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miserable than victory itself; for though it falls to the better men, it nevertheless makes those very men inore arrogant and less self-controlled, so that even if they are not so by nature, they are compelled to be so by necessity. For there are many things a victor is obliged to do even against his will at the caprice of those who helped him to victory. You must have seen, at the time I saw it, how ruthless this victory was destined to prove; would you then at that time also have made an exile of yourself to prevent your seeing what was objectionable to you? "No," you will say, "for I should still have been in possession of my wealth and position." Yes, but it behoved one of your high principles to regard your own private interests as comparatively of very little importance, and to be more deeply distressed at the state of the Republic. Again, what is to be the final issue of this policy of yours? For so far your conduct is approved, and your good fortune, too, considering the circumstances, is extolled—your conduct, in that, compelled as you were to follow the call of the war in its initial stage, you wisely declined to follow it up to the bitter end; your good fortune, in that you have maintained in an honourable retirement both the dignity and the reputation of your exalted rank. Now, however, there is no place in the world that should hold a greater charm for you than your country; and you ought not to love her any the less, but rather pity her, because of her disfigurement, and not to deprive her, bereft as she is of so many distinguished sons, of the light of your countenance as well.

⁴ Finally, if it was the mark of a high spirit not to have approached the conqueror as a suppliant, may