[25]
But if, omitting all these
things in which we are rich and of which he is destitute,—the senate, the Roman
knights, the people, the city, the treasury, the revenues, all Italy, all the provinces, foreign nations,—if I say, omitting all
these things, we choose to compare the causes themselves which are opposed to one another, we
may understand from that alone how thoroughly prostrate they are. For on the one side are
fighting modesty, on the other wantonness; on the one chastity, on the other uncleanness; on
the one honesty, on the other fraud; on the one piety, on the other wickedness; on the one
consistency, on the other insanity; on the one honour, on the other baseness; on the one
continence, on the other lust; in short, equity, temperance, fortitude, prudence, all the
virtues contend against iniquity with luxury, against indolence, against rashness, against
all the vices; lastly, abundance contends against destitution, good plans against baffled
designs, wisdom against madness, well-founded hope against universal despair. In a contest
and war of this sort, even if the zeal of men were to fail, will not the immortal gods compel
such numerous and excessive vices to be defeated by these most eminent virtues?
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M. Tullius Cicero. The Orations of Marcus Tullius Cicero, literally translated by C. D. Yonge, B. A. London. Henry G. Bohn, York Street, Covent Garden. 1856.
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