Those who stood nearest us received this preamble with satisfaction and held their peace, but the crowd in our rear shouted as one man that they refused to acknowledge any other role for their leader but that of emperor. Maybe the majority did not approve of this, but they slavishly said so and accommodated themselves to circumstances. At all events they put to shame the orderly element in my audience and forced them to shout defiance too. Probably because he wished to avoid the appearance of disagreeing with the mob, the emperor supported their objection, using precisely the same words.
More damaging points
28. I was in no way disturbed by this. Indeed, I was now in a solid position based on very substantial arguments — and I am not the sort of man who shrinks away, when I am once engaged in a fight. So I interrupted my speech and stood in silence, waiting for the crowd to grow quiet. And after they had bawled their heads off, they did steady down, and I, continuing in the same strain, began gently to reveal my more damaging points, although still not finding fault with the rebels.
I reminded them how one climbs a ladder, pointed out the mistake of over-reaching with the foot, and praised the reasonable progress to the imperial throne. The proper order, I said, was this: first, experience, and afterwards, philosophical speculations; the man of practical affairs first, and afterwards the theorist. Most of those who had ruled as emperors, and the best of them, had been promoted to imperial power from the rank of Caesar.
29. At this remark, some individuals objected that I was quoting one particular kind of promotion. Isaac, they said, had been invested with power already. ‘But,’ I flashed back, ‘he has not become emperor yet! What is more, if your objections are not to be perfectly ridiculous, your position (I was afraid to use the word rebellion expressly) has not even a respectable name at all.’ Then I went on as follows: ‘Give up the title of Emperor and your accession to the throne will have the sanction of legality.’ When I mentioned the adoption proposed by the emperor, they broke in. ‘Do you mean to tell us,’ they asked, ‘that an emperor’s Son will be deprived of his power, the sovereign power?’ — ‘Yes,’ I answered, ‘the greatest emperors have treated even their real sons like that.’
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