Cael. 19.1At vērō in M. Caeliō — dīcam enim iam cōnfīdentius dē studiīs eius honestīs, quoniam audeō quaedam frētus vestrā sapientiā līberē cōnfitērī — nūlla luxuriēs reperiētur, nūllī sūmptūs, nūllum aes aliēnum, nūlla convīviōrum ac lūstrōrum libīdō.But in Marcus Caelius — for now I shall speak with more confidence about his honourable pursuits, since, relying on your wisdom, I dare to admit certain things freely — no extravagance will be found, no expenses, no debt, no appetite for banquets and dens of vice. Cael. 19.1Quod quidem vitium ventris et gurgitis nōn modo nōn minuit aetās hominibus sed etiam auget.That vice of the belly and the gullet, indeed, age not only does not lessen in men but even increases. Cael. 19.1Amōrēs autem et dēliciae quae vocantur, quae firmiōre animō praeditīs diūtius molestae nōn solent esse — mātūrē enim et celeriter dēflōrēscunt — numquam hunc occupātum impedītumve tenuērunt.But love affairs and what are called 'delights', which are not usually troublesome for long to those endowed with a firmer mind — for they fade early and quickly — have never held this man in their grip or hampered him. Cael. 19.45Audīstis cum prō sē dīceret, audīstis anteā cum accūsāret — dēfendendī haec causā, nōn glōriandī loquor — genus ōrātiōnis, facultātem, cōpiam sententiārum atque verbōrum, quae vestra prūdentia est, perspexistis.You heard him when he spoke on his own behalf, you heard him before when he was prosecuting — I say this for the sake of defence, not of boasting — his style of speaking, his ability, his wealth of thoughts and words, you perceived, with the discernment you have.
Cael. 19.45Atque in eō nōn sōlum ingenium ēlūcēre eius vidēbātis, quod saepe, etiam sī industria nōn alitur, valet tamen ipsum suīs vīribus, sed īnerat, nisi mē propter benivolentiam forte fallēbat, ratiō et bonīs artibus īnstitūta et cūrā et vigiliīs ēlabōrāta.And in it you saw not only his talent shining out, which often, even if it is not nourished by industry, is still strong by its own power, but there was in it, unless perhaps goodwill deceived me, a method both trained in the liberal arts and perfected with care and sleepless nights. Cael. 19.45Atquī scītōte, iūdicēs, eās cupiditātēs quae obiciuntur Caeliō atque haec studia dē quibus disputō nōn facile in eōdem homine esse posse.Yet you may be sure, judges, that those desires which are charged against Caelius and these pursuits of which I am speaking cannot easily exist in the same man. Cael. 19.45Fierī enim nōn potest ut animus libīdinī dēditus, amōre, dēsīderiō, cupiditāte, saepe nimiā cōpiā, inopiā etiam nōn numquam impedītus hoc quicquid est quod nōs facimus in dīcendō, quōquō modō facimus, nōn modo agendō vērum etiam cōgitandō possit sustinēre.For it cannot be that a mind given over to lust, hampered by love, longing and desire, often by too much plenty, sometimes even by want, could sustain this, whatever it is, that we do in speaking, in whatever way we do it, not only in performing it but even in thinking it out.
Cael. 19.46An vōs aliam causam esse ūllam putātis cūr in tantīs praemiīs ēloquentiae, tantā voluptāte dīcendī, tantā laude, tantā grātiā, tantō honōre, tam sint paucī semperque fuerint quī in hōc labōre versentur?Or do you think there is any other reason why, when the rewards of eloquence are so great, the pleasure of speaking so great, the praise, the influence, the honour so great, so few are and always have been engaged in this labour? Cael. 19.46Obterendae sunt omnēs voluptātēs, relinquenda studia dēlectātiōnis, lūdus, iocus, convīvium, sermō paene est familiārium dēserendus.All pleasures must be trampled down, pursuits of amusement abandoned, play, jest, banquets, and even conversation with friends must almost be given up. Cael. 19.46Quā rē in hōc genere labor offendit hominēs ā studiōque dēterret, nōn quō aut ingenia dēficiant aut doctrīna puerīlis.That is why in this field it is the labour that puts men off and deters them from the pursuit, not that either their talents or their boyhood education are lacking. Cael. 19.47An hic, sī sēsē istī vītae dēdidisset, cōnsulārem hominem admodum adulēscēns in iūdicium vocāvisset?Would this man, if he had given himself up to that life, have summoned a man of consular rank to trial when he was still quite young?
Cael. 19.47hic, sī labōrem fugeret, sī obstrictus voluptātibus tenērētur, hāc in aciē cōtīdiē versārētur, appeteret inimīcitiās, in iūdicium vocāret, subīret perīculum capitis, ipse īnspectante populō Rōmānō tot iam mēnsīs aut dē salūte aut dē glōriā dīmicāret?would this man, if he shunned labour, if he were held bound by pleasures, be engaged in this battle line every day, court enmities, summon men to trial, face a danger to his civil existence, and himself, with the Roman people looking on, fight now for so many months either for his safety or for his glory?