Brutus, or On Eminent Orators Passage 268

duo praeterea Lentuli consulares, quorum Publius ille nostrarum iniuriarum ultor, auctor salutis, quicquid habuit, quantumcumque fuit, illud totum habuit e disciplina; instrumenta naturae deerant; sed tantus animi splendor et tanta magnitude ut sibi omnia, quae clarorum virorum essent, non dubitaret asciscere eaque omni dignitate obtineret. L. autem Lentulus satis erat fortis orator, si modo orator, sed cogitandi non ferebat laborem; vox canora, verba non horrida sane, ut plena esset animi et terroris oratio; quaereres in iudiciis fortasse melius, in re publica quod erat esse iudicares satis.

There were besides two Lentuli of consular rank. Publius, the avenger of the wrongs done to me and author of my restoration, owed everything he possessed, whatever its extent, entirely to training; the natural equipment was lacking. Yet such was the splendor and greatness of his spirit that he did not hesitate to claim for himself everything belonging to illustrious men, and he maintained it all with complete dignity. Lucius Lentulus, on the other hand, was a sufficiently forceful orator, if indeed an orator, but he could not bear the labor of thought. His voice was melodious, and his words certainly not harsh, so that his speech was full of spirit and terror. In the courts you might perhaps have sought something better; in public affairs you would have judged what he possessed sufficient.

Ajoutons deux Lentulus qui furent consuls. Le premier, Publius, vengeur des injustices que nous avions subies et artisan de mon salut, devait à l’étude tout ce qu’il possédait, si modeste qu’en fût l’étendue ; les instruments naturels lui manquaient. Mais il avait tant d’éclat et de grandeur d’âme qu’il n’hésitait pas à s’attribuer toutes les qualités propres aux hommes illustres, et les soutenait avec une parfaite dignité. L. Lentulus, quant à lui, était un orateur assez vigoureux, pourvu qu’on puisse l’appeler orateur, mais il ne supportait pas le travail de la réflexion. Sa voix était harmonieuse et ses mots nullement rudes ; son discours en était plein d’âme et de terreur. Au tribunal, peut-être aurais-tu souhaité mieux ; dans les affaires publiques, tu aurais jugé suffisant ce qu’il était.