Page:The World's Famous Orations Volume 2.pdf/217

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MARK ANTONY
 

him a triumph for this, and gave him at once the office of consul. As a result of your decree it became most plainly evident that he had waged war not for his own desires or glory, but was preparing for the future. The celebration of the triumph he waived on account of pressing business, and after thanking you for the honor, he was satisfied with merely that to secure his glory, and entered upon the consulship.

Now all his administrative acts in this city during the discharge of that office would be verily countless to name. And as soon as he had left it and been sent to conduct war against the Gauls, notice how many and how great were his achievements there. So far from causing grievances to the allies he even went to their assistance, because he was not suspicious at all of them and further saw that they were wronged. But his foes, both those dwelling near the friendly tribes, and all the rest that inhabited Gaul, he subjugated, acquiring at one time vast stretches of territory and at another unnumbered cities, of which we knew not even the names before. All this, moreover, he accomplished so quickly, tho he had received neither a competent force nor sufficient money from you, that before any of you knew that he was at war he had conquered; and he settled affairs on such a firm basis that as a result Celtica and Britain felt his footstep.

And now is that Gaul enslaved which sent against us the Ambrones and the Cimbri, and is

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