Source edition
Cicero. M. Tulli Ciceronis Orationes, Vol. VI. Clark, Albert Curtis, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1918.
Source data
Perseus Digital Library · CC BY-SA (per Perseus's terms)
Cloned and adapted by Humanitext, with ongoing edits.
Summary
This oration, delivered in the Senate by Marcus Tullius Cicero, is a speech of gratitude and praise directed toward Julius Caesar following his pardon of Marcellus, a former partisan of Pompey. Breaking his long self-imposed silence, Cicero commends Caesar's clemency (clementia) as an immortal achievement that surpasses his greatest military victories. Throughout the speech, Cicero contextualizes the civil war, portraying the actions of the defeated faction not as a crime but as an error of judgment, thereby highlighting Caesar's exceptional moderation. He argues that the reconstruction of Rome's shattered laws and institutions depends entirely on Caesar's continued survival and safety. Refuting Caesar's statement that he has "lived long enough," Cicero insists that his life cannot be complete until he has restored stability to the Republic, a task essential for his eternal glory. The speech concludes with a solemn pledge of loyalty from the Senate for Caesar's protection and a profound expression of gratitude for Marcellus's repatriation.