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YEE men of Rome, many reasons dis∣swade me from you, if the care of the Republicke did not surmount them all: as the strength of the Faction, your patience, & want of Iustice; but spe∣cially that Innocence hath more danger, then Ho∣nour: for it greeues me
verily to relate, how these fifteene yeeres, you haue beene the scoffe of some few mens pride, how poorely and vnreuenged your protectours peri∣shed: so that through slouth and cowardice your spirits are tainted: who not euen now, rouze vp your selues against these obnoxious enemies; but withall ye feare those, whose terrour ye ought to bee: yet howsoeuer these things stand, my mind is perforce re∣solued to oppose the power of the Faction. Surely I will make an ex∣perience of that liberty, which descended to me from my father; but whe∣ther
I shal do this in vaine or to the purpose, it lye in your hands, O ye Ro∣manes!
Neither doe I perswade you, which our Ance∣stours haue often done that you should incounter iniuries with Armes there is no need of force, nor of disunion: requisite it is, that they should runne headlong in their owne courses. Tiberius Graccus being slaine, (whom they reported to ayme at the Kingdom) grie∣uous informations were preferred against the Cō∣monalty of Rome. Besides after the murther of C. Graccus, and M. Fuluius, many men of your ranke
were slaine in prison. Of both these massacres, not law, but their lust limited the period.
But verily it shall be making way to the King∣dome, to restore the Com∣mons to their owne: what∣soeuer reuenge cannot be exercised without ciuill blood, let it be thought rightfully done.
In these former yeeres you were secretly offen∣ded, that the Treasury should be pillaged, that Kings and Free-states should bee tributaries to some few Noble men: that with them should remaine the highest honour, and greatest weath: yet to haue committed these so
great outrages without impunity, they haue made it a matter of small ac∣count. Therefore at lēgth the Lawes, your Maiesty, all diuine, and humane priuiledges are betrayed vnto your enemies: nei∣ther are they, who haue done thus, either ashamed or greeued: but they braue it in pompe euen to your teeth: some vanting their Priesthoodes, and Consul∣ships, othersome their Triumphs: as though for∣sooth they had these for markes of honour, not of rapine.
Slaues bought with mo∣ny doe not well disgest the vniust commaunds of their Masters: doe you
(O yee Romans) borne to command, with patience suffer seruitude? But who are those, who haue vsur∣ped vpon the Common-wealth? The worst of men, whose hands are bloody, whose Auarice is infinite, being most no∣cent, and withall most in∣solent: by whom faith, ho∣nour, and religion, finally all things honest & disho∣nest are accounted lawfull sales. One part of them for killing the Tribunes of the people: others for wrongfull examinations, the most part for murde∣rous plots against you, challenge protections for themselues. Thus, by how much euery man hath
done worst, by so much the more is he safe. The terrour of this they haue transferred from their owne wickednesse to your cowardice. All of whom it hath combined in one to desire, hate, and feare alike. But this amongst good men is friendship, amongst euill faction.
But if you had so great a care of liberty, as they are ambitious to rule, without doubt the Com∣mon-wealth should not, as it is now; bee wasted; and your benefits should be bestowed vpon the best, not the boldest. Your An∣cestours for procuring their right, and establish∣ing their greatnesse, twice
disuniting themselues, in warrelike manner posses∣sed mount Auentine: will not you for the liberty, which yee haue receiued from them, striue with your best indeauours? and by so much the more ea∣gerly, by how much it is a greater dishonour, to lose acquisitions, then to acquire nothing at all.
Some man will say, What therefore is to bee done? doe you giue sen∣tence to take reuenge vp∣on them, who haue betray∣ed the Common-wealth to the enemie? not by the hand, nor by violence, which is more vnworthy for you to doe, then for them to suffer? but by the
examination and confessi∣on of Iugurth himselfe, who if he surrenders himselfe, no doubt but he will obey your commands: but if he contemnes them, then shall you make a true con∣iecture, what manner of peace, or surrender that may be; by which to Iu∣gurth impunity of his vil∣lanies, to some fewe great men the greatest riches, to the Cōmon-wealth dam∣mage and dishonour doth redound.
Except perchance as yet the same pleasure of their tiranny doth possesse you: and those former times delight you more then these, in which King∣domes, Prouinces, lawes,
rights, iudgements, wars, and peace; finally all di∣uine and human rights were in the power of some fewe. But yee, that is, the Romane people, being vn∣uanquished by your ene∣mies, and the rulers of all Nations, thought it enough for your selues to liue: for seruitude which of you durst to refuse?
And though I thinke it most loathsome to a man, to suffer wrong without reuenge, yet could I en∣dure with patience, that you should pardon these notorious malefactours, because they are Cit••i∣zens; if this mercy would not ••urne to your ruine. For with them it workes
small effects, (how much importunity soeuer they haue,) that they haue of∣fended without punish∣ment, except a farther li∣berty of ill doing be taken from them: and with you an euerlasting vexation shall remaine, when you consider that you must either serue, or maintaine your liberty by Armes.
For of faith and con∣cord, what hopes are there? They would Lord it, you would bee free: they would doe wrong, you would restraine it: last of all your Alies they vse like enemies, and your enemies like Alies. Can peace and friendship
dwell together in such dif∣ferent affections?
For which cause I doe ad∣monish and perswade you, that yee doe not without impunity sleight so great an offence. This is no rob∣bery of the Common trea∣sure: neither perforce are moneyes extorted from our Confederates: which crimes, although they are grieuous, yet through cu∣stome, now they are estee∣med nothing. To a most mercilesse enemy, the au∣thority of the Senate is betrayed, your Soue∣raignety is betrayed. In peace and warre the Com∣mon-wealth hath beene set to sale. Which abuses except they be questio∣ned,
except punishment be inflicted vpon the of∣fenders; what will remaine further, but that we must liue slaues to them who haue done these things. For with impunitie to doe what you list, that is to be a King.
Neither doe I (ye Ro∣manes) perswade you, that at this time ye should rather wish your Cittizēs to doe amisse, then well; but that by pardoning the wicked, you doe not seeke to ruine the good. Besides, in a Common-wealth, it is better policy by farre, to be vnmindfull of a bene∣fit, then of an offence. A good man onely growes more slowe, when you neglect him:
a wicked man farre worse: More-ouer if iniuries cease, you shall haue no need of helpe.
By the frequent de∣liuery of these, and such like speeches, C. Memmius perswaded the people of Rome, that L. Cassius who was then Praetour, should bee sent to Iugurth: and vpon the assurance of the publicke faith, should conduct him to Rome, that more plainely by the Kings confession, the delinquencies of Scau∣rus, and of the rest, whom bribes had suborned, might appeare to all men.