Mur. 26.1Hīs tum rēbus commōtus et quod hominēs iam tum coniūrātōs cum gladiīs in campum dēdūcī ā Catilīnā sciēbam, dēscendī in campum cum firmissimō praesidiō fortissimōrum virōrum et cum illā lātā īnsignīque lōrīcā, nōn quae mē tegeret — etenim sciēbam Catilīnam nōn latus aut ventrem sed caput et collum solēre petere — vērum ut omnēs bonī animadverterent et, cum in metū et perīculō cōnsulem vidērent, id quod est factum, ad opem praesidiumque concurrerent.Moved then by these things, and because I knew that men already sworn in conspiracy were being led down into the Campus by Catiline with swords, I went down into the Campus with a very strong guard of the bravest men and with that broad and conspicuous breastplate, not to protect me — for I knew that Catiline was accustomed to aim not at the side or the belly but at the head and neck — but so that all good men might notice it and, seeing their consul in fear and danger, might rush, as in fact happened, to his aid and protection. Mur. 26.1Itaque cum tē, Servī, remissiōrem in petendō putārent, Catilīnam et spē et cupiditāte īnflammātum vidērent, omnēs quī illam ab rē pūblicā pestem dēpellere cupiēbant ad Mūrēnam sē statim contulērunt.And so, since they thought that you, Servius, were rather slack in your canvassing, and saw Catiline inflamed with both hope and desire, all who wished to drive that plague from the state at once betook themselves to Murena.
Mur. 26.53Magna est autem comitiīs cōnsulāribus repentīna voluntātum inclīnātiō, praesertim cum incubuit ad virum bonum et multīs aliīs adiūmentīs petītiōnis ōrnātum.Now at consular elections a sudden swing of feeling counts for much, especially when it has thrown its weight towards a good man furnished with many other aids to his candidacy. Mur. 26.53Quī cum honestissimō patre atque maiōribus, modestissimā adulēscentiā, clārissimā lēgātiōne, praetūrā probātā in iūre, grātā in mūnere, ōrnātā in prōvinciā petīsset dīligenter, et ita petīsset ut neque minantī cēderet neque cuiquam minārētur, huic mīrandum est magnō adiūmentō Catilīnae subitam spem cōnsulātūs adipīscendī fuisse?Since he, with a most honourable father and ancestors, a most modest youth, a most distinguished service as legate, a praetorship approved in its administration of justice, welcome for its show, distinguished in its province, had canvassed diligently, and had canvassed in such a way that he neither yielded to anyone who threatened nor threatened anyone, is it any wonder that Catiline's sudden hope of gaining the consulship was a great help to him? Mur. 26.54Nunc mihi tertius ille locus est relictus ōrātiōnis, dē ambitūs crīminibus, perpūrgātus ab eīs quī ante mē dīxērunt, ā mē, quoniam ita Mūrēna voluit, retractandus;Now there remains for me that third part of my speech, concerning the charges of bribery, which has been thoroughly cleared by those who spoke before me, but which I must go over again, since Murena has so wished; Mur. 26.54quō in locō C. Postumō, familiārī meō, ōrnātissimō virō, dē dīvīsōrum indiciīs et dē dēprehēnsīs pecūniīs, adulēscentī ingeniōsō et bonō, Ser. Sulpiciō, dē equitum centuriīs, Catōnī, hominī in omnī virtūte excellentī, dē ipsīus accūsātiōne, dē senātūs cōnsultō, dē rē pūblicā respondēbō.and on this topic I shall reply to Gaius Postumus, my friend and a most distinguished man, about the evidence of the bribery agents and the money seized; to Servius Sulpicius, a talented and good young man, about the centuries of knights; and to Cato, a man outstanding in every virtue, about his own accusation, about the decree of the senate, and about the state.