. . . It will not be long before the
religion of Socrates, of Marcus Aurelius and Cicero will be the
religion of the whole world."
[39] Moniteur, XVI., 646. (The King's trial.) Speech by Robespierre:
"the right of punishing the tyrant and of dethroning him is one and
the same thing." - Speech by Saint-Just: "Royalty is an eternal crime,
against which every man has the right of taking up arms . . . To
reign innocently is impossible!"
[40] Epigraph of Marat's journal: Ute readapt miseries, abet Fortuna
superb is.
[41] Buchez et Roux, XXXII., 323. (Report of Saint-Just, Germinal 21,
year II., and a decree of Germinal 26-29, Art. 4, 13, 15.) - Ibid.,
315.
[42] Buchez et Roux, (Report of Saint-Just, October 10, 1793.) "That
would be the only good they could do their country. . . . It would
be no more than just for the people to reign over its oppressors in
its turn, and that their pride should be bathed in the sweat of their
brows."
[43] Ibid., XXXI., 309. (Report of Saint-Just, Vent?se 8, year II.)
[44] Ibid., XXVI. 435. (Speech by Robespierre on the constitution,
May 10, 1793.) "What were our usages and pretended laws other than a
code of impertinence and baseness, where contempt of men was subject
to a sort of tariff, and graduated according to regulations as odd as
they were numerous? To despise and be despised, to cringe in order to
rule, slaves and tyrants in turn, now kneeling before a master, now
trampling the people under foot - such was the ambition of all of us,
so long as we were men of birth or well educated men, whether common
folks or fashionable folks, lawyers or financiers, pettifoggers or
wearing swords.
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