Excerpt from Philippic II: A Translation
Did he, then, intend to vie with me in an oratorical contest? This indeed is a favour. Why, what favour is more ample, what more lavish, than for me to speak at the same moment on my own behalf and in opposition to Antonius? It is this assuredly: he did not think it could be demonstrated to men of his own stamp that he was his country's foe, unless he was my opponent.3. But before I give him my answer on the other counts, I will say a few words on the friendship which he charges me with having outraged, a charge which I hold to be most serious.
II. He complained that on some occasion or other I came into court in opposition to his interests. Was I, then, not to come against a stranger on behalf of an intimate and relative? Was I not to come to oppose influence gained not by the confidence of merit, but by youth and beauty? - to counteract an injustice which my opponent upheld by the favour of a most unscrupulous tribunes veto, and not by the praetors' code? But I fancy this was mentioned by you with this purpose, to recommend yourself to the meanest estate, while every one recalled to mind that you are the son-in-law of a freedman, and that your children were grandchildren of Quintus Fadius, a freedman. "Yes, but you had surrendered yourself to my training" - for so you said; - you had frequented my house. Really, had you done so, you would have done better for your good name, better for your chastity. But neither did you do so, nor, if you had the fancy, would you have been allowed to do so by Gaius Curio. 4. You said that you resigned in my favour your candidature for the augurs office. What incredible effrontery! what memorable shamelessness! Why, at the moment Cnaeus Pompeius and Quintus Hortensius pro posed me at the earnest request of the whole college - nor indeed was it permissible to be proposed by more than two - you were insolvent, and did not think you could be preserved in any way except by the overthrow of the republic.
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