Brutus ou Des orateurs illustres Passage 177

festivitate igitur et facetiis, inquam, C. Iulius L.F. et superioribus et aequalibus suis omnibus praestitit oratorque fuit minime ille quidem vehemens, sed nemo umquam urbanitate, nemo lepore, nemo suavitate conditior. Sunt eius aliquot orationes, ex quibus sicut ex eiusdem tragoediis lenitas eius non sine nervis perspici potest.

"In charm and wit, then," I said, "Gaius Julius, son of Lucius, surpassed all his predecessors and contemporaries. He was by no means a forceful orator, but no one was ever more seasoned with urbanity, grace, or sweetness. Several of his speeches survive, and from them, as from his tragedies, one may discern his gentleness, which was not without strength."

Par son enjouement et ses plaisanteries, dis-je, Caius Julius, fils de Lucius, surpassa tous ses prédécesseurs et tous ses contemporains. Il ne fut certes pas un orateur véhément, mais jamais personne n’eut plus d’urbanité, de charme ni de douceur. Il subsiste quelques-uns de ses discours, où l’on peut discerner, comme dans ses tragédies, une douceur qui n’était pas sans vigueur.