Mil. 20.1Videāmus nunc id quod caput est, locus ad īnsidiās ille ipse ubi congressī sunt utrī tandem fuerit aptior.Let us now look at the main point: for which of the two the very place where they met was better suited for an ambush. Mil. 20.1Id vērō, iūdicēs, etiam dubitandum et diūtius cōgitandum est?Is that really, judges, something to be doubted and pondered at length? Mil. 20.1Ante fundum Clōdī quō in fundō propter īnsānās illās substrūctiōnēs facile hominum mīlle versābātur valentium, ēditō adversāriī atque excelsō locō superiōrem sē fore putābat Milō, et ob eam rem eum locum ad pugnam potissimum ēlēgerat, an in eō locō est potius exspectātus ab eō quī ipsīus locī spē facere impetum cōgitārat?In front of Clodius' estate — the estate on which, because of those mad substructures, a good thousand strong men were easily kept busy — did Milo think he would have the upper hand from his opponent's high and lofty ground, and for that reason choose that place above all for the fight, or was he rather awaited at that place by the man who had planned to make an attack in reliance on the place itself?
Mil. 20.1Rēs loquitur ipsa, iūdicēs, quae semper valet plūrimum.The facts speak for themselves, judges, and facts always count for most. Mil. 20.54Sī haec nōn gesta audīrētis, sed picta vidērētis, tamen appārēret uter esset īnsidiātor, uter nihil malī cōgitāret, cum alter veherētur in raedā paenulātus, ūnā sedēret uxor.If you were not hearing of these events but seeing them painted, it would still be plain which was the plotter and which was planning no harm, since one was riding in a carriage, wrapped in a cloak, with his wife sitting beside him. Mil. 20.54Quid hōrum nōn impedītissimum?Which of these was not a great encumbrance? Mil. 20.54vestītus an vehiculum an comes?the dress, the vehicle, or the companion? Mil. 20.54quid minus promptum ad pugnam, cum paenulā inrētītus, raedā impedītus, uxōre paene cōnstrictus esset?—Vidēte nunc illum, prīmum ēgredientem ē vīllā, subitō: cūr?What could be less ready for a fight, when he was entangled in a cloak, hampered by a carriage and almost tied down by his wife? — Now look at the other man, first leaving his villa suddenly: why?
Mil. 20.54vesperī: quid necesse est?in the evening: what need was there? Mil. 20.54tardē: quī convenit, praesertim id temporis?late: how does that fit, especially at that time of day? Mil. 20.54"Dēvertit in vīllam Pompēī."'He turned aside to Pompey's villa.' Mil. 20.54Pompeium ut vidēret?To see Pompey? Mil. 20.54sciēbat in Alsiēnsī esse;he knew that Pompey was at his villa at Alsium; Mil. 20.54vīllam ut perspiceret?to inspect the villa? Mil. 20.54mīliēns in eā fuerat.he had been in it a thousand times. Mil. 20.54Quid ergō erat?What, then, was it? Mil. 20.54mora et tergiversātiō: dum hic venīret, locum relinquere nōluit.delay and shuffling: he did not want to leave the spot until Milo arrived.