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Have some more Cicero! There's a gap in the narrative here, because there's a gap in the assigned chapters; we're skipping over some boring bits in class. So if things don't make sense, it's because of that.
...ahahaha. No, if things don't make sense, it's probably because I've rendered them awkwardly or incorrectly, and because there's a lack of overall context for the case at hand. And because it's hard to tell, without better knowledge of word connotation, when Cicero is being outright sarcastic, slightly sardonic, or just obfuscating wildly to cover up a weak argument.
Chapter 24
But Asicius was freed from this collusion. It's very simple to respond to this point, especially for me, by whom this case was defended. But Caelius believes it is the best case for Asicius; however, whatever sort of case it is, he thinks it's separated from his own case. And not only Caelius, but also the most cultivated and learned young men, were endowed with the most virtuous interests and the best skills, including Titus and Gaius Coponii, who were the most greatly pained of all at the death of Dio, and who with devotion to scholarship and culture were held by ties of hospitality even then to Dio. He was living at Titus' house, as you've heard, and got to know him in Alexandria. What his brother--endowed either with this or the highest brilliance--would think about Marcus Caelius from these very things, if they are brought forward, you will hear.
Chapter 25
Therefore, let those things be set aside, so that at last we may come to these things on which the case depends.
I have noticed that you listened to my friend L. Herennius Balbus* very attentively. On this point, although you held forth from a great part of his talent and with a certain manner of speaking, nevertheless he hesitated lest that oration, carefully presented to make a charge, enter into your spirits gradually and lightly. For he said many things about indulgence, many things about passion, many things about youthful vices, many things about morals, and, although he was gentle about the remaining vices and used to behave in that refinement of manner by which all men are now entertained, in this case he was a sort of uncle, censor, teacher; he scolded Marcus Caelius, just as a parent scolds no one ever. He argued many things about self-indulgence and extravagance. What can I say, judges? I was unaware while you all listened attentively; after that I shuddered at such a sad matter, at so harsh a type of oration.
Chapter 26
But the first part** was what moved me the least: namely, that Caelius was a friend to my close friend Bestia, that he had dinner with him, that he visited him regularly, that he supported his campaign to become praetor. Things which are patently false don't move me; and indeed he said that those men dined together, who either were absent, or for whom it was necessary to say the same thing. And truly this does not disturb me, that he said Caelius was a comrade to him in the Luperci***. A very wild association, and clearly a pastoral and rustic one of genuine wolfmen, whose famous brotherhood of the forest predates human institutions and laws, since not only do these comrades make accusations in court against each other, but they also bring up the association in their accusations, so that they seem to fear who might know about it by chance!
---
* One of the prosecutors. Cicero is addressing the various prosecutors' speeches individually.
** He's still talking about Herennius's speech.
*** A group of Roman men who traditionally ran around on February 15th, nearly nude, hitting women (lightly) with goatskin straps. Apparently even the Romans didn't agree as to why this happened, but "for fertility!" seemed like a safe reason to agree on.
...ahahaha. No, if things don't make sense, it's probably because I've rendered them awkwardly or incorrectly, and because there's a lack of overall context for the case at hand. And because it's hard to tell, without better knowledge of word connotation, when Cicero is being outright sarcastic, slightly sardonic, or just obfuscating wildly to cover up a weak argument.
Chapter 24
But Asicius was freed from this collusion. It's very simple to respond to this point, especially for me, by whom this case was defended. But Caelius believes it is the best case for Asicius; however, whatever sort of case it is, he thinks it's separated from his own case. And not only Caelius, but also the most cultivated and learned young men, were endowed with the most virtuous interests and the best skills, including Titus and Gaius Coponii, who were the most greatly pained of all at the death of Dio, and who with devotion to scholarship and culture were held by ties of hospitality even then to Dio. He was living at Titus' house, as you've heard, and got to know him in Alexandria. What his brother--endowed either with this or the highest brilliance--would think about Marcus Caelius from these very things, if they are brought forward, you will hear.
Chapter 25
Therefore, let those things be set aside, so that at last we may come to these things on which the case depends.
I have noticed that you listened to my friend L. Herennius Balbus* very attentively. On this point, although you held forth from a great part of his talent and with a certain manner of speaking, nevertheless he hesitated lest that oration, carefully presented to make a charge, enter into your spirits gradually and lightly. For he said many things about indulgence, many things about passion, many things about youthful vices, many things about morals, and, although he was gentle about the remaining vices and used to behave in that refinement of manner by which all men are now entertained, in this case he was a sort of uncle, censor, teacher; he scolded Marcus Caelius, just as a parent scolds no one ever. He argued many things about self-indulgence and extravagance. What can I say, judges? I was unaware while you all listened attentively; after that I shuddered at such a sad matter, at so harsh a type of oration.
Chapter 26
But the first part** was what moved me the least: namely, that Caelius was a friend to my close friend Bestia, that he had dinner with him, that he visited him regularly, that he supported his campaign to become praetor. Things which are patently false don't move me; and indeed he said that those men dined together, who either were absent, or for whom it was necessary to say the same thing. And truly this does not disturb me, that he said Caelius was a comrade to him in the Luperci***. A very wild association, and clearly a pastoral and rustic one of genuine wolfmen, whose famous brotherhood of the forest predates human institutions and laws, since not only do these comrades make accusations in court against each other, but they also bring up the association in their accusations, so that they seem to fear who might know about it by chance!
---
* One of the prosecutors. Cicero is addressing the various prosecutors' speeches individually.
** He's still talking about Herennius's speech.
*** A group of Roman men who traditionally ran around on February 15th, nearly nude, hitting women (lightly) with goatskin straps. Apparently even the Romans didn't agree as to why this happened, but "for fertility!" seemed like a safe reason to agree on.