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33“In order, now, that none of you may suspect me of wishing to grant any indulgence to Caesar’s slayers to prevent their paying the penalty, in view of the fact that I was once a member of Pompey’s party, I will make one statement to you. 2For I think that all of you are firmly convinced that I have never adopted an attitude of friendship or hostility toward any one for purely personal reasons, but that it was always for your sake and for the public freedom and harmony that I hated the one side and loved the other; for this reason I will pass over everything else and make merely one brief statement to you. 3So far, indeed, am I from acting in the way I have mentioned, instead of looking out for the public safety, that I affirm that the others, too, should not only be granted immunity for their high-handed acts, contrary to established law, in Caesar’s lifetime, but that they also should keep the honours, offices and gifts which they received from him, though I am not pleased with some of these. 4I should not, indeed, advise you to do or to grant anything further of the kind; but since it has been done, I think you ought not to be troubled overmuch about any of these matters, either. For what loss could you sustain, even if this man or that does hold something that he has obtained apart from justice and contrary to his deserts, so far-reaching as the benefits you would obtain by not causing fear or disturbance to the men who were formerly powerful.
5“This is what I have to say for the present, in face of the pressing need. But when matters have become settled, let us then consider the questions that remain.”
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