Philippiques Passage 22

quod autem eius iter Brundisium, quae festinatio, quae spes, nisi ad urbem vel in urbem potius exercitum maximum adduceret? qui autem dilectus centurionum, quae effrenatio impotentis animi! cum eius promissis legiones fortissimae reclamassent , domum ad se venire iussit centuriones quos bene sentire de re publica cognoverat eosque ante pedes suos uxorisque suae, quam secum gravis imperator ad exercitum duxerat, iugulari coegit. quo animo hunc futurum fuisse censetis in nos quos oderat, cum in eos quos numquam viderat tam crudelis fuisset, et quam avidum in pecuniis locupletium qui pauperum sanguinem concupisset? quorum ipsorum bona, quantacumque erant, statim suis comitibus compotoribusque discripsit .

What else explains his journey to Brundisium, his haste, and his hope, unless he meant to bring a very large army to the city, or rather into it? And what of his selection of centurions, the unrestrained fury of his lawless spirit? When the bravest legions protested against his promises, he ordered those centurions whom he knew to hold sound views about the republic to come to his house and compelled them to be slaughtered at his feet and those of his wife, whom the grave commander had taken with him to the army. What spirit do you think he would have shown toward us, whom he hated, when he was so cruel toward men he had never seen? How greedy would he have been for the money of the rich when he thirsted for the blood of the poor? Whatever property those men possessed, he immediately distributed among his companions and drinking partners.

Que signifiaient son voyage vers Brindes, cette hâte et cet espoir, sinon le dessein de conduire une armée immense aux portes de Rome, ou plutôt dans Rome? Et quelle sélection de centurions, quel déchaînement d’un esprit sans maîtrise! Lorsque les légions très courageuses protestèrent contre ses promesses, il ordonna aux centurions qu’il savait bien disposés envers la république de venir chez lui, et les fit égorger à ses pieds et à ceux de sa femme, que ce grave imperator avait emmenée avec lui auprès de l’armée. Quels sentiments pensez-vous qu’il aurait eus envers nous, qu’il haïssait, puisqu’il fut si cruel envers des hommes qu’il n’avait jamais vus? Et quelle avidité n’aurait-il pas montrée pour l’argent des riches, lui qui avait désiré le sang des pauvres? Il distribua aussitôt leurs biens, si modestes fussent-ils, entre ses compagnons et ses partenaires de beuverie.