We as a body have not voted on what specifically should be done concerning the young Gaius Caesar Octavianus. Various opinions of his actions exist, some considering him simply a misguided youth, others that he is a brigand and a thief, using the republic’s resources to gain profit for himself.
As we continue to face serious threats to the Republic’s safety, we must realize that this body has faced innumerable threats throughout our history. The senate was established as an advisory body, whose wisdom and knowledge has ensured our very survival. Those who disregarded our opinions – whether foreign dignitaries, eastern kings, or fellow Romans – have often done so to their peril.
The privilege of being enrolled in the Senate comes through service to the state. The desire to extend Rome’s glory to the farthest seas is a noble trait, which burns strongly in the souls of the young. How can we seek to censure such desire? Many of us ourselves have burned with equal fires in our youths. But this desire of the young can quickly grow to a conflagration – or worse – if it is not guided by the wisdom and skill that only comes through experience. If Caesar Octavianus were to act rashly with his own property, I would offer him advice on how to behave properly, with an eye toward future profits. But his hasty actions have brought the resources and security of the Republic into jeopardy. He seeks to extend his father’s legacies beyond what is proper, without considering the needs of the Republic, nor the advice of the Senate.
As Dolabella campaigns in Gaul for out safety, Gaius Caesar Octavianus seeks glory for himself. As the experienced Dolabella struggles to train new recruits, the tyro Gaius Caesar Octavianus leads vetren soldiers. As Dolabella considers strategy through the wisdom gained from her experience, Gaius Caesar Octavianus charges unaided at the walls of Syrian Antioch, thinking it Tigranocerta. Dolabella shows consistent consideration for the safety of the Republic by seeking and weighing the views of the Senate. Gaius Caesar Octavianus has shown us nothing but fiery rashness and haughty stubbornness. Dolabella understands the responsibilities that are inherent in the Senator’s purple stripe.
Gaius Caesar Octavianus’ youth provides him the opportunity to control his desire to honor the Republic through service. But he must allow himself to be guided by the experience of the Senate. It does not matter who of us is sent to provide this service: if he does not show respect toward the purple stripe, he will not show respect toward a magistrate’s lictors. If he does show the respect that is demanded of our position, then he must be provided a position where he can gain the experiences and knowledge that will make him truly worthy of the status that he assumes is his.
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