Cicero For Keeping Caesar's Acta for Temporary Stability

Here we are still, ripe from the passing of Caesar the tyrant. He was a man who took power from the people, and I am ashamed to say that the body of men sitting here let him. The senate allowed him to take power, and while he had this power it was too dangerous for his political opponents to speak out against him. But now, with this barrier to our liberty having been removed, we may speak freely and decide for ourselves the path that the Republic must take. The Republic has always been stronger than its opponents, and though many of the power hungry among you threaten it now, I tell you that I have full confidence that, if you be true Romans, the Republic can survive even this.
Many among you are nervous about the coming days, and I understand your reasons. It will be difficult to once again take responsibility, in this senate, for the good of the Roman people, because we are now so used to allowing the decisions to be made for us by a man who asserted that he had every right to make decisions for the our great nation. Caesar had suppressed the operation of the state with his force, and now that that force has been lifted, it is our duty to see that the senate returns to its rightful position as a decision making body.
Despite the fact that Caesar wrongfully appointed many of his friends as magistrates without proper election, I think that it is necessary for us to allow these magistrates to remain in their positions. Next election we can make sure that all are appointed fairly, but for now the good of the people lies in keeping the senate functioning. We need our senate in the coming days to make decisions for the good of the Republic, and without some of our magistrates having the right to state their opinion in this debate it will be far too difficult to restore the proper operations of the state. It is only if the current magistrates attempt, like Caesar their benefactor, to seize more power from the people that we should call for their removal from office. As long as they do their duty that I now charge them to do and keep the decrees of Caesar to avoid chaos without acting themselves like Caesar, they should keep their positions.
While it is better to keep the acta of Caesar in order to maintain order in this republic, I would charge you all not to allow any new acta to be enforced by those who think they should replace him as heir. This will of his should be disregarded, and while the laws he enforced should be kept, we should not support the will of a tyrant in death. No doubt these people think that they are carrying on in some great legacy of Caesar, but they are in reality carrying on his legacy of tyranny.
Marcus Antonius betrayed his sentiments on this matter when he said that the old ways of the republic are outdated, and stability lies in following the new ways of Caesar. He wishes to take power for himself and impose it on the people. He is another man who wishes to be like a king and we should not allow this. We should impose restrictions on Marcus Antonius and others who claim to be Caesar’s heirs to prevent them from enacting any new decrees and enslaving the Roman people. These men believe that the tyranny of Caesar was justified, and he obviously wants to take Caesar’s place. We cannot allow this to occur! We must protect the republic from the new tyrant, who will enforce his will as Caesar attempted to. We must make sure that Marcus Antonius and his ilk do not divide our united republic as they intend to gain power themselves. I do not propose we throw out current magistrates, but I do say that those who were appointed by Caesar and would follow in his footsteps of tyranny should be prevented from doing so. Speak out against corruption in our state, and allow only those laws to pass that protect the whole of the republic, not just the self-interest of a few select men. Do not allow anyone acting from the will of Caesar to enforce new acta and allow the senate to return to the way it should be, in which a body of people elected to serve represent the interests of the whole republic.
Caesar appointed Antony and many others to maintain his tyranny. I charge you who he appointed in such away to fulfill the position you were given when you entered this senate, and speak out for the good of the republic. Do not shy away from the opportunity now to make new laws, while allowing Caesar’s laws to stand to prevent chaos. Do the right thing and do not allow a new tyrant to rule you, instead acting on the laws we now have in place to guarantee the safety and prosperity of the republic.