De la clémence Chapitre 10

Ignovit abavus tuus victis ; nam si non ignovisset, quibus imperasset ? Sallustium et Cocceios et Deillios et totam cohortem primae admissionis ex adversariorum castris conscripsit ; iam Domitios, Messalas, Asinios, Cicerones, quidquid floris erat in civitate, clementiae suae debebat. Ipsum Lepidum quam diu mori passus est ! Per multos annos tulit ornamenta principis retinentem et pontificatum maximum non nisi mortuo illo transferri in se passus est; maluit enim illum honorem vocari quam spolium. Haec eum clementia ad salutem securitatemque perduxit; haec gratum ac favorabilem reddidit, quamvis nondum subactis populi Romani cervicibus manum imposuisset; haec hodieque praestat illi famam, quae vix vivis principibus servit. Deum esse non tamquam iussi credimus ; bonum fuisse principem Augustum, bene illi parentis nomen convenisse fatemur ob nullam aliam causam, quam quod contumelias quoque suas, quae acerbiores principibus solent esse quam iniuriae, nulla crudelitate exsequebatur, quod probrosis in se dictis adrisit, quod dare illum poenas apparebat, cum exigeret, quod, quoscumque ob adulterium filiae suae damnaverat, adeo non occidit, ut dimissis quo tutiores essent, diplomata daret. Hoc est ignoscere, eum scias multos futuros, qui pro te nascantur et tibi sanguine alieno gratificentur, non dare tantum salutem, sed praestare.

Your great-great-grandfather spared the vanquished: for whom could he have ruled over, had he not spared them? He recruited Sallustius, the Cocoeii, the Deillii, and the whole inner circle of his court from the camp of his opponents. Soon afterwards his clemency gave him a Domitius, a Messala, an Asinius, a Cicero, and all the flower of the state. For what a long time he waited for Lepidus to die: for years he allowed him to retain all the insignia of royalty, and did not allow the office of pontifex maximus to be conferred upon himself until after Lepidus’s death; for he wished it to be called a honourable office rather than a spoil stripped from a vanquished foe. It was this clemency which made him end his days in safety and security: this it was which rendered him popular and beloved, although he had laid his hands on the neck of the Romans when they were still unused to bearing the yoke: this gives him even at the present day a reputation such as hardly any prince has enjoyed during his own lifetime. We believe him to be a god, and not merely because we are bidden to do so. We declare that Augustus was a good emperor, and that he was well worthy to bear his parent’s name, for no other reason than because he did not even show cruelty in avenging personal insults, which most princes feel more keenly than actual injuries; because he smiled at scandalous jests against himself, because it was evident that he himself suffered when he punished others, because he was so far from putting to death even those whom he had convicted of intriguing with his daughter, that when they were banished he gave them passports to enable them to travel more safely. When you know that there will be many who will take your quarrel upon themselves, and will try to gain your favour by the murder of your enemies, you do indeed pardon them if you not only grant them their lives but ensure that they shall not lose them.

Votre aïeul pardonna aux vaincus : eh ! s’il n’eût pardonné, sur qui eût-il régné ? Sallustius, les Cocceius, les Dellius et toute la cohorte des premières entrées , il la recruta dans le camp de ses adversaires. Déjà les Domitius, les Messala, les Asinius, les Cicéron, et toute la fleur de Rome, avaient été gagnés par sa clémence. Avec quelle longanimité il attendit la mort de Lépide ! Il souffrit nombre d’années qu’il gardât les insignes du principat, et ne se laissa transférer qu’à la mort du triumvir le titre de grand pontife. Il aima mieux qu’on y vît un honneur qu’une dépouille. Il dut à cette clémence son salut et sa sécurité : elle le rendit le favori, le bien-aimé des , bien que la république ne courbât sous sa main qu’une tête encore indomptée ; sa clémence lui vaut aujourd’hui encore les suffrages de cette renommée si peu complaisante même aux princes vivants. Nous le croyons au rang des dieux, sans attendre que la loi l’ordonne. Si nous confessons qu’il fut un bon prince et bien et dignement surnommé père de la patrie, c’est uniquement parce que les offenses à sa personne, d’ordinaire plus sensibles au souverain que les violations du droit, ne le poussaient à aucune rigueur ; parce qu’aux mots les plus sanglants il se contentait de sourire ; parce qu’il semblait souffrir lui-même les peines qu’il infligeait ; parce que tous les condamnés pour adultère commis avec sa fille, loin qu’il les ait punis de mort , reçurent de lui des sauf-conduits pour s’éloigner en toute sûreté. Voilà ce que j’appelle pardonner : savoir tant d’hommes prêts à s’irriter pour vous, à faire leur cour la tête de votre ennemi à la main, et non-seulement sauver, mais protéger cet ennemi !