But I do not arrogate any such thing to myself, and I not only do not say it, but I do
 not wish even to leave any one to believe that I have been preferred to every possible
 advocate. That is not the fact but a consideration of the opportunities of each
 individual and of his health, and of his aptitude for conducting this cause, has been
 taken into account. My desire and sentiments on this matter have always been these, that
 I would rather that any one of those who are fit for it should undertake it than I; but
 I had rather that I should undertake it myself than that no one should. The next thing is, since it is evident that the Sicilians have demanded this of me, for
 us to inquire whether it is right that this fact should have any influence on you and on
 your judgments; whether the allies of the Roman people, your suppliants, ought to have
 any weight with you in a matter of extortion committed on themselves. And why need I say
 much on such a point as this? as if there were any doubt that the whole law about
 extortion was established for the sake of the allies. For when citizens have been robbed of their money, it is usually sought to be recovered
 by civil action and by a private suit. This is a law affecting the allies,—this is a
 right of foreign nations. They have this fortress somewhat less strongly fortified now
 than it was formerly, but still if there be any hope left which can console the minds of
 the allies, it is all placed in this law. And strict guardians of this law have long
 since been required, not only by the Roman people, but by the most distant nations. Who then is there who can deny that it is right that the trial should be conducted
 according to the wish of those men for whose sake the law has been established? All
 Sicily , if it could speak with one voice,
 would say this:—“All the gold, all the silver, all the ornaments which were in my
 cities, in my private houses, or in my temples,—all the rights which I had in any single
 thing by the kindness of the senate and Roman people,—all that you, O Caius Verres, have
 taken away and robbed me of, on which account I demand of you a hundred million of
 sesterces according to the law.” If the whole
 province, as I have said, could speak, it would say this, and as it could not speak, it
 has of its own accord chosen an advocate to urge these points, whom it has thought
 suitable. In a matter of this sort, will any one be found so impudent as to dare to approach or
 to aspire to the conduct of the cause of others against the will of those very people
 whose affairs are involved in it? 
 If, O Quintus
 Caecilius, the Sicilians were to say this to you,—we do not know you—we know not who you
 are, we never saw you before; allow us to defend our fortunes through the
 instrumentality of that man whose good faith is known to us; would they not be saying
 what would appear reasonable to every one? But now they say this—that they know both the
 men, that they wish one of them to be the defender of their cause, that they are wholly
 unwilling that the other should be.