Cael. 21.1Sed quoniam ēmersisse iam ē vadīs et scopulōs praetervecta vidētur esse ōrātiō mea, perfacilis mihi reliquus cursus ostenditur.But since my speech seems now to have come clear of the shallows and sailed past the rocks, a very easy remainder of the course lies open before me. Cael. 21.1Duo sunt enim crīmina ūnā in muliere summōrum facinorum, aurī quod sūmptum ā Clōdiā dīcitur, et venēnī quod eiusdem Clōdiae necandae causā parāsse Caelium crīminantur.For there are two charges concerning the gravest crimes, both bound up with one woman: that of the gold which is said to have been taken from Clodia, and that of the poison which they charge that Caelius procured for the purpose of killing that same Clodia. Cael. 21.1Aurum sūmpsit, ut dīcitis, quod L. Lucceī servīs daret, per quōs Alexandrīnus Diō quī tum apud Lucceium habitābat necārētur.He took the gold, as you say, to give to the slaves of Lucius Lucceius, through whom Dio of Alexandria, who was then staying with Lucceius, might be killed. Cael. 21.1Magnum crīmen vel in lēgātīs īnsidiandīs vel in servīs ad hospitem dominī necandum sollicitandīs, plēnum sceleris cōnsilium, plēnum audāciae!A grave charge, whether of plotting against envoys or of tempting slaves to kill their master's guest, a plan full of crime, full of audacity!
Cael. 21.52Quō quidem in crīmine prīmum illud requīrō, dīxeritne Clōdiae quam ob rem aurum sūmeret, an nōn dīxerit.On this charge I first ask this: did he tell Clodia for what purpose he was taking the gold, or did he not? Cael. 21.52Sī nōn dīxit, cūr dedit?If he did not tell her, why did she give it? Cael. 21.52Sī dīxit, eōdem sē cōnscientiae scelere dēvīnxit.If he did tell her, she bound herself as an accomplice in the same crime. Cael. 21.52Tūne aurum ex armāriō tuō prōmere ausa es, Tūne Venerem illam tuam spoliāre ōrnāmentīs, spoliātrīcem cēterōrum, cum scīrēs quantum ad facinus aurum hoc quaererētur, ad necem lēgātī, ad L. Lucceī, sānctissimī hominis atque integerrimī, lābem sceleris sempiternam?Did you dare to bring out gold from your cabinet, did you dare to strip that Venus of yours of her ornaments — she who strips everyone else — when you knew for how great a crime this gold was sought, for the murder of an envoy, for the everlasting stain of crime upon Lucius Lucceius, a most upright and blameless man?
Cael. 21.52Huic facinorī tantō tua mēns līberālis cōnscia, tua domus populāris ministra, tua dēnique hospitālis illa Venus adiūtrīx esse nōn dēbuit.To so great a crime your generous mind ought not to have been privy, your open house ought not to have been servant, nor, in short, that hospitable Venus of yours helper. Cael. 21.53Vīdit hoc Balbus;Balbus saw this; Cael. 21.53cēlātam esse Clōdiam dīxit, atque ita Caelium ad illam attulisse, sē ad ōrnātum lūdōrum aurum quaerere.he said that Clodia was kept in the dark, and that Caelius had told her this: that he was seeking the gold for the adornment of games. Cael. 21.53Sī tam familiāris erat Clōdiae quam tū esse vīs cum dē libīdine eius tam multa dīcis, dīxit profectō quō vellet aurum;If he was as intimate with Clodia as you would have him be when you say so much about his lust, he certainly told her what he wanted the gold for; Cael. 21.53sī tam familiāris nōn erat, nōn dedit.if he was not so intimate, she did not give it. Cael. 21.53Ita sī vērum tibi Caelius dīxit, ō immoderāta mulier, sciēns tū aurum ad facinus dedistī;So if Caelius told you the truth, you unbridled woman, you knowingly gave gold for a crime; Cael. 21.53sī nōn est ausus dīcere, nōn dedistī.if he did not dare to tell you, you did not give it.