Looking Forward

Senators, distinguished fathers, now that Caesar has been buried it occurs to me that some among you would enjoy nothing more than to give to Caesar’s assassins the same fate granted to that tyrant. Have I not emphasized before that death is the very LAST solution for solving problems? Caesar is dead and buried. This is a favor done for Rome. There is no reason for more bloodshed or persecution. When was the last time benefactors of our city have been threatened with prosecution or death?

Do not destroy those brave men who stood up for the Republic when no one else would. Do not put on trial those courageous men who were not paralyzed by the fear of Caesar’s power. Do not punish those men who risked their own lives trying to prevent a King from ascending to power.

There is similarly no reason to outlandishly glorify Caesar’s assassins with public works projects, statues, or any other manner of state sponsored honors. We have done what any noble Roman living in any period would not have hesitated to do. Let us move on with the business of the city and not lose sight of the fact that Caesar’s short but vile reign haunts us even now as we struggle to regain control and order in Rome.

The burden of death does not fall on the dead, but on the living. We all carry profound emotions for Gaius Julius Caesar. Do not let your emotions ignite the flames of vengeance in your hearts. It is important to keep in mind that even today ambitious generals and a few of Caesar’s own protégés are vying for the same type of power that Caesar so quickly abused. Lepidus did not have the Senate’s approval when he buried Caesar; and it is evident by the way that Antonius conducted the first meeting that his motives do not correspond with stability.

Let passed events stay in the past. There is no need to continue to argue in the Senate, the strongest symbol of Rome’s world influence, about trivialities. There is need, however, to restore stability to our city. Without a solid leadership Rome is no more powerful or influential than Athens without her Navy, or Sparta without her discipline. If we cannot solve this problem of leadership, what is to prevent outside interests from taking over our city? Already we have Cleopatra, that sordid woman from the east, listening with great interest to our Senate meetings. She may not be thought of highly in Rome, but she has influence over the Egyptians and under the right circumstances could mobilize support for a power-grab in Rome. Hers and other foreign armies are just outside our doors!

More pressing matters need to be addressed than how to deal with the few of us who were brave enough to prevent the complete destruction of our old ways of governing. We must now live in the present, where, if not given careful enough consideration, our own affairs will surely be taken over and handled by barbarians or someone else, who, like Caesar, desired nothing but personal power.