M. TULLII CICERONIS

PRO

M. CAELIO ORATIO

AD JUDICES.

I. Si quis, judices, forte nunc adsit ignarus legum, judiciorum, consuetudinis nostrae, miretur profecto quae sit tanta atrocitas hujusce caussae, quod diebus festis ludisque publicis, omnibus forensibus negotiis intermissis, unum hoc judicium exerceatur, nec dubitet quin tanti facinoris reus arguatur ut eo neglecto civitas stare non possit: idem quum audiat esse legem quae de seditiosis consceleratisque civibus, qui armati senatum obsederint, magistratibus vim attulerint, rem publicam oppugnarint, quotidie quaeri jubeat, legem non improbet, crimen quod versetur in judicio requirat; quum audiat nullum facinus, nullam audaciam, nullam vim in judicium vocari, sed adolescentem illustri ingenio, industria, gratia accusari ab ejus filio quem ipse in judicium et vocet et vocarit, oppugnari autem opibus meretriciis, illius [Atratini] pieta

1. atrocitas hujusce caussae] 'the enormity of the offence brought to trial.' So he says Pro Quintio, c. 16, "rei atrocitas;" and in Cat. iv. 6, "ut ego quod in hac caussa vehementior sum non atrocitate animi moveor, quis enim est me mitior?"

diebus festis ludisque publicis] For on such days the courts were closed, except some very weighty matter was on hand, as Macrobius (Sat. i. 16) says: "Festi diis dicati sunt. Profesti hominibus ad administrandam rem privatam publicamque concessi." So Cicero says shortly after, "quibus otiosis ne in communi quidem otio liceat esse."

legem quae] The Lex Plautia or Plotia

de vi. See the Introduction. He says 'quotidie;' the Lex applied to such cases, he says, as could not be postponed even for keeping the holidays.

illustri ingenio] A man whose eloquence had been already tried in the case of C. Antonius, Cicero's colleague, whom Caelius had prosecuted to condemnation.

et vocet et vocarit] Caelius had prosecuted Atratinus, the father, who had been acquitted; and we are here told that he was preparing or had begun a second prosecution.-'opibus meretriciis '-Clodia, who was not only nobilis,' but nota,' as he says afterwards (c. 13), a prostitute.

tem non reprehendat, muliebrem libidinem comprimendam putet, vos laboriosos existimet quibus otiosis ne in communi quidem otio liceat esse. Etenim si attendere diligenter, existimare vere de omni hac caussa volueritis, sic constituetis, judices, nec descensurum quemquam ad hanc accusationem fuisse, cui utrum vellet liceret, nec quum descendisset quidquam habiturum spei fuisse, nisi alicujus intolerabili libidine et nimis acerbo odio niteretur. Sed ego

Atratino, humanissimo atque optimo adolescenti, meo necessario, ignosco, qui habet excusationem vel pietatis vel necessitatis vel aetatis. Si voluit accusare, pietati tribuo; si jussus est, necessitati; si speravit aliquid, pueritiae. Ceteris non modo nihil ignoscendum, sed etiam acriter est resistendum.

II. Ac mihi quidem videtur, judices, hic introitus defensionis adolescentiae M. Caelii maxime convenire, ut ad ea quae accusatores deformandi hujus caussa, detrahendae spoliandaeque dignitatis gratia, dixerunt, primum respondeam. Objectus est pater varie, quod aut parum splendidus ipse aut parum pie tractatus a filio diceretur. De dignitate M. Caelius notis ac majoribus natu et sine mea oratione et tacitus facile ipse respondet: quibus autem propter senectutem, quod jam diu minus in foro nobiscumque versatur, non aeque est cognitus, hi sic habeant; quaecumque in equite Romano dignitas esse possit, quae certe potest esse maxima, eam semper in M. Caelio habitam esse summam hodieque haberi non solum a suis, sed etiam ab omnibus quibus potuerit aliqua de caussa esse notus. Equitis Romani autem esse filium criminis loco poni ab accusatoribus neque his judicantibus oportuit, neque defenden

laboriosos] Cicero (Tusc. ii. 15): "Industrios homines Graeci studiosos vel potius amantes doloris appellant, nos commodius laboriosos. Aliud est enim laborare, aliud dolere." 'Amans doloris' is pórovos, 'laboriosus' is πIÓVOÇ. He says that the Greeks, whose language is more copious than the Latin, have only one word for 'dolor' and 'labor.'

