Rosc. Am. 47.1Sciunt eī quī mē nōrunt mē prō meā tenuī īnfirmāque parte, posteā quam id quod maximē voluī fierī nōn potuit, ut compōnerētur, id maximē dēfendisse ut eī vincerent quī vīcērunt.Those who know me know that, in my slight and feeble way, after what I most wished for, a settlement, could not come about, I most of all supported the victory of those who did win. Rosc. Am. 47.1Quis enim erat quī nōn vidēret humilitātem cum dignitāte dē amplitūdine contendere?For who was there who did not see that lowliness was contending with high rank for greatness? Rosc. Am. 47.1quō in certāmine perditī cīvis erat nōn sē ad eōs iungere quibus incolumibus et domī dignitās et forīs auctōritās retinērētur.in that contest it was the part of a reprobate citizen not to join himself to those whose safety would preserve both dignity at home and authority abroad. Rosc. Am. 47.1Quae perfecta esse et suum cuique honōrem et gradum redditum gaudeō, iūdicēs, vehementerque laetor eaque omnia deōrum voluntāte, studiō populī Rōmānī, cōnsiliō et imperiō et fēlīcitāte L. Sullae gesta esse intellegō.That this has been accomplished, and that his own honour and rank has been restored to each man, I rejoice, gentlemen, and am greatly glad, and I understand that all this was achieved by the will of the gods, the zeal of the Roman people, and the wisdom, command and good fortune of Lucius Sulla.
Rosc. Am. 47.137Quod animadversum est in eōs quī contrā omnī ratiōne pugnārunt, nōn dēbeō reprehendere;That punishment was inflicted on those who fought against us by every means, I ought not to criticise; Rosc. Am. 47.137quod virīs fortibus quōrum opera eximia in rēbus gerendīs exstitit honōs habitus est, laudō.that honour was paid to brave men whose service proved outstanding in action, I praise. Rosc. Am. 47.137Quae ut fierent idcircō pugnātum esse arbitror mēque in eō studiō partium fuisse cōnfiteor.I believe that it was to bring these things about that the fighting took place, and I confess that I was zealous for that side. Rosc. Am. 47.137Sīn autem id āctum est et idcircō arma sūmpta sunt ut hominēs postrēmī pecūniīs aliēnīs locuplētārentur et in fortūnās ūnīus cuiusque impetum facerent, et id nōn modo rē prohibēre nōn licet sed nē verbīs quidem vituperāre, tum vērō in istō bellō nōn recreātus neque restitūtus sed subāctus oppressusque populus Rōmānus est.But if the aim was, and arms were taken up for this purpose, that the lowest of men might grow rich on other people's money and make an assault on the fortunes of every single person, and if one may not only not prevent this in deed but not even censure it in words, then indeed in that war the Roman people has not been revived and restored, but subdued and crushed.
Rosc. Am. 47.138Vērum longē aliter est;But it is far otherwise; Rosc. Am. 47.138nīl hōrum est, iūdicēs.none of this is so, gentlemen. Rosc. Am. 47.138Nōn modo nōn laedētur causa nōbilitātis, sī istīs hominibus resistētis, vērum etiam ōrnābitur.Not only will the cause of the nobility not be harmed, if you resist these men, but it will even be honoured.