Does Chrysogonus think that in this particular too he has some
 influence? Does her even wish to be powerful in this? O miserable and bitter circumstance!
 Nor, in truth, am I indignant at this, because I am afraid that he may have some
 influence; but I complain of the mere fact of his having dared this, of his having hoped
 that with such men as these he could have any influence to the injury of an innocent man.
 
 Is it for this that the nobility has roused itself, that it has recovered the republic by
 arms and the sword—in order that freedmen and slaves might be able to maltreat the
 property of the nobles, and all your fortunes and ours, at their pleasure? If that was the object, I confess that I erred in being anxious
 for their success. I admit that I was mad in espousing their party, although I espoused
 it, O judges, without taking up arms. But if the victory of the nobles ought to be an
 ornament and an advantage to the republic and the Roman people, then, too, my speech ought
 to be very acceptable to every virtuous and noble man. But if there be any one who thinks
 that he and his cause is injured when Chrysogonus is found fault with, he does not
 understand his cause, I may almost say he does not know himself. For the cause will be
 rendered more splendid by resisting every worthless man. The worthless favourers of
 Chrysogonus, who think that his cause and theirs are identical, are injured themselves by
 separating themselves from such splendour. But all
 this that I have been now saying, as I mentioned before, is said on my own account, though
 the republic, and my own indignation, and the injuries done by these fellows, have
 compelled me to say it. But Roscius is indignant at none of these things; he accuses no
 one; he does not complain of the loss of his patrimony; he, ignorant of the world, rustic
 and down that he is, thinks that all those things which you say were done by Sulla were
 done regularly, legally and according to the law of nations. If he is only exempted from
 blame and acquitted of this nefarious accusation, he will be glad to leave the court. If he is freed from this unworthy suspicion, he says
 that he can give up all his property with equanimity. He begs and entreats you, O
 Chrysogonus, if he has converted no part of his father's most ample possessions to his own
 use; if he has defrauded you in no particular; if he has given up to you and paid over and
 weighed out to you all his possessions with the most scrupulous faith; if he has given up
 to you the very garment with which he was clothed, and the ring off his finger; if he has
 stripped himself bare of everything, and has excepted nothing—he entreats you, I say, that
 he may be allowed to pass his life in innocence and indigence, supported by the assistance
 of his friends. “You are in possession of my farms,” says he; “I am living on the charity of others; I do
 not object to that, both because I have a calm mind, and because it is inevitable. My own
 house is open to you, and is closed against myself. I endure that. You are master of my
 numerous household; I have not one slave. I submit to that, and think it is to be borne.”
 What would you have more? What are you aiming at? Why are you attacking me now? In what
 point do you think your desires injured by me? In what point do I stand in the way of your
 advantage? In what do I hinder you? If you wish to slay the man for the sake of his
 spoils, you have despoiled him. What do you want more? If you want to slay him out of
 enmity, what enmity have you against him whose farms you took possession of before you
 knew himself? If you fear him, can you fear anything from him who you see is unable to
 ward off so atrocious an injury from himself? If, because the possessions which belonged
 to Roscius have become yours, on that account you seek to destroy his son, do you not show
 that you are afraid of that which you above all other men ought not to be afraid of;
 namely, that sometime or other their father's property may be restored to the children of
 proscribed persons?