I understand, O judges, that this whole accusation is divided into three parts, and that one
 of them refers to find my fault with Murena's habits of life, another to his contest for the
 dignity, and a third to charges of bribery and corruption. And of these three divisions, that
 first which ought to have been the weightiest of all, was so weak and trifling, that it was
 rather some general rule of accusing, than any real occasion for finding fault, which prompted
 them to say anything about the way of life of Lucius Murena. For Asia has been mentioned as a
 reproach to him, which was not sought by him for the sake of pleasure and luxury, but was
 traversed by him in the performance of military labours; but if he while a young man had not
 served under his father when general, he would have seemed either to have been afraid of the
 enemy, or of the command of his father, or else to have been repudiated by his father. Shall we
 say that, when all the sons who wear the praetexta 
 The toga praetexta was a robe bordered
 with purple worn by the higher magistrates, and by freeborn children till they arrived at the
 age of manhood. are accustomed to sit on the chariot of those who are celebrating a
 triumph, this man ought to have shunned adorning the triumph of his father with military gifts,
 so as almost to share his fathers triumph for exploits which they had performed in common?
 
But this man, O judges, both was in Asia and was a great assistance to that bravest of men his
 own father in his dangers, a comfort to him in his labours a source of congratulation to him in
 his victory. And if Asia does carry with it a suspicion of luxury, surely it is a praiseworthy
 thing, not never to have seen Asia, but to have lived temperately in Asia. So that
 the name of Asia should not have been objected to Lucius Murena, a country whence renown was
 derived for his family, lasting recollection for his race, honour and glory for his name, but
 some crime or disgrace, either incurred in Asia, or brought home from Asia. But to have served
 campaigns in that war which was not only the greatest, but the only war which the Roman people
 was waging at that time, is a proof of valour; to have served most willingly under his father,
 who was commander-in-chief, is a proof of piety; that the end of his campaign was the victory
 and triumph of his father, is a proof of good fortune. There is, therefore, no room in these
 matters for speaking ill of him, because praise takes up the whole room. 
 Cato calls Lucius Murena a dancer. If this be imputed to him truly, it is the reproach of a
 violent accuser; but if falsely, it is the abuse of a scurrilous railer. Wherefore, as you are a
 person of such influence, you ought not, O Marcus Cato, to pick up abusive expressions out of
 the streets, or out of some quarrel of buffoons; you ought not rashly to call a consul of the
 Roman people a dancer; but to consider with what other vices besides that man must be tainted to
 whom that can with truth be imputed. For no man, one may almost say, ever dances when sober,
 unless perhaps he be a madman, nor in solitude, nor in a moderate and sober party; dancing is
 the last companion of prolonged feasting, of luxurious situation, and of many refinements. You
 charge me with that which must necessarily be the last of all vices, you say nothing of those
 things without which this vice absolutely cannot exist: no shameless feasting, no improper love,
 no carousing, no lust no extravagance is alleged; and when those things which have the name of
 pleasure, and which are vicious, are not found, do you think that you will find the shadow of
 luxury in that man in whom you cannot find the luxury itself? 
 Can nothing, therefore, be said against the life of Lucius Murena? Absolutely nothing, I say,
 O judges. The consul elect is defended by me on this ground, that no fraud of his, no avarice,
 no perfidy, no cruelty, no wanton word can be alleged against him in his whole life. It is well.
 The foundations of the defence are laid; for we are not as yet defending this virtuous and
 upright man with my own panegyric, which I will employ presently, but almost by the confession
 of his adversaries. 
 And now that this is settled, the approach to the contest for this dignity, which was the
 second part of the accusation, is more easy to me. I see that there is in you, O Servius
 Sulpicius, the greatest dignity of birth, of integrity, of industry, and of all the other
 accomplishments which a man ought to rely on when he offers himself as a candidate for the
 consulship. I know that all those qualities are equal in Lucius Murena, and so equal that he can
 neither be surpassed in worth by you, nor can himself surpass you in worth. You have spoken
 slightingly of the family of Lucius Murena, you have extolled your own; but if you dwell on this
 topic so as to allow no one to be considered as born of a good family, unless he be a patrician,
 you will compel the common people again to secede to the Aventine Hill. This refers to the time of Appius the decemvir , when the
 soldiers, at the call of Virginius, after the death of Virginia, occupied the Aventine, and
 were joined by great part of the plebs, demanding the abolition of the decemvirate. But
 if there are honourable and considerable families among the plebeians,—both the
 great-grandfather of Lucius Murena, and his grand-father, were praetors; and his father, when he
 had triumphed most splendidly and honourably for exploits performed in his praetorship, left the
 steps towards the acquisition of the consulship more easy, because that honour which was due to
 the father was demanded by the son.