Brutus, or On Eminent Orators Passage 311

tumultus interim in recuperanda re publica et crudelis interitus oratorum trium Scaevolae Carbonis Antisti, reditus Cottae Curionis Crassi Lentulorum Pompei, leges et iudicia constituta, recuperata res publica; ex numero autem oratorum Pomponius Censorinus Murena sublati. Tum primum nos ad causas et privatas et publicas adire coepimus, non ut in foro disceremus, quod plerique fecerunt, sed ut, quantum nos efficere potuissemus, docti in forum veniremus.

Meanwhile came the upheaval involved in recovering the republic; the cruel deaths of three orators, Scaevola, Carbo, and Antistius; the return of Cotta, Curio, Crassus, the Lentuli, and Pompeius; the restoration of laws and courts; and the recovery of the republic. From the number of orators, however, Pomponius, Censorinus, and Murena had been removed. Then for the first time I began to undertake both private and public cases, not so as to learn in the forum, as most men did, but to enter the forum as well trained as I had been able to make myself.

Entre-temps survinrent les troubles accompagnant le rétablissement de l’État, la mort cruelle de trois orateurs, Scaevola, Carbo et Antistius, le retour de Cotta, Curio, Crassus, des Lentulus et de Pompeius, le rétablissement des lois et des tribunaux, et la restauration de l’État. Mais Pomponius, Censorinus et Murena avaient été enlevés au nombre des orateurs. C’est alors que nous commençâmes pour la première fois à aborder les causes privées et publiques, non pour apprendre au forum, comme la plupart le firent, mais pour y arriver instruit, autant que nous avions pu le devenir.