Marcus Tullius Cicero, Pro Caelio [14]

Cicero explains that Catiline was only able to stage such a dangerous plan because while he had a large following of criminal types, he was also affable enough to be a part of the circles in which even the best Romans, like Cicero himself, found themselves. As such, Caelius shouldn't have an association with Catiline held against him.

Tier 1

Catilina et conlegerat omnes viros malos ex omnibus locis natura sua

 

et praesertim tenebat viros fortes et bonos ficta virtute sua,

 

tam mala cupiditas delendae huius rei publicae numquam exstitisset ex Catilina, nisi omnia vitia eius haberent aliquid naturae levis et patientiae.

 

ergo, iudices, reice condicionem nec crimen familiaritatis Catilinae remanere debet.

 

familiaritas Catilinae communis est multis viris et malis et bonis.

 

olim Catilina me ipsum, me inquam, decepit, cum Catilina videretur esse civis bonus et firmus et fidelis amicus, et quia Catilina videretur esse amicus virorum optimorum velle;

 

Catilina cuius crimina non intellexi antequam oculis meis vidi, cuius crimina inveni antequam suspectavi.

 

etiam si Caelius fuit amicus Catilinae, sicuti saepe me paenitet erroris mei in eodem homine,

 

magis est ut Caelius ipse se puniat se erravisse, quam ut timeat crimen istius amicitiae.

 

Written by Robert Amstutz

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