Philippics Passage 30

Lucius quidem frater eius, utpote qui peregre depugnarit, familiam ducit. sit per se ipse sanus, quod numquam erit: per hos esse ei tamen non licebit. teretur interea tempus; belli apparatus refrigescent. Vnde est adhuc bellum tractum nisi ex retardatione et mora? Vt primum post discessum latronis vel potius desperatam fugam libere senatus haberi potuit, semper flagitavi ut convocaremur. quo die primum convocati sumus, adfui ipse , cum designati consules non adessent, ieci sententia mea maximo vestro consensu fundamenta rei publicae, serius omnino quam decuit - nec enim ante potui - sed tamen si ex eo tempore dies nullus intermissus esset, bellum profecto nullum haberemus.

His brother Lucius, naturally enough for a man who fought abroad, leads the household. Suppose Antonius were sane in himself, which he never will be: these men would still not permit him to remain so. Meanwhile time will be worn away and preparations for war will grow cold. What has prolonged the war until now except delay and postponement? As soon as the Senate could meet freely after the brigand's departure, or rather his despairing flight, I continually demanded that we be summoned. On the first day we were summoned, I attended although the consuls designate were absent, and by my opinion, with your overwhelming agreement, laid the foundations of the republic. It was altogether later than it should have been, for I could not act earlier, but if no day had been allowed to pass from that time onward, we would certainly have no war.

Son frère Lucius, parce qu’il a combattu à l’étranger, tient naturellement la tête de la maisonnée. Supposons Antoine sain d’esprit par lui-même, ce qui n’arrivera jamais: ces hommes ne lui permettraient pourtant pas de le rester. Entre-temps, le temps s’usera et les préparatifs de guerre se refroidiront. D’où vient que la guerre se soit prolongée jusqu’ici, sinon des retards et des délais? Dès qu’après le départ du brigand, ou plutôt sa fuite désespérée, le Sénat put se réunir librement, je demandai sans cesse notre convocation. Le premier jour où nous fûmes convoqués, je fus présent, bien que les consuls désignés ne le fussent pas, et, dans l’accord presque unanime de votre assemblée, je jetai par mon avis les fondements de la république. Ce fut certes plus tard qu’il n’aurait fallu, car je n’avais pu le faire auparavant; mais si depuis ce moment aucun jour n’avait été perdu, nous n’aurions assurément aucune guerre.