descensurum] See Index, Vol. iii. 'descendere:' and Divin. c. 1, Vol. i. It was a common form of expression; but its particular meaning depends on the context. Here it means something degrading, and the passage in the Divinatio is like this. But in other cases, as Orelli remarks, it has another sense, as when Horace says (Carm. iii. 1), "descendat in Campum petitor."

cui utrum vellet liceret] 'One who had the choice between two things.' See In Vat. c. 14, "quum tibi utrum velles liceret."

pueritiae] He was not 'puer;' but Cicero calls him so with a sneer.

2. hic introitus] What he is going to say, as he tells us, ut ad ea... primum respondeam.'-' deformandi hujus caussa :' 'to disparage him,' 'to destroy his character.' This was "extra caussam : cujus generis multa ab accusatoribus saepe dicuntur" (Manutius). Cicero (Pro Caecina, c. 5) uses 'deformare' in another sense.

Objectus est pater] "Objecta est enim Asia," Pro Murena, c. 5, Vol. iii. and the note.-'notis:' to those who know him.' 'Notus' has a double sense. Compare aliqua de caussa esse notus.' So has 'ignotus.' See Verr. ii. 5, c. 29. Horace (Sat. i. 1, 85) has:

"Vicini oderunt, noti, pueri atque puellae."

his judicantibus] A third part of the Judices were Equites under the Lex Aurelia :

tibus nobis. Nam quod de pietate dixistis, est quidem ista nostra existimatio, sed judicium certe parentis. Quid nos opinemur audietis ex juratis; quid parentes sentiant, lacrimae matris incredibilisque maeror, squalor patris et haec praesens maestitia quam cernitis, luctusque declarat. Nam quod est objectum, municipibus esse adolescentem non probatum suis, nemini umquam praesenti praetoriani majores honores habuerunt quam absenti M. Caelio; quem et absentem in amplissimum ordinem cooptarunt, et ea non petenti detulerunt quae multis petentibus denegarunt: idemque nunc lectissimos viros et nostri ordinis et equites Romanos cum legatione ad hoc judicium et cum gravissima atque ornatissima laudatione miserunt. Videor mihi jecisse fundamenta defensionis meae, quae firmissima sunt, si nituntur judicio suorum. Neque enim vobis satis commendata hujus aetas esse posset, si non modo parenti, tali viro, verum etiam municipio tam illustri ac tam gravi displiceret. III. Equidem, ut ad me revertar, ab his fontibus profluxi ad hominum famam, et meus hic forensis labor vitaeque ratio dimanavit ad existimationem hominum paullo latius commendatione ac judicio meorum.

Nam quod objectum est de pudicitia, quodque omnium accusatorum non criminibus, sed vocibus maledictisque celebratum est, id

a

neque defendentibus nobis;' and Cicero was of an equestrian family, like Caelius.nostra existimatio:' that is indeed matter on which we may have an opinion,' but the father must be the real judge of his son's filial duty. Halm writes vestra existimatio,' contrary to the Codd. He says: "Discernuntur judicia trium diversarum partium existimatio adversariorum, judicium parentium, opinio patronorum.' But nostra' is consistent. Cicero opposes his own and other people's opinion to that of the father. And the words 'quid nos opinemur' agree with this reading very well.

ex juratis] from the witnesses,' from men who were on their oath. So juratus dixit' means 'testis juratus dixit.'-' praetoriani: this is the MSS. reading. The editions have generally Puteolani,' but there is no authority for it. The reading is corrupt, and praetoriani' perhaps ought to be erased. in amplissimum ordinem: into the municipal Curia, into the body of Decuriones.-'cum legatione.. laudatione:' a deputation was sent as usual to express the opinion of the municipium, to speak to Caelius' character (cum laudatione). See Pro Flacco, c. 15 and note.

