1But if you regard these things, which are of the greatest weight, as rather trivial, and set the vote of the city above that of the army, do not so utterly despise the elegance of this man's games and the splendour of his stage; 1these helped him a great deal. 1For why should I say that the people and the mass of the uninstructed take great delight in games? 1That is less to be wondered at. 1Yet that is enough for this case; 1for the elections belong to the people and the multitude. 1Therefore, if the splendour of games gives pleasure to the people, it is no wonder that it helped Murena with the people.
39But if we ourselves, who are both kept from common amusement by our business and can find many other delights in our very occupation, are nonetheless entertained and drawn by games, why should you wonder at the uneducated multitude? 40Otho, a brave man and my close friend, restored to the equestrian order not only its dignity but also its pleasure. 40And so this law concerning the games is the most welcome of all, because to a most honourable order there has been restored, along with its distinction, the enjoyment of pleasure too. 40Games therefore give delight, believe me, even to those who pretend otherwise, not only to those who admit it; 40and this I felt in my own candidacy.
40For I too had a stage as my rival. 40And if I, who as aedile had given three sets of games, was nevertheless disturbed by the games of Antonius, do you think that this very silver stage which you mock did you, who as it happened had given none, no harm at all? 41But let all these things be granted equal: let work in the forum be equal to military service, the military vote equal to that of the city; let it be the same to have given the most magnificent games and never to have given any; 41what then? 41in the praetorship itself do you think there was no difference between your lot and his?