Philippiques Passage 18

at hanc pestem agmen armatorum sequebatur; Crassicius , mustela , Tiro, gladios ostentantes, sui similis greges ducebant per forum; certum agminis locum tenebant barbari sagittarii. cum autem erat ventum ad aedem Concordiae, gradus complebantur, lecticae conlocabantur, non quo ille scuta occulta esse vellet, sed ne familiares, si scuta ipsi ferrent, laborarent. illud vero taeterrimum non modo aspectu sed etiam auditu , in cella Concordiae conlocari armatos, latrones, sicarios; de templo carcerem fieri; opertis valvis Concordiae, cum inter subsellia senatus versarentur latrones, patres conscriptos sententias dicere.

But this plague was followed by a column of armed men. Crassicius, Mustela, and Tiro, flaunting their swords, led gangs like themselves through the Forum. Barbarian archers held a fixed place in the column. When they reached the temple of Concord, the steps were filled and litters positioned, not because he wished the shields to be concealed, but so that his intimates would not tire from carrying the shields themselves. Yet the most loathsome thing, not only to see but even to hear of, was that armed men, brigands, and assassins were stationed in Concord's sanctuary; that a temple was turned into a prison; that with Concord's doors closed and brigands moving among the senators' benches, the senators delivered their opinions.

Mais ce fléau était suivi d’une colonne d’hommes armés. Crassicius, Mustela et Tiro, exhibant leurs épées, conduisaient à travers le Forum des bandes de leurs pareils; les archers barbares occupaient une place déterminée dans la colonne. Lorsqu’on arrivait au temple de la Concorde, on remplissait les degrés et l’on disposait les litières, non qu’Antoine voulût dissimuler les boucliers, mais afin d’épargner à ses familiers la peine de les porter eux-mêmes. Et quelle abomination, non seulement à voir, mais même à entendre: placer dans la cella de la Concorde des hommes armés, des brigands et des assassins; transformer un temple en prison; fermer les portes de la Concorde et contraindre les pères conscrits à exprimer leur avis tandis que des brigands circulaient entre les bancs du Sénat.