[12]
Caelius espoused the cause of Catiline, when he had
been for several years mixing in the forum; and many of every rank and of
every age did the very same thing. For that man, as I should think many of
you must remember, had very many marks—not indeed fully brought
out, but only in outline as it were of the most eminent virtues. He was
intimate with many thoroughly wicked men; but he pretended to be entirely
devoted to the most virtuous of the citizens. He had many things about him
which served to allure men to the gratification of their passions; he had
also many things which acted as incentives to industry and toil. The vices
of lust raged in him; but at the same time he was conspicuous for great energy and military skill. Nor do I believe that there
ever existed so strange a prodigy upon the earth, made up in such a manner
of the most various, and different and inconsistent studies and desires.
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M. Tullius Cicero. The Orations of Marcus Tullius Cicero, literally translated by C. D. Yonge, B. A. London. George Bell & Sons, York Street, Covent Garden. 1891.
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