3. ab his fontibus] One of Cicero's metaphors, which we cannot altogether approve. One of his commentators observes that such a metaphor is inconsistent with the character of modern languages.

vocibus] 'the abuse.' One of the meanings of 'voces' (Vol. iii. Index, Voces). Caelius had a handsome person (forma et species liberalis). The passage furnishes Abrami with matter to his taste, and he piles his quotations one on another. A person need not grieve because he has beauty, but he should not abuse it. Gellius (xvii. 1) who quotes the words, "Nam quod objectum... esse natum," says, that some critics, among them Largius Licinius in his Ciceromastix, found fault with Cicero's language, and in this instance with his use of paeniteat:' "Nam paenitere, inquiunt, tum dicere solemus, quum quae ipsi fecimus, aut quae de nostra voluntate nostroque consilio facta sunt, ea nobis post incipiunt displicere, sententiamque in iis nostram demutamus.' These critics certainly limit the use of paenitere' in a way which does not agree with Cicero's use of the word; but their remark is trifling, and Gellius' defence of Cicero is no better. Graevius quotes a passage from Cicero: "a senatu quanti fiam

numquam tam acerbe feret M. Caelius ut eum paeniteat non deformem esse natum. Sunt etenim ista maledicta pervulgata in omnes, quorum in adolescentia forma et species fuit liberalis. Sed aliud est maledicere, aliud accusare. Accusatio crimen desiderat,

rem ut definiat, hominem ut notet, argumento probet, teste confirmet. Maledictio autem nihil habet propositi praeter contumeliam; quae si petulantius jactatur, convicium, si facetius, urbanitas nominatur. Quam quidem partem accusationis admiratus sum et moleste tuli potissimum esse Atratino datam. Neque enim decebat, neque aetas illa postulabat, neque, id quod animadvertere poteratis, pudor patiebatur optimi adolescentis in tali illum oratione versari. Vellem aliqui ex vobis robustioribus hunc maledicendi locum suscepisset; aliquanto liberius et fortius et magis more nostro refutaremus istam maledicendi licentiam. Tecum, Atratine, agam lenius, quod et pudor tuus moderatur orationi meae, et meum erga te parentemque tuum beneficium tueri debeo. Illud tamen te esse admonitum volo: primum, qualis es talem te existiment, ut, quantum a rerum turpitudine abes, tantum te a verborum libertate sejungas; deinde, ut ea in alterum ne dicas, quae quum tibi falso responsa sint, erubescas. Quis est enim cui via ista non pateat?

minime me paenitet" (Ad Attic. i. 20); where he means that he is quite satisfied. Examples are abundant.

rem ut definiat] An 'accusatio' requires a crimen' it must contain a charge, and such a charge as clearly states a fact or facts. Hotmann remarks that hence the Greeks use karnyopriobal, and this word and Karnyopia have also the dialectic sense, as Aristotle has it (Cat. c. 3): örav erɛpov καθ ̓ ἑτέρου κατηγορήται. Garatoni thinks that hominem ut notet' is rather obscure, and that it interrupts the connexion of the sentence. But, as Orelli remarks, we have this correspondence, 'rem ut definiat... argumento probet;' and ' hominem ut notet ..teste confirmet.' It is a rapid mode of expression, but plain enough. The 'res,' the matter, is to be clearly stated; the man is to be well marked. The 'res' supplies matter for argumentum,' and the 'homo' is the object of the witnesses' testimony. But besides the rhetorical reason there is a better reason for the words 'hominem ut notet.' The learned Italian does not seem to have known that a charge must not only state the facts, but mark the man. A charge is nothing when it is made against persons who are not named. It would be what in our history is known under the name of a general warrant, or an order to seize a per

son or persons not named, but only described in general terms as guilty of some offence.

