Marcus Tullius Cicero, Pro Caelio [11]

Cicero notes that Caelius spent a lot of time in public life without people speaking ill of his morals or reputation.

Tier 1

itaque Caelius tot annos egit in foro sine suspicione, sine infamia, se amicum fecit Catilinae qui consulatum iterum petivit.

 

ergo quam longum putas illum adulescentum, Caelium, defendendum fuisse?

 

cum ego adulescens eram, certe habuimus unum annum ad retinendum bracchium in toga, et ut tunicati exercitaremus et in ludo et in campo Martii,

 

et eadem erat ratio militaris, vel in castris vel in campo, si coeperamus accipere stipendia.

 

nemo ad hanc aetatem effugere infamiam veram poterat nisi in alio modo defensus esset a suis amicis,

 

nisi is est qui se defenderet sua gravitate et puritate morum, et domestica disciplina et etiam naturali bono.

 

sed nemo male dicebat de eius fama ac pudicitia, qui superior fuisset ante illa in prima parte vitae integra atque inviolata,

 

cum iam se fortem fecisset et esset vir inter viros.

 

Written by Robert Amstutz

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