I also,
 above all things, entreat you, O Marcus Fannius, to show yourself at this present time
 both to us and to the Roman people the same man that you formerly showed yourself to the
 Roman people when you before presided at the trial in this same cause. Fannius had been praetor, and before a cause came to actual trial, in
 came before the praetor, who decided whether there were sufficient grounds for allowing
 the trial to proceed; much as our grand jury does now. 
 
 You see how great a crowd of men has come to this trial. You are aware how great is the
 expectation of men, and how great their desire that the decisions of the courts of law
 should be severe and impartial. After a long interval, this is the first cause about
 matters of bloodshed which has been brought into court, though most shameful and important
 murders have been committed in that interval. All men hope that while you are praetor,
 these trials concerning manifest crimes, and the daily murders which take place, will be
 conducted with no less severity than this one. We who
 are pleading this cause adopt the exclamations which in other trials the accusers are in
 the habit of using. We entreat of you, O Marcus Fannius, and of you, O judges, to punish
 crimes with the greatest energy; to resist audacious men with the greatest boldness; to
 consider that unless you show in this cause what your disposition is, the covetousness and
 wickedness, and audacity of men will increase to such a pitch that murders will take place
 not only secretly, but even here in the forum, before your tribunal, O Marcus Fannius;
 before your feet, O judges, among the very benches of the court. In truth, what else is aimed at by this trial, except that it may be
 lawful to commit such acts? They are the accusers who have invaded this man's fortunes. He
 is pleading his cause as defendant, to whom these men have left nothing except misfortune.
 They are the accusers, to whom it was an advantage that the father of Sextus Roscius
 should be put to death. He is the defendant, to whom the death of his father has brought
 not only grief, but also poverty. They are the accusers, who have exceedingly desired to
 put this man himself to death. He is the defendant who has come even to this very trial
 with a guard, lest he should be slain here in this very place, before your eyes. Lastly,
 they are the accusers whom the people demand punishment on, as the guilty parties. He is the defendant, who remains as the only one left
 after the impious slaughter committed by them. And that you may be the more easily able to
 understand, O judges, that what has been done is still more infamous than what we mention,
 we will explain to you from the beginning how the matter was managed, so that you may the
 more easily be able to perceive both the misery of this most innocent man, and their
 audacity, and the calamity of the republic. 
 Sextus Roscius, the father of this man, was a citizen A municeps was a citizen of a municipium . For a full explanation of these terms see Smith, Dict. Ant.
 p.259, v. Colonia . of Ameria , by far the first man not only of his
 municipality, but also of his neighbourhood, in birth, and nobility and wealth, and also
 of great influence, from the affection and the ties of hospitality by which he was
 connected with the most noble men of Rome . For
 he had not only connections of hospitality with the Metelli, the Servilii, and the
 Scipios, but he had also actual acquaintance and intimacy with them; families which I
 name, as it is right I should, only to express my sense of their honour and dignity. And
 of all his property he has left this alone to his son,—for domestic robbers have
 possession of his patrimony, which they have seized by force the fame and life of this
 innocent man is defended by his paternal connections The Latin word
 is hospes , answering to the Greek ce/nos . and friends.