Mur. 11.1Summa dignitās est in eīs quī mīlitārī laude antecellunt;The highest dignity belongs to those who excel in military renown; Mur. 11.1omnia enim quae sunt in imperiō et in statū cīvitātis ab hīs dēfendī et firmārī putantur;for everything that belongs to the empire and the constitution of the state is thought to be defended and strengthened by them; Mur. 11.1summa etiam ūtilitās, sī quidem eōrum cōnsiliō et perīculō cum rē pūblicā tum etiam nostrīs rēbus perfruī possumus.the highest usefulness too, since it is through their counsel and danger that we can enjoy both the state and our own property. Mur. 11.1Gravis etiam illa est et plēna dignitātis dīcendī facultās quae saepe valuit in cōnsule dēligendō, posse cōnsiliō atque ōrātiōne et senātūs et populī et eōrum quī rēs iūdicant mentis permovēre.Weighty too and full of dignity is that ability in speaking which has often counted in choosing a consul: the power to move by counsel and speech the minds of the senate, the people and those who sit in judgement. Mur. 11.1Quaeritur cōnsul quī dīcendō nōn numquam comprimat tribūniciōs furōrēs, quī concitātum populum flectat, quī largītiōnī resistat.A consul is sought who may sometimes check by his speaking the frenzies of the tribunes, who may turn an aroused people, who may resist bribery.
Mur. 11.1Nōn mīrum, sī ob hanc facultātem hominēs saepe etiam nōn nōbilēs cōnsulātum cōnsecūtī sunt, praesertim cum haec eadem rēs plūrimās grātiās, firmissimās amīcitiās, maxima studia pariat.No wonder if because of this ability even men not of noble birth have often won the consulship, especially since this same thing produces very many obligations, very firm friendships and the greatest support. Mur. 11.1Quōrum in istō vestrō artificiō, Sulpicī, nihil est.Of these things, Sulpicius, there is nothing in that craft of yours. Mur. 11.25Prīmum dignitās in tam tenuī scientia nōn potest esse;First, there can be no dignity in so slight a science; Mur. 11.25rēs enim sunt parvae, prope in singulīs litterīs atque interpūnctiōnibus verbōrum occupātae.for its matters are small, occupied almost with single letters and the punctuation of words. Mur. 11.25Deinde, etiam sī quid apud maiōrēs nostrōs fuit in istō studiō admīrātiōnis, id ēnūntiātīs vestrīs mystēriīs tōtum est contemptum et abiectum.Secondly, even if in the time of our ancestors there was anything in that pursuit to admire, now that your mysteries have been divulged it has all been despised and cast aside. Mur. 11.25Posset agī lēge necne paucī quondam sciēbant;Whether an action at law could be brought or not was once known to few; Mur. 11.25fāstōs enim volgō nōn habēbant.for people generally did not have the calendar.
Mur. 11.25Erant in magnā potentiā quī cōnsulēbantur;Those who were consulted were very powerful; Mur. 11.25ā quibus etiam diēs tamquam ā Chaldaeīs petēbātur.from them even the days were sought, as if from Chaldaean astrologers. Mur. 11.25Inventus est scrība quīdam, Flāvius, quī cornīcum oculōs cōnfīxerit et singulīs diēbus ēdiscendīs fāstōs populō prōposuerit et ab ipsīs hīs cautīs iūris cōnsultīs eōrum sapientiam compīlārit.A certain clerk was found, Flavius, to pierce the crows' eyes, publish the calendar for the people so that they could learn each day by heart, and plunder their wisdom from these very cautious jurisconsults. Mur. 11.25Itaque īrātī illī, quod sunt veritī nē diērum ratiōne pervolgāta et cognitā sine suā operā lēge agī posset, verba quaedam composuērunt ut omnibus in rēbus ipsī interessent.So they in anger, because they feared that, once the reckoning of days was published and known, actions might be brought without their help, composed certain formulas so that they themselves might take part in every matter.