Salvete, Romani cives.
I come to you to announce my candidacy for the consulship.
In the two and half years since I joined Nova Roma I have had many excellent experiences. I took part in building my home province, Hispania, from its very beginning. I have worked in the Academia Thules. I was elected tribunus plebis and presented to the Comitia the first set of successful legislative proposals authored by a tribune. This year I was elected praetor and have performed my duties to the best of my abilities, trying to act with diligence, energy, and prudence.
Here in Nova Roma I have made many new friends, I have taken part in many interesting debates, and I have had more than my fair share of fun :-).
But all these good experiences are not yet enough for me. I don't know if you have ever felt in the same way, but when I stumbled upon the Nova Roma web site, many expectations rose in my mind. A place where one could live like a Roman, pray like a Roman, talk like a Roman. A place where one could become a true Roman of old. That sounded like something to strive for. And it still does.
The truth is that Nova Roma has not yet fulfilled its promise, has not yet attained its destiny. We still have a long way to go, and we need to know where we are going.
We must embrace the traditions, the Mos Maiorum, of our Roman forebearers, bringing our institutions, laws, and practices ever closer to the Rome which inspires and teaches us.
We must move from being primarily an internet society to a republic whose citizens meet face-to-face in our provinces and in larger events around the world to strengthen and deepen our commonalities as Romans.
We must put aside old quarrels and rise above factions to join together with a renewed enthusiasm, pursuing a clearer vision of the objectives we seek to attain. It is for these reasons that I stand for the consulship.
In the following days I shall discuss with you the concrete policies I advocate to promote this renewal.
But let me say this from the very beginning: I cannot achieve these ideals alone; no consul can. I seek your ideas, your comments, your criticisms, your enthusiasms, your vision of what Nova Roma can be. This campaign must be a dialogue on Nova Roma's future, for no leader in a republic can succeed without the support and counsel of the people.
Quirites, this is a challenge for all of us. If we unite our wills, if we make a common effort, we might be rewarded with a Nova Roma that is closer to the ideal each of us has. I firmly believe that it is something worth the effort.
May the Immortals guide us rightly as They did of old.
Cn. Salix Astur