1It remains now that his own nature and habits should defend Clodius, while these same things convict Milo. 1'Clodius never did anything by violence, Milo did everything by violence.' 1What? 1when I left the city, judges, amid your mourning, was it a trial I feared, and not slaves, not arms, not violence? 1What just cause, then, would there have been for restoring me, if there had not been an unjust one for driving me out? 1He had, I suppose, served a summons on me, proposed a fine, brought a charge of treason against me, and I, no doubt, in a case that was either bad or merely my own, and not both most glorious and yours as well, had reason to fear a trial.
1I was unwilling that my fellow citizens, saved by my counsels and my dangers, should be exposed for my sake to the weapons of slaves and of needy and criminal citizens. 37For I saw, I saw this very Quintus Hortensius here, the light and ornament of the state, almost killed at the hands of slaves when he was standing by me; 37and in that riot Gaius Vibienus, a senator and an excellent man, who was with Hortensius, was so beaten that he lost his life. 37And so, when afterwards did that dagger of his, which he had received from Catiline, ever rest? 37It was aimed at me; to it I did not allow you to be exposed for my sake; it lay in wait for Pompey; it stained the Appian Way, the monument of his family's name, with the murder of Papirius; this same dagger, after a long interval, was turned once more against me; 37recently indeed, as you know, it almost finished me off near the Regia.
38What is there like this in Milo? 38all of whose violence has always had this aim, that Publius Clodius, since he could not be dragged into court, should not hold the state oppressed by violence. 38If he had wished to kill him, how great, how frequent, how splendid were the opportunities! 38Could he not lawfully have avenged himself when he was defending his house and his household gods against Clodius's assault, could he not when that outstanding citizen and very brave man Publius Sestius, his colleague, was wounded, could he not when that excellent man Quintus Fabricius was driven off while proposing a law for my return, and a most cruel massacre was carried out in the forum, could he not when the house of Lucius Caecilius, a most just and brave praetor, was besieged, could he not on the day the law concerning me was passed, when the gathering of all Italy, which my restoration had roused, would gladly have acknowledged the glory of that deed, so that, even if Milo had done it, the whole state would claim that credit as its own?