Chapter 61

Question 1

Sed tamen venenum unde fuerit, quem ad modum paratum sit, non dicitur.

Answer 1

But, however, where the poison came from, how it was prepared, is not said.

Question 2

Datum esse aiunt huic P. Licinio, pudenti adulescenti et bono, Caeli familiari;

Answer 2

They assert that it (the poison) was given to this Publius Licinius, a decent and good young man, a friend of Caelius;

Question 3

constitutum esse cum servis, ut venirent ad balneas Senias; eodem Licinium esse venturum atque iis veneni pyxidem traditurum.

Answer 3

that it was arranged with the slaves, that they should come to the Senian baths; Licinius was to come to the same place and hand over the small box of poison to them.

Question 4

hic primum illud requiro, quid attinuerit fieri in eum locum constitutum, cur illi servi non ad Caelium domum venerint.

Answer 4

At this point, I ask the following thing first, what relevance was it that it (the poison) be brought into that appointed place, why those slaves did not come to Caelius at his house.

Question 5

si manebat tanta illa consuetudo Caeli, tanta familiaritas cum Clodia, quid suspicionis esset si apud Caelium mulieris servus visus esset?

Answer 5

If that so great intimacy of Caelius was still remaining, so great a familiarity with Clodia, what suspicion would there be, if the woman’s slave had been seen at the house of Caelius?

Question 6

sin autem iam suberat simultas, exstincta erat consuetudo, discidium exstiterat,

Answer 6

But if, however a quarrel already existed, (if) the intimacy had been snuffed out, their separation had appeared,

Question 7

‘hinc illae lacrimae’ nimirum et haec causa est omnium horum scelerum atque criminum.

Answer 7

‘This is the source of those tears’, and no doubt this is the cause of all these crimes and charges.