Among other reasons, this, O judges, is a very great reason for his acquittal, to prevent any
 notable stain and disgrace from falling on our dominion, by news going to Gaul that the senate and knights of the Roman people gave their
 decisions in a criminal trial just as the Gauls pleased; being influenced not by their evidence,
 but by their threats. But in that case, if they attempt to make war upon us, we must summon up
 Caius Marius from the shades below, in order that he may be equal in war to that great man, that
 threatening and arrogant Induciomarus. Cnaeus Domitius and Quintus Maximus must be raised from
 the dead, that they may again subdue and crush the nation of the Allobroges and the other tribes
 by their arms; or, since that indeed is impossible, we must beg my friend Marcus Plaetorius to
 deter his new clients from making war, and to oppose by his entreaties their angry feelings and
 formidable violence; or, if he be not able to do so, we will ask Marcus Fabius, his junior
 counsel, to pacify the Allobroges, since among their tribe the name of Fabius is held in the
 highest honour, and induce them either to be willing to remain quiet, as defeated and conquered
 nations usually are, or else to make them understand that they are holding out to the Roman
 people not a terror of war, but a hope of triumph. 
 And if, even in the case of an ignoble defendant, it would
 not be endurable that those men should think they had effected anything by their threats, what
 do you think you ought to do in the case of Marcus Fonteius? concerning whom, O judges, (for I
 think that I am entitled to say this now, when I have almost come to the termination of two
 trials,) concerning whom, I say, you have not only not heard any disgraceful charge invented by
 his enemies, but you have not even heard any really serious reproach. Was ever any defendant,
 especially when he had moved in such a sphere as this man, as a candidate for honours, as an
 officer in command, and as a governor, accused in such a way, that no disgraceful act, no deed
 of violence, no baseness originating either in lust or insolence or audacity, was attributed to
 him, if not with truth, at least with some suspicious circumstances giving a reasonable
 colouring to the invention? We know that Marcus Aemilius Scaurus, the most eminent man of our city, was accused by Marcus
 Brutus. The orations are extant by which it can be seen that many things are alleged against
 Scaurus himself, no doubt falsely; but still they were alleged against him and urged against him
 by an enemy. How many things were said against Manius Aquilius on his trial? How many against
 Lucius Cotta? and, lastly, against Publius Rutilius? who, although he was condemned, still
 appears to me to deserve to be reckoned among the most virtuous and innocent men. Yet that most
 upright and temperate man had many things attributed to him on his trial, which involved
 suspicion of adultery, and great licentiousness. There is an
 oration extant of a man, by far (in my opinion, that is,) the ablest and most eloquent of all
 our countrymen, Caius Gracchus; in which oration Lucius Piso is accused of many base and wicked
 actions. What a man to be so accused! A man who was of such virtue and integrity, that even in
 those most admirable: times, when it was not possible to find a thoroughly worthless man, still
 he alone was called Thrifty. And when Gracchus was ordering him to be summoned before the
 assembly, and his lictor asked him which Piso, because there were many of the name, “You are
 compelling me,” says he, “to call my enemy, Thrifty.” That very man then, whom even his enemy
 could not point out with sufficient clearness without first praising him; whose one surname
 pointed not only who he was, but what sort of man he was; that very man was, nevertheless,
 exposed to a false and unjust accusation of disgraceful conduct. Marcus Fonteius has been accused in two trials, in such a way, that nothing
 has been alleged against him from which the slightest taint of lust, or caprice, or cruelty, or
 audacity can be inferred. They not only have not mentioned any atrocious deed of his, but they
 have not even found fault with any expression used by him. 
 But if they had either had as much courage to tell a lie, or as much ingenuity to invent one,
 as they feel eagerness to oppress Fonteius, or as they have displayed licence in abusing him;
 then he would have had no better fortune, as far as relates to not having disgraceful acts
 alleged against him, than those men whom I have just mentioned. 
 You see then another Thrifty,—a thrifty man, I say, O judges, and a man moderate and temperate
 in every particular of his life; a man full of modesty, full of a sense of duty, full of
 religion, depending on your good faith and power, and placed in your power in such a way as to
 be committed wholly to the protection of your good faith.