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