1to return to myself, it was from these sources that I flowed out to public renown, and this work of mine in the courts and my way of life spread rather more widely into men's esteem through the commendation and judgement of my own people. 1As for the charge made about his chastity, which has been bandied about not in the charges but in the clamour and abuse of all the prosecutors, Marcus Caelius will never take it so bitterly as to regret that he was not born ugly. 1For such abuse is commonly levelled at all whose looks and appearance in youth were handsome. 1But it is one thing to abuse, another to accuse.
1An accusation requires a charge, so as to define the act, to brand the man, to prove it by argument, to confirm it by witness; 1abuse, on the other hand, has no aim beyond insult; 1if it is flung about rather insolently, it is called slander; if rather wittily, urbanity. 7That part of the accusation, indeed, I was surprised and sorry to see assigned to Atratinus above all. 7For it was not fitting, nor did his age require it, nor, as you could observe, did the modesty of this excellent young man allow him to engage in such a speech. 7I could wish that one of you sturdier men had taken on this business of abuse; 7I should rebut that licence of abuse rather more freely and boldly, and more in our usual way.
7With you, Atratinus, I shall deal more gently, both because your modesty restrains my speech and because I ought to preserve the kindness I have shown to you and your father. 7Yet I wish you to take this warning: first, that everyone should think you to be such as you are, so that as far as you stand from baseness in deeds, so far you keep yourself from licence in words; 8next, that you should not say against another what would make you blush if it were falsely said back to you. 8For who is there to whom that road is not open, who is there who could not insolently abuse a man of this age and that standing as much as he likes, even if without any ground for suspicion, yet not without some pretext?
8But the blame for that role lies with those who wanted you to play it; 8the credit goes to your modesty, because we saw that you said these things unwillingly, and to your talent, because you said them elegantly and with polish.