1But if you do not yet see clearly enough — though the matter itself shines with so many and such clear proofs and signs — that Milo returned to Rome with a pure and blameless mind, stained by no crime, terrified by no fear, unnerved by no guilty conscience, recall, by the immortal gods, how swift his return was, how he entered the forum while the senate house was burning, what greatness of spirit, what a face, what words he showed. 1And he entrusted himself not only to the people but also to the senate, and not only to the senate but also to the public guards and arms, and not only to these but also to the power of the man to whom the senate had entrusted the whole state, all the youth of Italy, all the arms of the Roman people: to him this man would surely never have handed himself over unless he had confidence in his cause, especially as that man was hearing everything, fearing much, suspecting many things and believing some.
1Great is the power of conscience, judges, and great in both directions, so that those who have done no wrong do not fear, and those who have sinned think that punishment is always hovering before their eyes. 62Nor indeed was it without sure reason that Milo's cause was always approved by the senate; 62those very wise men saw the reasoning behind the deed, his presence of mind, the steadiness of his defence. 62Or have you forgotten, judges, when the news of Clodius' death was fresh, the talk and opinions not only of Milo's enemies but even of some ignorant people? 62They said that he would not return to Rome. 63For if he had done the deed with an angry and excited mind, so as to butcher his enemy while inflamed with hatred, they thought that he had reckoned the death of Publius Clodius worth so much that he would calmly go without his country, once he had sated his hatred with his enemy's blood; 63or if he had also wished to free his country by Clodius' death, they thought that, as a brave man, he would not hesitate, having brought safety to the Roman people at his own risk, to yield calmly to the laws, to carry away with him everlasting glory, and to leave to you the enjoyment of these things which he himself had saved.
63Many even talked of Catiline and those monstrous deeds: 'He will break out, he will seize some position, he will make war on his country.' 63Wretched at times are citizens who have served the state superbly, in whose case men not only forget their most glorious deeds but even suspect them of wicked ones! 64So those predictions were false which would certainly have come true, if Milo had committed anything which he could not honourably and truthfully defend.