Philippiques Passage 4

quis est enim qui hoc non intellegat, nisi Caesar exercitum paravisset, non sine exitio nostro futurum Antoni reditum fuisse? ita enim se recipiebat ardens odio vestri, cruentus sanguine civium Romanorum quos Suessae, quos Brundisi occiderat ut nihil nisi de pernicie populi Romani cogitaret . quod autem praesidium erat salutis libertatisque vestrae, si C. Caesaris fortissimorum sui patris militum exercitus non fuisset? cuius de laudibus et honoribus qui ei pro divinis et immortalibus meritis divini immortalesque debentur mihi senatus adsensus paulo ante decrevit ut primo quoque tempore referretur.

Who does not understand that, if Caesar had not raised an army, Antony's return would have brought our destruction? He was returning ablaze with hatred of you, stained with the blood of Roman citizens whom he had killed at Suessa and Brundisium, thinking of nothing but the ruin of the Roman people. What defense would your safety and liberty have possessed if there had been no army of Gaius Caesar, composed of his father's bravest soldiers? Concerning the praises and honors owed him for his divine and immortal services, themselves divine and immortal, the Senate, agreeing with me, decreed a little earlier that the matter should be referred at the earliest opportunity.

Qui ne comprend, en effet, que si César n’avait pas préparé une armée, le retour d’Antoine aurait entraîné notre perte? Il revenait brûlant de haine contre vous, couvert du sang des citoyens romains qu’il avait tués à Suessa et à Brindes, au point de ne songer qu’à la destruction du peuple romain. Quel rempart restait-il pour votre salut et votre liberté, sans l’armée de C. César, composée des très courageux soldats de son père? Quant aux éloges et aux honneurs divins et immortels qui lui sont dus pour des services divins et immortels, le Sénat, sur ma proposition, a décidé tout à l’heure que la question lui en serait soumise le plus tôt possible.