The
 freedom of the city was given him in accordance with the provisions of the law of Silvanus and
 Carbo: “If any men had been enrolled as citizens of the confederate cities, and if, at the time
 that the law was passed, they had a residence in Italy, and if within sixty days they had made a
 return or themselves to the praetor.” As he had now had a residence at Rome for many years, he
 returned himself as a citizen to the praetor, Quintus Metellus, his most intimate friend.
 If we have nothing else to speak about except the rights of
 citizenship and the law, I need say no more. The cause is over. For which of all these
 statements, O Gratius, can be invalidated? Will you deny that he was enrolled, at the time I
 speak of, as a citizen of Heraclea? There is a man present of the very highest authority, a most
 scrupulous and truthful man, Lucius Lucullus, who will tell you not that he thinks it, but that
 he knows it; not that he has heard of it, but that he saw it; not even that he was present when
 it was done, but that he actually did it himself. Deputies from Heraclea are present, men of the
 highest rank; they have come expressly on account of this trial, with a commission from their
 city, and to give evidence on the part of their city; and they say that he was enrolled as a
 Heraclean. On this you ask for the public registers of the Heracleans, which we all know were
 destroyed in the Italian war, when the register office was burnt. It is ridiculous to say
 nothing to the proofs which we have, but to ask for proofs which it is impossible for us to
 have; to disregard the recollection of men, and to appeal to the memory of documents; and when
 you have the conscientious evidence of a most honourable man, the oath and good faith of a most
 respectable municipality, to reject those things which cannot by any possibility be tampered
 with, and to demand documentary evidence, though you say at the same moment that that is
 constantly played tricks with.