And your ancestors have
 left you a great protection against these evils in these words of the consul, “Whoever wishes
 the republic to be safe.” Protect the legitimate use of these words, O Romans. Do not by your
 decision take the republic out of my hands; and do not take from the republic its hope of
 liberty, its hope of safety, its hope of dignity. What should
 I do, if Titus Labienus were to make a slaughter of the citizens, like Lucius Saturninus? if he
 were to break open the prison? if he had occupied the Capitol with armed men? I should do what
 Caius Marius did. I should refer the matter to the senate; I should exhort you to defend the
 republic. I myself in arms should, with your aid, resist the armed enemy. Now, when there is no
 suspicion of arms, when I see no weapons, when there is no violence, or slaughter, or occupation
 of the Capitol and citadel, but only a mischievous prosecution, a cruel trial, a business
 undertaken by a tribune of the people contrary to the interests of the republic, I have not
 thought that I ought to summon you to arms, but that it was sufficient to exhort you to give
 your votes against those who are attacking your majesty. Therefore now I entreat, and beg, and
 implore all of you, not, as is the old custom, is afraid.—He who has received on his front all these scars, marks of his valour, in the cause
 of the republic, fears to receive any wound on his reputation. He, whom no attack of an enemy
 could ever move from his post, now is frightened at this onset of his fellow-citizens, to which
 he must necessarily yield.