Pro Caelio 63 translation

Question 1

atque equidem vehementer expectabam quinam isti viri boni testes huius manifesto deprehensi veneni dicerentur;

Answer 1

and I for my part was eagerly waiting to hear who on earth those good men were, who were said to be witnesses of this poison being clearly apprehended;

Question 2

nulli enim sunt adhue nominati. Sed non dubito quin sint pergraves,

Answer 2

for no one has been named yet. But I have no doubt that they are men of great importance,

Question 3

qui primum sint talis feminae familiares, deinde eam provinciam susceperint, ut in balneas contruderentur,

Answer 3

firstly since they are intimate friends of such a woman, then because they undertook that task to be crowded together into the baths,

Question 4

quod illa nisi a viris honestissimis ac plenissimis dignitatis, quam velit sit potens, numquam impetravisset.

Answer 4

something which she would never have accomplished, however powerful she may be, except with the help of men who are most honourable and possessed of the highest dignity.

Question 5

sed quid ego de dignitate istorum testium loquor? virtutem eorum diligentiamque cognoscite.

Answer 5

But why do I speak about the dignity of those witnesses? Learn of the courage and hard work of those men:

Question 6

‘in balneis delituerunt.’ testes egregios! ‘Dein temere prosiluerunt.’ homines temperantes!

Answer 6

“They concealed themselves in the baths.” Splendid witnesses! “Then they leapt out rashly.” Self-controlled men!

Question 7

sic enim fingitis, cum Licinius venisset, pyxidem teneret in manu, conaretur tradere,

Answer 7

For you pretend thus, that when Licinius had arrived, when he was holding the box in his hand, when he was trying to hand it over,

Question 8

nondum tradidisset, tum repente evolasse istos praeclaros testes sine nomine.

Answer 8

but he had not yet handed it over, then suddenly those famous witnesses with no name flew out.

Question 9

Licinium autem, cum iam manum ad tradendam pyxidem porrexisset, retraxisse atque illo repentino hominum impetu se in fugam coniecisse.

Answer 9

But Licinius, since he had already stretched out his hand to hand over the box, drew it back and, at that sudden attack of these men, launched himself into flight.

Question 10

O magna vis veritatis, quae contra hominum ingenia, calliditatem, sollertiam contraque fictas omnium insidias facile se per se ipsa defendat!

Answer 10

Oh great force of truth, since she herself by her own power could easily defend against human ingenuity, cunning, craft and against the made-up plots of everyone!