1And yet these things seemed tolerable by now, although he attacked alike the state, private persons, those far off and those near, strangers and his own family; but somehow the incredible patience of the community had by now grown hard and calloused through habit: but the things that were already at hand and impending, how could you have either warded them off or borne them? 1If he had gained power — I pass over our allies, foreign nations, kings, tetrarchs; 1for you would be praying that he would hurl himself against them rather than against your properties, your homes, your money: money, do I say? 1from your children, so help me, and from your wives he would never have restrained his unbridled lusts.
1Do you think these things invented which are plain, which are known to all, which are established — that he would have enrolled armies of slaves in the city, through whom he would take possession of the whole state and of everyone's private property? 77So if Titus Annius, holding a bloody sword, were to cry out: 'Come here, I beg you, and listen, citizens! 77I have killed Publius Clodius; his frenzies, which we could no longer curb by any laws or any courts, I have driven off from your necks with this sword and this right hand, so that through me alone justice and fairness, laws and liberty, modesty and chastity might remain in the community,' there would indeed be cause to fear how the community would take it!
77For now who is there who does not approve, who does not praise, who does not both say and feel that Titus Annius alone, within the memory of man, has done the state the greatest service, and has filled the Roman people, all Italy and all nations with the greatest joy? 77I cannot judge how great those ancient rejoicings of the Roman people were: yet our own age has already seen many most glorious victories of the greatest generals, none of which brought joy either so lasting or so great. 78Commit this to memory, judges. 78I hope that you and your children will see many good things in the state: in each of them you will always reflect that, had Publius Clodius lived, you would have seen none of them.
78We have been led to the greatest hope, and, as I trust, the truest, that this very year, with this most eminent man as consul, with men's licence checked, their desires broken, laws and courts established, will bring salvation to the community. 78Is anyone, then, so mad as to think that this could have happened while Publius Clodius was alive? 78What then? 78the things you hold as private and your own — what right of lasting possession could they have had with a madman as master?