by civil authority; Antony at the head of my life, if my death could accomplish the the monarchy, the multitude, and govern- freedom of my country, and if the resent ment, by military force. On the day that ment of the people could give maturity to the conspirators appeared before the peo- that vengeance they are so long fomenting. ple, Cicero raised his voice with the enthu- For if, almost twenty years past, in this siasm of a free republican. After a long very temple, 1 denied that a premature silence, that eloquence was again heard, death could befall a man of consular digniwhich drove Verres into exile-Cataline ty, with how much more truth can I say so into rebellion-turned Cæsar pale, and cov- now in my old age? To me, in truth, conscript ered the name of Antony with immortal in fathers, death is even to be desired, having famy. These incomparable orations con- discharged the high duties I undertook to tain the genuine expression of his feelings. accomplish. Two things only do I wish Notwithstanding the appalling roll of indig-for-one, that dying, I may leave the Ronant invective, a deep tinge of melancholy man people free-a greater favour than pervades them. He felt conscious that his this the immortal gods cannot bestow; the cause was lost-that freedom was at its last other that the fate of every man may be gasp; and though he spoke with more than in proportion as he deserves well or ill of his habitual boldness, it was with a strong his country."

no vain

foreboding of his destiny. The Philippics The presentiment of death is stamped on especially the second, teem with the spirit every line of this singularly beautiful and of resolve and proud defiance, but they afecting passage; they were want the air of superiority which runs words, but the melancholy result of his conthrough the Catalines. It is the last death-viction; he knew that his life would be the struggle—the animation of intense hatred forfeit of his intrepidity, but he resolved to -the outpouring of fierce desperation-the die rather than suffer the new tyranny. poor triumph of perishing with his talons After the first Philippic, Antony attacked deep in the vitals of his antagonist. Even Cicero in the senate with the most savage when matters began to wear a brighter as- violence; he charged him with the assaspect-when Brutus seems to be master of sination of Cæsar, in order to excite the Gaul, and Octavius attached to the senate, profligate veterans, who sought for nothing he is liable to sudden misgivings, and in the more constitutional than another era of midst of his exultation a dark despondency proscription and blood. It was a declarapasses over his spirit. "If we fall," says he, tion of war. Cicero was then at Naples, "let us fall, like noble gladiators, with dig. and he replied in the second Philippic, nity. Let us fall with freedom, rather than which was not published for some time. protract an ignominious existence in sla- His design was to hold it over to the last very.' It is painful to contemplate this vir- extremity, but it appears to have been gentuous-minded man, after all he had accom- erally circulated after the fourth Philippic, plished, so wholly at the mercy of the aban- when the senate openly resisted the usurpdoned Antony. He did not know the hour ations of Antony, and declared him an enhe was to die, but he never shrank from emy to public liberty. The least effective the responsibility of his position. He left part of this grand production is the defence nothing undone-he spoke the "divine of his conduct in the conspiracy. Of its Philippic of conspicuous fame," but what existence he was well aware, though Brucould that avail against the arms of tyran- tus suspected the soundness of his head or ny? It is objected to this oration that it the sufficiency of his courage to admit him was never spoken, and consequently that to a more active participation. In the acmuch less praise is due to Cicero for his cusatory portion, he amply atones for the magnanimity. No doubt it would have weakness of the defensive; for a more added much to its effect, had he looked his bitter-a more severe-a more overwhelmexecutioner in the face. But it was not ing invective was never written or spoken. from want of nerve that he did not speak With what terrible power he paints the it-he was justly apprehensive of a design criminality of Antony, almost from his craagainst his life, and kept within doors. dle to his consulship? The whole is one Does that detract from the merit of the dark uninterrupted picture of the grossest second Philippic? Whether spoken or writ immorality, faction, plunder, and violence. ten, does not everybody know he was mur. What can equal the description of the dered for it? Read the conclusion-has it drunken riots-it is awful-compared with not all the mournful solemnity of death? it the abuse of Demosthenes is eulogy. "I implore you, Antony, have some respect "Tu istis faucibus-istis lateribus-istâ for the commonwealth. Consider the blood gladiatoriâ totius corporis firmitate, tanfrom which you are sprung, not the asso- tum vini in Hippiæ nuptiis exhauseras, ut ciates with whom you live! Stand on what tibi necesse est ira populi Romani conspecterms you will with me, return into favour tu postridie vomere-rem non modo visu with the commonwealth! But it is for you fædam, sed etiam auditu! Si inter cœnam, to look to your own course-I will proclaim in ipsis tuis immanibus poculis, hoc tibi mine. Young, I have defended the repub- accidisset, quis non turpe duceret? In lic-old, I shall never abandon her. I coetu vero populi Romani, publicum negoscorned the sword of Cataline-I will not tium gerens magister equitum, cui ructare fear yours. Nay, gladly would I lay down turpe esset, is vomens frustis esculentis

ing swan is not inapplicable to Cicero. The sumptuous memorial, and graven inscripdefeat of Antony at Modena filled all true tions, to bear never-dying testimony to your lovers of liberty with high hopes. The senate met to deliberate on the course they were to pursue; never did a nobler opportunity exist for a display of patriotic eloquence, and Cicero was not found wanting f in the general enthusiasm. He was then ro in his sixty-fourth year, and yet in his last e harangue there is not a trace of any dimDinution in his powers. Like Burke, he retained his faculties in unimpaired splen"And since we discharge the debt of glory 10 dour; like him, his imagination burned to those best and bravest citizens by the hoeven more brightly in his last moments. nour of a public monument, let us also conThe fourteenth is one of the highest and sole their friends, to whom this is the proudboldest of his flights; a sort of triumphal est consolation; to their parents, for having hymn, in which he consecrates the memo- given birth to such bulwarks of the republic ries of the warriors who perished for liber-to their children, for having before them ty. In dignity it equals the famous eulogy such models of valour-to their wives, for of Pericles, but has more passion and ener- being deprived of husbands, whom it will be gy. Can anything be more inspiring than more honourable to praise than to lamentthe following? It would make heroes of to their brothers that they may rival them cowards-a man could almost covet death, to be deemed worthy of such praise.

in bravery as they resemble them in person. And would to God that our suffrages and "I propose, then, that a monument of the decrees could purge away their tears; or most splendid character be erected in honour that an oration addressed to them in the of the legion of Mars, and of those who fell name of the commonwealth could calm their with them in battle. Great, and beyond all lamentation and sorrows, and rather inspire price to the republic, are the services of this them with joy; for of all the various deaths legion! It was this first tore itself from the that befall humanity, the most beautiful of brigand crew of Antony-garrisoned Alba, all has been theirs; and because they are and ranged itself under the banners of Ca- neither neglected nor unburied, which, sar. Following in its footsteps, the Fourth though a misfortune, ceases to be one when has covered itself with equal glory! The men fall for their country; neither are their conquering fourth lost not a single man; of ashes scattered in obscure graves, but inthe Martian legion some few fell in the very such a monument as shall continue to be the terred together at the public charge, and in moment of victory. Happy death! it was nature's debt, but nobly offered for their country! Yes, you were born for your country-worthy the God whose name you bear; and as that divinity reared up Rome for the nations, so did he rear you up for Rome! In flight, death is dastardly-it is glorious in victory-for Mars chooses for his own service the bravest in the battle. The godless beings you have slain, in death, as in life, will atone for their parricide; while you, who lavished your last breath in victory, have reached the mansions of the blessed! Short is the life given us by nature, but its memory is immortal, when laid down in a good cause; and were it not longer than this transient existence, who would be so sense. less as to toil through a world of fatigue and peril, to reach the highest eminence of praise