Her son was indignant at this common
 disgrace of his family, of his blood, and of his name. His misery was increased by the daily
 complaints and incessant weeping of his sister; still he resolved that he ought to do nothing
 more himself with reference to his grievous injuries and the terrible wickedness of his mother,
 beyond ceasing to consider her as his mother; lest, if he did continue to behave to her as if
 she were his mother, he might be thought not only to see, but in his heart to approve of, those
 things which he could not behold without the greatest anguish of mind. 
 You have heard what was the origin of the bad feeling
 between him and his mother; when you know the rest, you will perceive that I feared this with
 reference to our care; for, I am not ignorant that, whatever sort of woman a mother may be,
 still in a trial in which her son is concerned, it is scarcely fitting that any mention should
 be made of the infamy of his mother. I should not, O judges, be fit to con duct any cause, if,
 when I was employed in warding off danger from a friend, I were to fail to see this which is
 implanted and deeply rooted in the common feelings of all men, and in their very nature. I am
 quite aware, that it is right for men not only to be silent about the injuries which they suffer
 from their parents, but even to bear them with equanimity; but I think that those things which
 can be borne ought to be borne, that those things which can be buried in silence ought to be
 buried in silence. Aulus Cluentius has seen no calamity in
 his whole life, has encountered no peril of death, has feared no evil, which has not been
 contrived against, and brought to bear upon him, from beginning to end, by his mother. But all
 these things he would say nothing of at the present moment, and would allow them to be buried,
 if possible, in oblivion, and if not, at all events in silence as far as he is concerned, but
 she does these things in such a manner that he is totally unable to be silent about them; for
 this very trial, this danger in which he now is, this accusation which is brought against him,
 all the multitude of witnesses which is to appear, has all been provided originally by his
 mother; is marshalled by his mother at this present time; and is furthered with all her wealth
 and all her influence. She herself has lately hastened from Larinum to Rome for the sake of
 destroying this her son. The woman' is at hand, bold, wealthy and cruel. She has provided
 accusers; she has trained witnesses; she rejoices in the mourning garments and miserable
 appearance of Cluentius; she longs for his destruction; she would be willing to shed her own
 blood to the last drop, if she can only see his blood shed first. Unless you have all these
 circumstances proved to you in the course of this trial, I give you leave to think that she is
 unjustly brought before the court by me now; but if all these things are made as plain as they
 are abominable, then you ought to pardon Cluentius for allowing these things to be said by me;
 and you ought not to pardon me if I were silent under such circumstances Now I will just briefly relate to you on what charges Oppianicus was convicted; that you may
 be able to see clearly both the constancy of Aulus Cluentius and the cause of this accusation.
 And first of all I will show you what was the cause of the prosecution of Oppianicus; so that
 you may see that, Aulus Cluentius only instituted it because he was compelled by force and
 absolute necessity. When he had evidently taken poison, which Oppianicus, the husband of his mother, had prepared
 for him; and as this fact was proved, not by conjecture, but by eyesight,—by his being caught in
 the fact; and as there could be no possible doubt in the case, he prosecuted Oppianicus. With
 what constancy, with what diligence he did so, I will state hereafter; at present I wish you to
 be aware that he had no other reason for accusing him, except that this was the only method by
 which he could escape the danger manifestly intended to his life, and the daily plots laid
 against his existence. And that you may understand that Oppianicus was accused of charges from
 which a prosecutor had nothing to fear, and a defendant nothing to hope, I will relate to you a
 few of the items of accusation which were brought forward at that trial; and when you have heard them, none of you will wonder that he should have
 distrusted his case, and betaken himself to Stalenus and to bribery?