si facetius, urbanitas] Of which Cicero gives us such beautiful examples in his speech In Vatinium and elsewhere.

beneficium] Manutius conjectures that Cicero had defended Atratinus' father. He had served him in some way, we must suppose, and he wished to preserve his kind disposition towards him by a continuance of the same behaviour.

talem te existiment] C. Something seems to be lost here.-'responsa:' the word appears to have the meaning of 'relata;

if the same things were falsely charged on you.''Falso,' says Ernesti, means 'quamvis falso.' A passage which Abrami quotes from Phil. ix. does not explain the word 'responsa,' but it contains something to the purpose: "Quid enim est minus non dico oratoris sed hominis quam id objicere adversario, quod ille si verbo negavit, non possit longius progredi qui objecerit ?" A good remark, from which many might profit, who deal in calumny and lies, who say that which they cannot prove, and which is sometimes incapable of proof. A simple denial, and even that is not always necessary, shows that they are both fools and knaves when they must be content with the denial and can say nothing more.

qui isti aetati [atque etiam isti dignitati] non possit quam velit petulanter, etiam si sine ulla suspicione, at non sine argumento maledicere? Sed istarum partium culpa est eorum qui te agere voluerunt; laus pudoris tui, quod ea te invitum dicere videbamus: ingenii, quod ornate politeque dixisti. IV. Verum ad istam omnem orationem brevis est defensio. Nam quoad aetas M. Caelii dare potuit isti suspicioni locum, fuit primum ipsius pudore, deinde etiam patris diligentia disciplinaque munita, qui, ut huic virilem togam dedit-nihil dicam hoc loco de me, tantum sit quantum vos existimatis, hoc dicam, hunc a patre continuo ad me esse deductum ;nemo hunc M. Caelium in illo aetatis flore vidit, nisi aut cum patre, aut mecum aut in M. Crassi castissima domo, quum artibus honestissimis erudiretur.

Nam quod Catilinae familiaritas objecta Caelio est, longe ab ista suspicione abhorrere debet. Hoc enim adolescente scitis consulatum mecum petisse Catilinam; ad quem si accessit aut si a me discessit umquam, quamquam multi boni adolescentes illi homini nequam atque improbo studuerunt, tum existimetur Caelius Catilinae nimium familiaris fuisse.-At enim postea scimus et vidimus esse hune in illius amicis.-Quis negat? Sed ego illud tempus aetatis, quod ipsum sua sponte infirmum, aliorum libidine infestum est, id hoc loco defendo. Fuit assiduus mecum praetore me; non noverat Catilinam. Africam tum praetor ille obtinebat. Secutus est annus :

when he had taken the toga virilis, that is a young gentleman, was taken to some distinguished person to be about him, and to learn from seeing what he did and what he said. Cicero was taken by his father (deductus) to Q. Mucius Scaevola the augur "ut quoad possem et liceret a senis latere numquam discederem " (De Am. c. 1; see Tacit. Dial. De Or. c. 4). Sir Thomas More, after he got his grammar learning, was received into the family of Cardinal Moreton, Archbishop of Canterbury, whose excellent qualities he has recorded in his Utopia.

illud tempus] His youth, and the years during which he was under Cicero's care. 'Infestum,' the participle of inferre,' means 'assailed,'' attacked.' Gellius (ix. 12) has some remarks on words of this kind, which have a double sense: "Infestus ancipiti quoque significatione est. Nam et is infestus appellatur qui malum infert cuipiam ; et contra, cui aliunde impendet malum, is quoque infestus dicitur."-hoc loco:' here,' by what I am going to say.

Africam] See the Introduction to the orations against Catilina, Vol. iii.