How valuable may character be made, if it can be employed under such conditions! To be believed because of your truth, and yet to lie; to be trusted for your honesty, and yet to cheat; to have credit for patriotism, and yet to sell your country! The temptations to do this are rarely put before a man plainly, in all their naked ugliness.

They certainly were not so presented to Cicero by Caesar and his associates.

The bait was held out to him, as it is daily to others, in a form not repellent, with words fitted to deceive and powerful almost to persuade.

Give us the advantage of your character, and then by your means we shall be able to save our country.

Though our line of action may not be strictly constitutional, if you will look into it you will see that it is expedient.