cicero chapter 38

huic tristi ac derecto seni responderet caelius se nulla

to this gloomy and forthright old man caelius would reply that he had not departed

cupiditate inductum de via decessisse.

from the path of righteousness induced by any desire.

quid signi?

what proof is there?

nulli sumptus, nulla iactura, nulla versura.

there were no lavish expenses, no financial loss, no borrowing.

at fuit fama.

but someone might say there was a rumour.

quotus quisque istam effugere potest, praesertim in tam maledica civitate?

how few can escape that rumour, especially in such a slanderous community?

vicinum eius mulieris miraris male audisse, cuius frater

are you surprised that the neighbour of that woman had a bad reputation, whose very own brother

germanus sermones iniquorum effugere non potuit?

could not escape the gossip of unjust people?

leni vero et clementi patre, cuius modi ille est:

but a gentle and kind father, of the type which the following is might say:

fores ecfregit, restituentur; discidit

‘he broke off the doors, they will be repaired; he tore

vestem, resarcietur,

his clothing, they shall be mended,’

caeli causa est expeditissima.

the trial of caelius is very straightforward.

quid enim esset, in quo se non facile defenderet?

for what matter could there be, in which he could not easily defend himself?

nihil iam in istam mulierem dico; sed, si esset aliqua dissimilis istius,

i am saying nothing against that woman now, but if there were some woman unlike her,

quae se omnibus pervolgaret, quae haberet palam derectum semper

who made herself common to all men, who always had someone openly designated,

aliquem, cuius in hortos, domum, Baias iure suo libidines omnium

into whose gardens, house, parties at Baiae, the lusts of everyone freely

commearent, quae etiam aleret adulescentes et parsimonam patrum

had entry, who even fed the young men and she made the stinginess of their fathers

suis sumptibus sustenaret; si vidua libere, proterva petulanter, dives

tolerable at her own expense; if a widow lived without restraint, or a bold woman impudently, a rich one

effuse, libidinosa meretricio more viveret, adulterum ego putarem,

extravagantly, a lustful one like a prostitute,

si quis hanc paulo liberius salutasset?

if any man greeted her a little too freely, should i consider him an adulterer?