1But why, gentlemen, have I brought on so stern a character that I fear this same Appius may suddenly turn round and begin to accuse Caelius with that censorial severity of his? 1But I shall see to that later, and in such a way, gentlemen, that I am confident I shall justify Marcus Caelius' life even to the severest of judges. 1But you, woman — for now I am speaking with you myself, with no character brought on — if you intend to prove what you are doing, what you are saying, what you are alleging, what you are plotting, what you are charging, you must give and set out an account of so great an intimacy, so close a familiarity, so close a connection.
1The prosecutors, indeed, keep bandying about lusts, love affairs, adulteries, Baiae, beach parties, dinner parties, revels, songs, concerts, boating parties, and they also indicate that they say nothing against your will. 1And since you, with some unbridled and headlong mind or other, have wished these things to be brought into the forum and into court, you must either wash them away and show them to be false, or admit that no credit should be given either to your charge or to your testimony. 36But if you would rather I dealt with you more urbanely, I shall deal with you like this. 36I shall remove that harsh and almost rustic old man; 36from these people of yours, then, I shall take someone, and above all your youngest brother, who is the most urbane of that kind; 36who loves you dearly, who, because of some timidity, I suppose, and certain empty fears at night, always used to sleep with you, a little boy with his big sister.
36Imagine that he is speaking to you: 'What is this uproar, sister? 36why are you raving? 36"Why raise a clamour with your words and make a small matter great?" 36You caught sight of a young man in the neighbourhood; 36his fair complexion, his tall figure, his face and eyes struck you; 36you wanted to see him more often; 36you were sometimes in the same gardens; 36you, a noblewoman, want to keep that son of a family, whose father is stingy and tight-fisted, bound to you by your wealth. 36You cannot; 36he kicks, he spurns, he rebuffs you, he does not think your gifts worth so much. 36Take yourself elsewhere. 36You have gardens by the Tiber, carefully laid out in the very spot where all the young men come to swim; 36from there you may pick your matches every day; 36why do you pester this man, who scorns you?'