Dolabella Convenes the Senate

Inasmuch as it may be good and fortunate for the Roman people of the Quirites, I bring before you, conscript fathers the matter of Caesar’s acta. As you all know, the papers and will of Caesar are being held by Marc Anthony and I believe it is time that we concern ourselves with their fate. I ask you all, oh conscript fathers: What does it please you should be done about this matter?

But before I release the floor to this debate, I have a few words I would like to say on the matter of Caesar’s acta. My feelings toward the late Caesar are split, oh conscript fathers. He was a man I once called friend and he granted me my consulship as well as the positions of many a man in this room. However, I cannot let this friendship lead my will. For while I honord Caesar the man and concul, I cannot uphold the will of Caesar the King, for a kingship is surely what he was after. It has been asked at what point did some Senators start proclaiming traitors to be heros and I can only answer since you decided to worship Caesar as a god. With this being said I can only submit to you senate that it is my opinion that the acta of Caesar, the man and consul, should be approved for the benefit of Rome and the acta that Caear dared declare as king be put down as the self-serving garbage that it surely is.

How are we to know which is which though, oh senators? Easliy enough. Surely the appointment of such honorable men as Marcus Aemilius Lepidus, others, and myself was made by the man, Caesar whose only desire was to restore the Republic in Rome and who unfortunatly died long before the events of last week. The installment of worthy men in positions of power is surely an honorable one and this wil be carried forward by Rome the Republic with such appointments of Sextus Pompeius, who I hear has made a name for himself while abroad in Spain.

In regards to Caesars other acta, those named in his will concerning the direction of Rome’s legislative and foreighn policy matters, it is not hard for learned men to smell the stinch of selfish desires. As to who should be named heir to Caesar, I can only ask this, how can a man have an heir to a thrown that was brought down many years ago. For Rome has spoken and desires no king.

Therefore it is in my opinion, oh conscript fathers, that the only acta of Caesar that should be honored is the appointment of learned men in the leadership posistions that they have carried most honorably and that the royal decrees of Caesar should be ignored as the illegal acts of a false king.