Brutus, or On Eminent Orators Passage 245

T. Torquatus T. F. et doctus vir ex Rhodia disciplina Molonis et a natura ad dicendum satis solutus atque expeditus, cui si vita suppeditavisset, sublato ambitu consul factus esset, plus facultatis habuit ad dicendum quam voluntatis. Itaque studio huic non satis fecit, officio vero nec in suorum necessariorum causis nec in sententia senatoria defuit.

Titus Torquatus, son of Titus, was a learned man trained at Rhodes under Molon and by nature sufficiently fluent and ready in speech. Had his life lasted, he would have become consul once electoral bribery was removed. He possessed more ability to speak than desire to do so. He therefore did not devote enough effort to this pursuit, yet he never failed in his duty, either in the cases of his relatives and close associates or in stating his opinion in the Senate.

Titus Torquatus, fils de Titus, était un homme instruit à l’école rhodienne de Molon, et la nature lui avait donné une parole assez aisée et prompte. Si la vie lui en avait laissé le temps, il serait devenu consul après l’abolition de la brigue. Il eut plus de faculté que de volonté pour l’éloquence. Aussi ne satisfit-il pas assez aux exigences de cette étude, mais il ne manqua jamais à son devoir, ni dans les causes de ses proches, ni lorsqu’il exprimait son avis au Sénat.