On the Laws Passage 7

[7] Nam quid Macrum numerem? Cuius loquacitas habet aliquid argutiarum nec id tamen ex illa erudita Graecorum copia, sed ex librariolis Latinis: in orationibus autem multa s<ane a>pt<a L>ati<n>o <ser>m<oni> imp<er>t<iens>, Sisenna, eius amicus, omnis adhuc nostros scriptores - nisi qui forte nondum ediderunt, de quibus existimare non possumus - facile superauit. Is tamen neque orator in numero uestro umquam est habitus, et in historia puerile quiddam consectatur, ut unum Clitarchum neque praeterea quemquam de Graecis legisse uideatur, eum tamen uelle dumtaxat imitari: quem si adsequi posset, aliquantum ab optumo tamen abesset. Quare tuum est munus hoc, a te exspectatur; nisi quid Quinto uidetur secus.

[7] Why should I count Macer? His loquacity has some cleverness, though derived not from the learned abundance of the Greeks but from petty Latin scribblers. In his speeches, however, he contributes much that is well suited to Latin expression. His friend Sisenna has easily surpassed all our writers so far, except perhaps those who have not yet published and whom we therefore cannot judge. Yet he has never been counted among your orators, and in history he pursues something childish. He seems to have read only Clitarchus among the Greeks and no one else, and to wish to imitate him alone. Even if he could equal him, he would still be some distance from the best. Therefore this task is yours; it is expected of you, unless Quintus thinks otherwise.

[7] Pourquoi compter Macer ? Sa prolixité a quelque finesse, non pas puisée dans la riche érudition des Grecs, mais chez de petits compilateurs latins. Dans ses discours, toutefois, il fournit bien des expressions adaptées à la langue latine. Sisenna, son ami, a facilement surpassé tous nos historiens jusqu’à présent, sauf peut-être ceux qui n’ont pas encore publié et sur lesquels nous ne pouvons porter de jugement. Pourtant, il n’a jamais été compté parmi vos orateurs et, en histoire, il recherche quelque chose de puéril : on dirait qu’il n’a lu, parmi les Grecs, que Clitarque, et qu’il ne veut imiter que lui. Même s’il pouvait l’égaler, il resterait encore assez loin du meilleur. Cette tâche est donc la tienne, et c’est de toi qu’on l’attend, à moins que Quintus ne soit d’un autre avis.