Page:Cicero And The Fall Of The Roman Republic.djvu/469

43 B.C.] his name, is this your object that the condemnation of Dolabella shall be ratified? that this other assassin here shall be relieved from my blockade? that Cassius and Brutus shall be all-powerful? . . . It is hardly likely that those who have declared Dolabella an enemy for his most righteous act, will spare me who am heart and soul along with him ! . . . Consider within yourself which is the more proper course, and which the more useful for our side, to avenge the death of Cæsar or the death of Trebonius, and whether it is more right for us to battle with each other that the crushed cause of the Pompeians may revive again, or to come to terms and cease to make sport for our enemies." Antony says that Cicero looks on like a lanista, or trainer, who has set a brace of gladiators to fight, sure to profit whichever falls, and this in fact bluntly represents the real state of the case. The single chance for Cicero and the Senate was that Antony and Octavian should weaken each other and hold each other in check, until the Republic could possess itself of an effective army of its own.

It was obvious then that the young Cæsar's quarrel with Antony admitted of accommodation. So soon as he had compelled Antony to acknowledge his power and to treat with him as an equal, he had no desire to crush him, and their union against the Republic only awaited time and opportunity. The position of Octavian was greatly strengthened by the death of both the consuls in the moment of victory before Mutina; he retained all the veteran troops under his command, and Decimus