Marcus Terentius Varro - On the Acta of Caesar

Now, senators, we must consider what to do with the acta of a leader who seized a position that was neither his to take nor ours to give. And given that a position that does not exist holds no authority, we might throw out all the acts he decreed after his last elected dictatorship expired. Would you, senator, follow a man who claimed to be consul without examining his name and rank? When the fingertip points to the sun at midnight, the fool will not look at the finger.

And yet, were we to look at them in another way, we should not be so hasty to abandon Caesar’s acta. All of his known acta, all that he either began construction on or announced intent to construct, serve as possibilities to glorify Rome. I think it only right, then, that we the senate consider the fate of these constructions, and the remaining decrees that Marc Antony holds, intrinsically, regardless of their connections to Caesar. I shall begin with my thoughts on the known and incomplete acta.

A temple to Mars, as proposed, would serve as a fitting tribute to a deity who has smiled so favorably upon the Romans throughout our existence. I fear what might befall us should be abandon and demolish the work in place.

As for the theatre and constant pool for sea-battles on the Tarpeian hill, these are luxuries, the sesterces for which we could find better use.

A reduction of the civil code would help ensure that our rule and our justice run smoothly throughout our territories. Yet I would suggest an independent examination of the codes rather than blindly follow the revisions of one man.

Of the library, I cannot speak impartially. But I would ask the senate to consider two things. First, what terrible loss have we incurred by the destruction of the library of Alexandria? Second, what would it mean to Roman knowledge, scholarship, thought, and glory to have a library as grand, nay, grander than that of Alexandria? And consider, dear senators, that Rome, not Greece, could truly become the intellectual center of the civilized world.

To drain the Pomptine marshes and divert some of Lake Fucinus would be to claim much new farmland for the Roman people. It would also be costly, both in wealth and in lives. We must consider if we indeed required more farmland before we drain any further.

Both the highway from the Adriatic to the Tiber and the canal through the Corinthian isthmus will bring more trade to Rome. I fail to see why we should not construct either.

The Dacians, as we know, have made advances into Pontus and Thrace. I am not a man ready to cede any part of the fatherland to barbarians, yet I fear the success of any check in the midst of our political turmoil. If we are divided to any significant degree regarding the Dacians, the campaign will fall from public scorn and the unease of the soldiers.

By extension, any declaration of war on the Parthians lies beyond our grasp. We can neither divide our attention nor gamble so heavily with public opinion while we still settle the affairs of Caesar.

I began my address to you, senators, with a warning: to be wary of the agent of an action. Now, I urge you also not to be unduly prejudiced against an action because of the agent. We do not reject agriculture because the Gauls engage in it, nor hunting because it is the sport of dogs. I would advise the senate to consider each of Caesar’s proposals as just that—another proposal, to be judged as proper or not for this republic.