c。35。]

　　Beforeanassemblythusmodelledandprepared，Augustuspronouncedastudiedoration，whichdisplayedhispatriotism，anddisguisedhisambition。\"Helamented，yetexcused，hispastconduct。Filialpietyhadrequiredathishandstherevengeofhisfather\'smurder；thehumanityofhisownnaturehadsometimesgivenwaytothesternlawsofnecessity，andtoaforcedconnectionwithtwounworthycolleagues:aslongasAntonylived，therepublicforbadehimtoabandonhertoadegenerateRoman，andabarbarianqueen。Hewasnowatlibertytosatisfyhisdutyandhisinclination。Hesolemnlyrestoredthesenateandpeopletoalltheirancientrights；andwishedonlytominglewiththecrowdofhisfellow—citizens，andtosharetheblessingswhichhehadobtainedforhiscountry。\"^4

　　[Footnote4:Dionl。liii。p。698givesusaprolixandbombastspeechonthisgreatoccasion。IhaveborrowedfromSuetoniusandTacitusthegenerallanguageofAugustus。]

　　ItwouldrequirethepenofTacitusifTacitushadassistedatthisassemblytodescribethevariousemotionsofthesenate，thosethatweresuppressed，andthosethatwereaffected。ItwasdangeroustotrustthesincerityofAugustus；toseemtodistrustitwasstillmoredangerous。Therespectiveadvantagesofmonarchyandarepublichaveoftendividedspeculativeinquirers；

　　thepresentgreatnessoftheRomanstate，thecorruptionofmanners，andthelicenseofthesoldiers，suppliednewargumentstotheadvocatesofmonarchy；andthesegeneralviewsofgovernmentwereagainwarpedbythehopesandfearsofeachindividual。Amidstthisconfusionofsentiments，theanswerofthesenatewasunanimousanddecisive。TheyrefusedtoaccepttheresignationofAugustus；theyconjuredhimnottodeserttherepublic，whichhehadsaved。Afteradecentresistance，thecraftytyrantsubmittedtotheordersofthesenate；andconsentedtoreceivethegovernmentoftheprovinces，andthegeneralcommandoftheRomanarmies，underthewell—knownnamesofProconsulandImperator。^5Buthewouldreceivethemonlyfortenyears。Evenbeforetheexpirationofthatperiod，hehopethatthewoundsofcivildiscordwouldbecompletelyhealed，andthattherepublic，restoredtoitspristinehealthandvigor，wouldnolongerrequirethedangerousinterpositionofsoextraordinaryamagistrate。Thememoryofthiscomedy，repeatedseveraltimesduringthelifeofAugustus，waspreservedtothelastagesoftheempire，bythepeculiarpompwithwhichtheperpetualmonarchsofRomealwayssolemnizedthetenthyearsoftheirreign。^6

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