The legions that came with my cousin Decimus came only with my cousin as prompted by me and by most of the members of the frightened Senate, as was seen by the support my actions received when we put the issue to a vote today. I did not lead the legions, but re-routed them to march toward Rome to protect her when I heard that Octavianus was planning to march toward the city to reclaim us from…ourselves?? I am not sure why this insolent brat continues to mask his intentions of taking over the country when it is apparent he wants nothing less than this. If he is so underhanded in his proclamations from the beginning, then I shudder to think of how he will treat the people of Rome if this petty coup succeeds.
Although I should have consulted the Senate before moving Decimus’ legions, I was in no position to waste any time for fear that forces might be on their way to sack our dear city. I had no intention of causing any panic as I only wanted to protect the city. The legion was already summoned by the Senate; Decimus and I discussed the matter and decided that we could not sit by while a potential threat was looming across the Adriatic. The Senate should have had the foresight to allow Decimus to move the legions as we saw fit in order to protect the Republic.
Lepidus and Octavianus claim that they had “no choice” but to leave Rome. Octavian claims that he has now been thrust into Civil War, that he now stands at a “fork in the road”! To me this is a less-eloquent rendering of Caesar’s words as he crossed the Rubicon. Octavianus claims that he left to “do his duty to Rome.” He left, people of Rome, to do his duty of plundering and attaining glory for his soldiers, nothing more! The Senate has not yet decided what the matters at hand are. Now that Octavianus has inherited his adoptive father’s wealth from his will, his first step is to raise his father’s old legions and march on Rome! I know that some among you still welcome the image of Caesar into your hearts and minds, but I must confess that I do not know why! Caesar is dead, and therefore Octavianus cannot speak for him. I am sure that even Caesar himself would be horrified to know the violence that his son is committing in his name. O the impiety!!
Lepidus and Octavianus, even though they plot to band together, will not stand together long. Antony will also have to fight them. At least one of these men and their legions will die, if not in this war, then in the next that is sure to come. These insubordinate actions set into motion by these two incorrigible wretches of men will only further lay waste to more Roman blood, all for the image of the dead tyrant Caesar!
The legions of Octavianus, if they complied with the voice of reason and came home to defend their mother country, would surely crush Lepidus’ forces and live long to bring home the many spoils that await them in Hispania, Parthia, Gaul, and other extremities of our vast Republic. How dare Octavianus lie to his own legions, assuring them of a victory! He certainly does not respect the lives of his soldiers, since he is guaranteeing them a long and bloody Civil War if he takes these actions against the state. Lepidus says that troops are only loyal to those who don’t commit them to foolish campaigns: why, then do Octavianus’ legions remain loyal to him? It is not naïve to think that Octavianus’ army will be loyal to anyone but himself in these circumstances; however if Ocatvianus were to only work alongside the Senate with his large forces, think of the even greater glory that awaits the Republic. He is not thinking long-term, and once again proves his youth and lack of foresight. When Octavianus is done with annihilating the helpless city and the Senate (O what an accomplishment! What glory!!), he will go for Lepidus next. We have shown him no hostility! Octavian himself said that the public works lay in ruin and are half-finished, waiting to be repaired so that Rome can shine in her glory! Is burning them to the ground his way of accomplishing this? Octavianus seems to think that we are to wait for his costly Civil War until we are to accomplish anything for the people! The threat lies east of him, not west! This cannot stand, Romans!
And Lepidus! The wretch! He sits from a distance in his province and laughs arrogantly at the Senate. And laugh he should at the men who stalemate proper action against him by only authorizing the Senate to send one legion after him. We all owe an apology to Dolabella for nearly sending him to his death. I certainly did not advocate that we send him ill-prepared; on the contrary, I advised that we send him with more legions than one, and his own faction was against it! We made a terrible and costly mistake when we did not mobilize all the legions needed to go quell Lepidus’ rebellion outright the moment he left. Lepidus is right that there is grave danger in leaving our distant provinces without troops—and both of these wretches knew that when they mutinied. There is no respectable camp to choose if this war is to be fought. Therefore, we must sacrifice the provinces for the glory of Rome, for the safety of her noblest citizens, for the safety of the Senate, to ensure the future of the glorious Republic! What makes any of you think that your lives will be spared by Octavianus or by Lepidus, who have proven themselves madmen who command their legions at a whim, in the name of a ghost?
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