Such kindness, such
unheard-of generosity, such moderation in power, such incredible and
almost godlike wisdom, he felt himself unable to pass over without giving
expression to his emotions." [14] No flow of genius, no faculty of speech
or writing, could adequately describe Caesar's actions, yet on that day he
had achieved a yet greater glory. Often had Cicero thought, and often had
said to others, that no king or general had ever performed such exploits
as Caesar. In war, however, officers, soldiers, allies, circumstances,
fortune, claimed a share in the result; and there were victories greater
than could be won on the battlefield, where the honor was undivided.
"To have conquered yourself," he said, addressing Caesar directly, "to
have restrained your resentment, not only to have restored a distinguished
opponent to his civil rights, but to have given him more than he had lost,
is a deed which raises you above humanity, and makes you most like to God.
Your wars will be spoken of to the end of time in all lands and tongues;
but in tales of battles we are deafened by the shoutings and the blare of
trumpets. Justice, mercy, moderation, wisdom, we admire even in fiction,
or in persons whom we have never seen; how much more must we admire them
in you, who are present here before us, and in whose face we read a
purpose to restore us to such remnants of our liberty as have survived the
war! How can we praise, how can we love you sufficiently? By the gods, the
very walls of this house are eloquent with gratitude.
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