The workes of Caius Crispus Salustius contayning the Conspiracie of Cateline The Warre of Iugurth. V. bookes of historicall fragments. II orations to Cæsar for the institution of a co[m]monwealth and one against Cicero.

The Oration of SALVST, against CICERO.

GReeuously, and with an of∣fended minde should I suf∣fer thy reprochfull speeches, O M. Tullius, if I knew that thou didst vse this thy petulancy more out of iudgement, then a braine∣sicke humour. But because in thee I finde neither meane nor modesty; I will answer thee, that if thou hast taken any pleasure in speaking ill, thou mayst loose that by hearing as bad.

Where shall I complaine? whom shall I implore, (O ye Conscript Fathers) that the Cōmonwealth is wasted, and become the subiect of trechery for euery man, that is most audacious? whether a∣mongst the Romane people, who are so corrupted with Largesses, that they hold themselues, and their fortunes venals: whether a∣mongst you (O ye Conscript Fa∣thers) whose authority is growne a laughing stocke for all the worst and wickedst of men; where M. Tullius defends the Lawes and iudgements of the people of Rome, and doth so moderate it this order, as if he were the onely remainder of the family of that most renowned man Scipio the African, and were not an vpstart, au Inmate, not long since natura∣lized into this Citty?

Whether or no, M. T. are thy deedes, and words obscure? hast thou not liued so from thy child∣hood, that thou thoughtest no

thing filthy for thy body, which might please anothers lust? For∣sooth didst thou not learne that immoderate eloquence of M. Pi∣so, with the losse of thy modesty? Therefore it is not much to bee wondred at, that thou sellest that wickedly, which thou procuredst most lewdly.

But as I thinke, domesticke splendour exalteth thy minde: thy wife is sacrilegious, and stai∣ned with periuries. Thy daughter is a Concubine to her mothers preiudice, more pleasing and ob∣sequious to thee, then is fit she should be to a father. Thou hast gotten a house with violence, and rapine, fatall for thee, and thine: that indeed thou mightst admo∣nish vs how much the Common∣wealth is changed, since thou (O thou most wicked man) dwellest in that house, which belonged to M. Crassus a Consular person.

And when these things are so, Cicero saith, he hath beene in the

Counsell of the immortall gods, and was sent from thence to this Citty, for a protectour of the Ci∣tizens; without giuing him the name of hangman, who accounts the Republicks dāmage his owne glory: as though thy Consulship was not the cause of that conspira∣cy, & by that meanes the Cōmon∣wealth was disioynted, at what time it had thee for a protectour.

But I coniecture, those things extoll thee more, which after thy Consulship, thou didst aduise with Terentia thy wise about the Commonwealth, when at home yee contriued the iudgements of the Plaution Law: when thou condemnedst some of the Con∣spiratours to die, others to pay money: when this man built the Tusculan for thee, that other the Pompeian village another bought a house. But he that could doe nothing, was next to calumniati∣on; he either came to assault thy house, or laid in wait for the Se∣nate;

finally, some thing was found out against him by thee.

Which if I obiect falsely a∣gainst thee, giue an account, how much Patrimony thou didst re∣ceiue? what hath accrued to thee from pleading? out of what mo∣ney thou didst purchase thy house: thou buildedst thy Tuscu∣lan and Pompeian, with infinite expence. Otherwise, if thou art silent, to whom can it be doubt∣full, that thou gottest that wealth out of the blood, and bowels of the Citizens?

But as I conceiue, this new man of Arpinum, extracted from the family of Caius Marius, imi¦tates his vertue, he continueth the faction of the Nobility, he hath a care of the Romaue people, he is not moued with feare, nor fauour. But is this an argument onely of his amity, and mentall vertue? Yes verily this most inconstant man is suppliant to his Enemies, contumelious to his friends, some∣times

of this, sometimes of that faction; he is faithfull to no man; a most light Senatour, a mercinary Patron, no part of whose body is free from filthinesse; his tongue is vaine, his hands are rauenous, his throate is vnsatiable, his feete are fugitiue. And he, when as he is such a man, yet hee dares to say:

O happy Rome, me being Con∣sull borne!

Happy thee being Consull Ci∣cero? Yea rather vnhappy and wretched, which suffredst as then, the most cruell poscription of her Citizens, when as thou, the Com∣monwealth being disturbed, didst inforce all good men amazed with terrour, to obey thy Tyran∣ny: when all iudgements, all Lawes were swayed by thy lust: when as the Portian Law being remoued, & liberty taken away, thou didst appropriate to thy selfe alone the power of all our liues and deaths.

Thou shalt doe (I prethee Ci∣cero) thou shalt accomplish what thou wilt: it is inough for vs, that we haue suffered: but as yet wilt thou loade our eares with thy hatred? as yet wilt thou pro∣secute vs with these vnsufferable words?

Armes yeeld to Gownes, Bayes to the tongue giue place.

As though forsooth, gowned, and not armed, thou hadst perfor∣med those things, of which thou doest glory; and that there were any difference betwixt thee, and Sylla the dictatour, besides the name of command?

But what should I relate more of thy iusolency? whom Miner∣ua hath taught al her Arts, whom the best and greatest Iuputer hath admitted into the Counsell of the gods, whom Italy, being banished, brought backe on her shoulders. I beseech thee▪ O thou Romulus of Arpinū, what place at length ob∣ainest thou in the Citty? what

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counterfeit and dissemble deepely: greedy he was of other mens goods, prodi∣gall of his owne, in lust vn∣satiable. He had eloquence enough, but little wise∣dome. His vast mind did euermore desire things im∣moderate, incredible, and ouer difficult.

After the tyrannicall go∣uernement of Silla, he had a great desire to vsurpe vp∣on the Commonwealth, neither did he care whether it were by right or wrong, so that he might attaine the soueraigne rule. His rest∣lesse spirit was daily more and more disquieted through his priuate wants, and guilty conscience, both

which increased in him by the meanes before recited: besides, the corrupted mā∣ners of the Citty, serued for incentiues to his ambi∣tion, and these were tur∣moiled by the worst of op∣posite euils, Luxury and Couetousnesse. And now, because wee haue related some thing of the States deprauation, the opportu∣nity it selfe seemes to inuite vs vnto the repetition of things forepast, and in them to deliuer the institutions of our Ancestours, both Ciuil and Military, the forme of gouernment, which they vsed in the Cōmonwealth, and the greatnesse with which they left it to poste∣rity, and how this glorious

Republique, languishing by degrees, did degenerate into a vile & ignominious tyranny.