grew this mutinie not against beautie for it is a cheefe good of it selfe, nor against Tullie for hee is meane and vnworthie to bee re∣uenged by armes, but against Terentia because shee vouchsafed to loue Tulllie. This Romaines is the cause of this mutinie to suppresse which let Tullie die, for rather had he pacifie this striffe by death then sée the meanest Romaine fall on the sword. The common people at this began to murmour, pleased with the plausible Oration of Tullie, which one of the Senators seeing, stoode vp and saide thus. Terentia? Cicero here hath shewed reasons why thou shouldst loue Lentulus and Fabius, but what reason canst thou infer to loue so meane a man as Tullie. Terentia blushing made this answere. Before so honora∣ble an audience as these graue Senators and worthy Ro∣mayne Citizens womens reasons would seeme no rea∣sons, especially in loue which is without reason, there∣fore I onely yeld this reason, I loue Cicero not able to ra∣tefie my affection with anie strong reason, because loue is not circumscript within reasons limits, but if it please the Senate to pacifie this mutinie, let Terentia leaue to liue, because she cannot leaue to loue and onely to loue Cicero. At this she wept and stayned hir face with such a pleasing vermilion die, that the people shouted none but Cicero. Whereupon before the Senate Tully and Terentia were betrothed, Lentulus and Fabius made friends, and the one named Lentulus as the Annales make mention mari∣ed to Flauia, and Fabius wedded to the worthy Cornelia.