We see in the wars of Marius and Sulla the extent to which the Romans’ souls had progressively become depraved. Such fateful things gave the impression they would never be seen again. But under the triumvirs, they wanted to be more cruel while appearing so less ; it is dismaying to see the sophisms that cruelty invoked. We find in Appian the formula : “Soldiers, how happy we finally shall be.” [1]

Rome was awash in blood when Lepidus triumphed over Spain ; and by an unexampled absurdity, on pain of proscription, he ordered them to rejoice.