Cael. 29.1At sunt servī illī dē cognātōrum sententiā, nōbilissimōrum et clārissimōrum hominum, manū missī.But those slaves have been freed on the advice of her relatives, most noble and most illustrious men. Cael. 29.1Tandem aliquid invēnimus quod ista mulier dē suōrum propinquōrum, fortissimōrum virōrum, sententiā atque auctōritāte fēcisse dīcātur.At last we have found something which that woman is said to have done on the advice and authority of her kinsmen, most valiant men. Cael. 29.1Sed scīre cupiō quid habeat argūmentī ista manūmissiō;But I want to know what this manumission proves; Cael. 29.1in quā aut crīmen est Caeliō quaesītum aut quaestiō sublāta aut multārum rērum cōnsciīs servīs cum causā praemium persolūtum.in which either a charge was contrived against Caelius, or an interrogation under torture was prevented, or a reward was paid, with good reason, to slaves privy to many things. Cael. 29.1"At propinquīs" inquit "placuit."'But her kinsmen', he says, 'approved.' Cael. 29.1Cūr nōn placēret, cum rem tūte ad eōs nōn ab aliīs tibi adlātam sed ā tē ipsā compertam dēferre dīcerēs?Why should they not approve, when you said that you were reporting to them a matter which had not been brought to you by others but discovered by you yourself?
Cael. 29.69Hīc etiam mīrāmur, sī illam commentīciam pyxidem obscēnissima sit fābula cōnsecūta?Are we surprised, then, if that fictitious box was followed by a most obscene story? Cael. 29.69Nihil est quod in eius modī mulierem nōn cadere videātur.There is nothing that does not seem to fit a woman of that kind. Cael. 29.69Audīta et percelebrāta sermōnibus rēs est.The story was heard and spread widely in gossip. Cael. 29.69Percipitis animīs, iūdicēs, iam dūdum quid velim vel potius quid nōlim dīcere.You have long been aware, judges, of what I wish, or rather what I do not wish, to say. Cael. 29.69Quod etiam sī est factum, certē ā Caeliō quidem nōn est factum — quid enim attinēbat?And even if it was done, it was certainly not done by Caelius — for what concern was it of his? — Cael. 29.69— est enim ab aliquō adulēscente fortasse nōn tam īnsulsō quam inverēcundō.for it was done by some young man, perhaps not so much witless as shameless. Cael. 29.69Sīn autem est fictum, nōn illud quidem modestum sed tamen est nōn īnfacētum mendācium;But if it was invented, it is not, indeed, a modest lie, but still not a witless one; Cael. 29.69quod profectō numquam hominum sermō atque opīniō comprobāsset, nisi omnia quae cum turpitūdine aliquā dīcerentur in istam quadrāre aptē vidērentur.which common talk and opinion would certainly never have accepted, unless everything that was said with any foulness seemed to fit that woman neatly.
Cael. 29.70Dicta est ā mē causa, iūdicēs, et perōrāta.My case has been stated, judges, and concluded. Cael. 29.70Iam intellegitis quantum iūdicium sustineātis, quanta rēs sit commissa vōbīs.Now you understand how important a judgement you bear, how great a matter has been entrusted to you. Cael. 29.70Dē vī quaeritis.You are inquiring into violence. Cael. 29.70Quae lēx ad imperium, ad maiestātem, ad statum patriae, ad salūtem omnium pertinet, quam lēgem Q. Catulus armātā dissēnsiōne cīvium reī pūblicae paene extrēmīs temporibus tulit, quaeque lēx sēdātā illā flammā cōnsulātūs meī fūmantīs reliquiās coniūrātiōnis exstīnxit, hāc nunc lēge Caelī adulēscentia nōn ad reī pūblicae poenās sed ad mulieris libīdinēs et dēliciās dēposcitur.That law which concerns the empire, the majesty, the standing of our country, the safety of all, the law which Quintus Catulus carried at a time of armed strife among citizens, when the state was almost in its last extremity, the law which, when that fire of my consulship had been quelled, put out the smouldering remains of the conspiracy — by this law the youth of Caelius is now demanded, not to pay a penalty to the state, but to serve the lusts and pleasures of a woman.