Marc. 1.1Diūturnī silentī, patrēs cōnscrīptī, quō eram hīs temporibus ūsus, nōn timōre aliquō, sed partim dolōre, partim verēcundiā, fīnem hodiernus diēs attulit, īdemque initium quae vellem quaeque sentīrem meō prīstinō mōre dīcendī.To the long silence, conscript fathers, which I had kept in these times, not from any fear but partly from grief, partly from shame, this present day has brought an end, and likewise a beginning of speaking what I wished and what I felt in my former manner. Marc. 1.1Tantam enim mānsuētūdinem, tam inūsitātam inaudītamque clēmentiam, tantum in summā potestāte rērum omnium modum, tam dēnique incrēdibilem sapientiam ac paene dīvīnam tacitus praeterīre nūllō modō possum.For such gentleness, such unusual and unheard-of clemency, such moderation in supreme power over all things, and finally such incredible and almost divine wisdom, I can by no means pass over in silence. Marc. 1.2M. enim Mārcellō vōbīs, patrēs cōnscrīptī, reīque pūblicae redditō nōn illīus sōlum sed etiam meam vōcem et auctōritātem vōbīs et reī pūblicae cōnservātam ac restitūtam putō.For with Marcus Marcellus restored to you, conscript fathers, and to the commonwealth, I consider that not only his voice and authority but mine too have been preserved and restored to you and to the commonwealth.
Marc. 1.2Dolēbam enim, patrēs cōnscrīptī, et vehementer angēbar, cum vidērem virum tālem, cum in eādem causā in quā ego fuisset, nōn in eādem esse fortūnā, nec mihi persuādēre poteram nec fās esse dūcēbam versārī mē in nostrō vetere curriculō illō aemulō atque imitātōre studiōrum ac labōrum meōrum quasi quōdam sociō ā mē et comite distractō.For I grieved, conscript fathers, and was greatly distressed when I saw that such a man, though he had been on the same side as I, was not in the same fortune, and I could neither persuade myself nor did I think it right that I should go on in our old course while that rival and imitator of my studies and labours had been torn away from me, like a partner and companion. Marc. 1.2Ergō et mihi meae prīstinae vītae cōnsuētūdinem, C. Caesar, interclūsam aperuistī et hīs omnibus ad bene dē rē pūblicā spērandum quasi signum aliquod sustulistī.So you, Gaius Caesar, have both opened up to me the way of my former life, which had been shut off, and raised, as it were, a standard for all these men to hope well for the commonwealth.
Marc. 1.3Intellēctum est enim mihi quidem in multīs et maximē in mē ipsō, sed paulō ante omnibus, cum M. Mārcellum senātuī reīque pūblicae concessistī, commemorātīs praesertim offēnsiōnibus, tē auctōritātem huius ōrdinis dignitātemque reī pūblicae tuīs vel dolōribus vel suspīciōnibus anteferre.For it has been understood, by me indeed in many cases and most of all in my own, but by everyone a little while ago, when you granted Marcus Marcellus to the senate and the commonwealth, especially after his offences had been recalled, that you set the authority of this order and the dignity of the commonwealth above your own resentments or suspicions. Marc. 1.3Ille quidem frūctum omnis ante āctae vītae hodiernō diē maximum cēpit, cum summō cōnsēnsū senātūs tum iūdiciō tuō gravissimō et maximō.He, indeed, has today reaped the greatest reward of his whole past life, both in the full agreement of the senate and in your most weighty and important judgement. Marc. 1.3Ex quō profectō intellegis quanta in datō beneficiō sit laus, cum in acceptō sit tanta glōria.From this you surely understand how much praise lies in a kindness given, when there is such glory in one received.
Marc. 1.4Est vērō fortūnātus cuius ex salūte nōn minor paene ad omnīs quam ad illum ventūra sit laetitia pervēnerit: quod quidem meritō atque optimō iūre contigit.Fortunate indeed is he from whose deliverance a joy has reached everyone almost no less great than that which is to reach him himself: and this has befallen him deservedly and by the best of rights. Marc. 1.4Quis enim est illō aut nōbilitāte aut probitāte aut optimārum artium studiō aut innocentiā aut ūllō in laudis genere praestantior?For who is more outstanding than he, whether in nobility or uprightness or devotion to the noblest studies or integrity or any kind of merit?