1For if he does not deny the deed for which he seeks nothing but pardon, would he hesitate to admit a deed for which he could even claim the rewards of praise? 1unless indeed he thinks it more welcome to you that he should have been the defender of his own life rather than of yours; 1especially since, by such a confession, if you were willing to be grateful, he would obtain the highest honours. 1But if the deed did not win your approval — though how could anyone fail to approve his own safety? — but still, if the courage of a most brave man had proved less welcome to the citizens, he would withdraw with a great and steadfast spirit from an ungrateful community.
1For what would be more ungrateful than that the rest should rejoice, and he alone should mourn, thanks to whom the rest were rejoicing? 82And yet we have all always been of this mind in crushing traitors to our country, that, since the glory would be ours, we considered the danger and the odium ours as well. 82For what praise would have been due to me myself, when I had dared so much in my consulship for you and your children, if I had thought that I could dare what I was attempting without the greatest struggles on my part? 82What woman would not dare to kill a wicked and destructive citizen, if she did not fear danger?
82The man who, with odium, death and punishment before him, defends the state no less vigorously is the one who must truly be considered a man. 82It is the part of a grateful people to reward citizens who have served the state well, and of a brave man not to be moved even by punishments to regret having acted bravely. 83Therefore Titus Annius would make the same confession as Ahala, as Nasica, as Opimius, as Marius, as we ourselves, and, if the state were grateful, he would rejoice; 83if ungrateful, he would still lean on his own conscience in his hard fortune. 83But the gratitude for this benefit, judges, the Fortune of the Roman people, your own good luck and the immortal gods think is owed to themselves.
83Nor indeed can anyone think otherwise, unless it is someone who believes there is no divine power or will, someone whom neither the greatness of our empire moves, nor that sun, nor the movements of the heavens and the stars, nor the changes and orders of nature, nor, what is greatest, the wisdom of our ancestors, who both themselves most devoutly cherished sacred rites, ceremonies and auspices and handed them down to us, their descendants.