Quinctius has
 looked round on all sides, has encountered every danger. He was not only unable to find
 a praetor from whom he could obtain a trial, much less one from whom he could obtain one
 on his own terms, but he could not even move the friends of Sextus Naevius, at whose
 feet he often lay, and that for a long time, entreating them by the immortal Gods either
 to contest the point with him according to law, or at least, if they must do him
 injustice, to do it without ignominy. Last of all he
 approached the haughty countenance of his very enemy; weeping he took the hand of Sextus
 Naevius, well practised in advertising the goods of his relations. He entreated him by
 the ashes of his dead brother by the name of their relationship, by his own wife and
 children to whom no one is a nearer relation than Publius Quinctius, at length to take
 pity on him, to have some regard, if not for their relationship, at least for his age,
 if not for a man, at least for humanity, to terminate the matter on any conditions as
 long as they were only endurable, leaving his character unimpeached. Being rejected by him, getting no assistance from his friends being
 passed and frightened by every magistrate he has no one but you whom he can appeal to
 you he commends himself to you he commends all his property and fortunes to you he
 commends his character and his hopes for the remainder of his life. Harassed by much
 contumely suffered in under many injuries he flies to you not unworthy but unfortunate;
 driven out of a beautiful farm with his enemies attempting to fix every possible mark of
 ignominy on him, seeing his adversary the owner of his paternal property, while he
 himself is unable to make up a dowry for his marriageable daughter, he has still done
 nothing inconsistent with his former life. Therefore
 be begs this of you, O Caius Aquillius, that he may be allowed to carry with him out of
 this place the character and the probity which, now that his life is nearly come to an
 end, he brought with him before your tribunal. That he, of whose virtue no one ever
 doubted, may not in his sixtieth year be branded with disgrace, with stigma, and with
 the most shameful ignominy; that Sextus Naevius may not array himself in all his
 ornaments as spoils of victory; that it may not be owing to you that the character,
 which has accompanied Publius Quinctius to his old age, does not attend him to the
 tomb.