As our nation has been defeated by him, it seems to me important for our glory that our victor is blameless, and I think I defend France's honor by defending the illustrious Caesar. He spoke so honorably of the Gauls in his works that it is right that the Gauls speak on his behalf. I can't bear to hear it said that we were dragged under the yoke of a tyrant. Listen then to what his wife, who was privy to his intentions, is about to reveal to you.

                                                Calpurnia to Lepidus
Caesar is avenged, Lepidus. The last of his assassins is dead and all Romans have a master. They surrender to Octavius the supreme authority they would have denied to Caesar had he asked, and in punishment for their inconsistency, they forge chains that they will not only have to bear, but will also pass down as a legacy to their descendants. Yes, Lepidus, the Romans, after unjustly accusing Caesar of wanting to be their tyrant, will experience all that the cruelest tyranny can make one endure. We can already see that Octavius has no children, and that Tiberius has designs to soon commit what I am telling you. Furthermore, Caesar's innocence makes me almost certainly predict the troubles that will now afflict Rome. The gods are too just not to punish those who slaughtered the father of the country and the protector of liberty. Yes, Lepidus, the great Caesar deserved both of these titles, but he did not deserve the treatment he received in any way. I am truly astonished that the Romans so badly misunderstood his intentions, when his entire life proved that he loved liberty and that even the accusations made against him result from his passion for preserving it. You know Lepidus, that since his youth Caesar has always opposed Sylla and tyranny. 
At that time, he was considered a citizens passionate about liberty and he was forced to hide and leave Rome as his life was threatened. Then, he indicted Dolabella and pursued him in court because of the authoritarian way he governed his province, thereby demonstrating that he did not approve in others what he was accused of. As a magistrate, he never stirred up trouble in public affairs, even though this position was among the most prestigious he held. He acted with prudence and moderation, and even his enemies cannot fault him in this respect. Indeed, Lepidus, every time I remember Caesar’s actions for the Romans, his many victories against their enemies and tyrants, it feels to me as if I am remembering all the great achievements of the past century. It's hard to believe that one man accomplished so much, achieved so many goals, won so many conquests, fought so many battles, risked his life on countless occasions, and escaped so many dangers, without living longer than others. Yet, Lepidus, you know that Caesar achieved much more than I am recounting, even though he only lived fifty-five years. Before I address his defense, remember what he accomplished in Spain. He subjugated the Celtiberians and Lusitanians up to the ocean, a region never explored by the Romans.

                                                    105