on true dignitas

Romans,

I am proud of our Senate, full of new men as it is, for having exercised such wisdom and foresight in declaring an enemy of Marcus Aemelius Lepidus, whose exemplary temper tantrum has given us yet another diversion which keeps us from cleaning the administrative mess that Caesar left in our wake. Instead of allowing us to move on from the politics of personal gratification and revenge, Lepidus has not only threatened us with Caesar’s old legions and therefore his ghostly image of tyranny, but he has defied the rulings of the Senate. Lepidus only answered to Caesar, and now that the tyrant has been slain, who does he answer to? It seems that Lepidus learned how to ignore the Senate from his beloved leader. Just as Caesar allowed himself to be motivated by personal gain when he rendered Bibulus helpless during his first consulship, when he crossed the Rubicon a decade later, and when he made all of his subsequent decisions, Lepidus has sacrificed Roman dignitas for his own. We, the Senate, cannot allow him to maintain any shred of his former honor, since he has made it perfectly clear to Rome that he considers us his enemy. Now we shall make it clear to him that he is no longer welcome inside the pomerium.

Lepidus claims to be a man of action, but I only see in him a man of reaction. Too long have men in our Republic treated the public house like the private house, scheming and plotting at whim. I see in Lepidus a frustrated child who did not get his way and therefore has decided to take matters into his own hands without regard for authority. Lepidus has made it clear that he does not respect this body and its decrees. What this man does point out is whether or not we have demanded enough respect in our recent past; this is surely a matter up for discussion in subsequent meetings. However, whether or not Lepidus owes us respect as the primary decision-making body in this country is not up for discussion, for the answer is a simple “yes”. It is the law of our ancestors that protects us from things such as one-man rule, and promotes the deep-seated well-being of the people; it is never the law that fails us, but the execution of this law with steadfastness. True well-being cannot come from the flattery and empty promises of leaders that die with either shifting public opinion or with the shifting of said leaders. The tide has turned frequently in our city as of late, and the sentiments of the public are of course with the dead tyrant for predictable reasons. Even in death he continues to make men a slave to his “clemency” by bequeathing small cash amounts to every male citizen. What nonsense—Caesar governed as if he thought himself a god, as if he thought that he could never die. And look the situation he has created for us! He has inspired Lepidus to imitate him by invading Rome, and empowered the dregs of society with booty from war. No longer is it obvious who the nobiles are, now that our leaders act like cowards and the urban mob renders one (or both) of our consuls their slave! During the reign of Sulla the massive flight and murder of the nobiles was the first step toward our present desperate situation. We find ourselves lacking in men who were educated for the ways of the public house when we convene this body. While it is no fault of their own, it is a problem that needs to be understood and addressed. If you find yourself wanting for evidence of this bold claim, I would kindly ask you to remember your own voting records when Caesar likewise made unreasonable demands of us for nearly two decades. Another Caesar could not have lived long 30 years ago. When Caesar did not get his way, he simply manipulated the system or stepped past it. He was allowed to assume himself superior to the men who made him.

Gentlemen, we must understand our position as it stands regarding all positions of leadership in Rome. We must empower these new men to embrace the traditional courage and moderation of the established nobles of the city by acting like true leaders, as well as not allowing those who might hail from a lucky lineage but who are corrupt, to serve the Republic. Lepidus, although he was once a noble and Caesar’s distinguished magister equitum, can now label both of these titles superfluous in regards to himself and the state he used to serve. Now he declares open war. When have we, Romans, ever erred on the side of leniency? To err on the side of leniency is not liberal or just or merciful: it is foolish and puts citizens of this great land in grave danger. Along with these scouts that we sent to find out about his whereabouts, we should have also sent legions right behind them and alerted the provincial governers to meet any unwelcome surprise.

Let Lepidus quiver in fear over his rashness; let him regret the day he ever stood against Rome in defiance, hoping that the shade of his tyrant will be there to rescue him. How foolish he was! Let the world see that we are to be respected, that we are untied against tyranny, mighty in power, and steadfast in our laws.