[6,85] Μίαν εἰπὼν ἔτι τὴν οὔτε ἀγνοουμένην ὑπ´ οὐδενὸς ἀνθρώπων οὔτε ἀμφισβητουμένην παύσομαι. τίς δ´ ἐστὶν αὕτη; ἡ τὸ κοινὸν συμφέρον εἰσάγουσα καὶ δι´ ἀλλήλων ἀμφότερα ποιοῦσα σώζεσθαι τὰ μέρη. αὕτη μέντοι πρώτη καὶ μόνη συνάγει τε ἡμᾶς εἰς τὸ αὐτὸ καὶ οὐκ ἐάσει ποτὲ δίχ´ ἀλλήλων γενέσθαι. δεήσεται γὰρ ἀεὶ καὶ οὐδέποτε παύσεται δεόμενον τὸ μὲν ἀμαθὲς πλῆθος ἔμφρονος ἡγεμονίας, τὸ δ´ ἡγεῖσθαι δυνάμενον βουλευτήριον τῶν ἄρχεσθαι βουλομένων ὄχλων· καὶ οὐ δόξῃ μόνον τοῦτ´ εἰκάσαντες, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἔργῳ πειραθέντες ἴσμεν. τί οὖν δεδιττόμεθα καὶ πράγματα παρέχομεν ἀλλήλοις; τί δὲ λόγους πονηροὺς λέγομεν χρηστὰ πράγματα ἔχοντες ἐν χερσίν, ἀλλ´ οὐκ ἀναπτύξαντες αὑτοὺς καὶ τὼ χεῖρε περιβάλλοντες ἀλλήλοις ἄπιμεν εἰς τὴν πατρίδα παλαιὰν τέρψιν τῶν ἡδίστων καὶ πόθον ἁπάντων γλυκύτατον ἀποληψόμενοι, ἀλλ´ ἐπιζητοῦμεν ἀσφαλείας ἀγενήτους καὶ πίστεις ἀπίστους, ὥσπερ οἱ πολεμιώτατοι καὶ πάντα ὑποπτεύοντες ἐπὶ τὸ χεῖρον. ἡμῖν μέν, ὦ δημόται, τοῖς ἐκ τοῦ συνεδρίου μία πίστις ἀπόχρη περὶ τοῦ μὴ ἄν ποτε ὑμᾶς γενέσθαι περὶ ἡμᾶς, εἰ κατέλθοιτε, κακοὺς τροφάς τε ὑμῶν ἀγαθὰς εἰδόσι καὶ ἐπιτηδεύματα νόμιμα τήν τε ἄλλην ἀρετήν, ἣν πολλάκις ἀπεδείξασθε καὶ ἐν εἰρήνῃ καὶ κατὰ πολέμους. καὶ εἴ τι δι´ ἀνάγκην τῆς πίστεως καὶ ἐλπίδος τὰ συμβόλαια κοινῆς ἐπανορθώσεως τύχοι, τὰ γοῦν ἄλλα πιστεύομεν ὑμῖν ἔσεσθαι ἀγαθοὺς καὶ οὐδὲν δεόμεθα οὔτε ὅρκων οὔτε ὁμήρων οὔτε ἄλλης πίστεως παρὰ τοῦ πλήθους οὐδεμιᾶς· ὑμῖν μέντοι γε πρὸς οὐδὲν τῶν ἀξιουμένων ἐναντιωσόμεθα. καὶ περὶ μὲν τῆς πίστεως, ἐφ´ ᾗ διαβάλλειν ἡμᾶς Βροῦτος ἐπεχείρει, ταῦτα ἱκανά. εἰ δέ τις ὑμῖν φθόνος οὐ δίκαιος ἐγκάθηται πονηρὰ περὶ τῆς βουλῆς διανοεῖσθαι πείθων, βούλομαί τινα καὶ πρὸς τοῦτον εἰπεῖν λόγον, ὦ δημόται· καί μου πρὸς θεῶν μεθ´ ἡσυχίας καὶ προσοχῆς ἀκούσατε.

[6,85] "I shall mention one other assurance which no man fails to know or questions, and then have done. And what is that? It is the assurance that introduces the common advantage and preserves both parts of the state through their mutual assistance. this, after all, is the first and only assurance that draws us together, and it will never permit us to be sundered from each other. For the ignorant multitude will always need and never cease to need prudent leadership, while the senate, which is capable of leadership, will always need multitudes willing to be ruled. This we know, not merely as a matter of opinion and conjecture, but also by actual experience. Why, then, do we terrify and trouble one another? Why do we speak evil words when we have kindly deeds in our power? Why do we not rather open our arms and, embracing one another, return to our country to find there our old-time enjoyment of the dearest pleasures and the satisfaction of a yearning that is sweetest of all, instead of seeking securities that come to naught and faithless assurances, as do the deadliest foes who suspect the worst of everything? As for us of the senate, plebeians, one assurance suffices, that you will never, if you return, behave yourselves badly toward us, and that is the knowledge we have of your excellent rearing, of your law-abiding habits, (p109) and of all your other virtues, of which you have given many proofs both in peace and in war. And if, in consequence of the need of assurance and hope, the contracts should be revised by us jointly, we are confident that in all other respects at least you will be good citizens, and we have no need of either oaths or hostages or any other assurances from the people. However, we shall oppose you in nothing you desire. Concerning the matter of assurances, then, upon which subject Brutus endeavoured to malign us, this is enough. But if any groundless hatred is implanted in your minds, causing you to entertain a bad opinion of the senate, I desire to speak to that point also, plebeians, and I beg of you in the name of the gods to hear me with silence and attention.