Then there came Catiline's second conspiracy--the conspiracy which Cicero had crushed--and there naturally rose the question whether from time to time this or the other noble Roman should not be accused of having joined it.
Many noble Romans had no doubt joined besides those who had fallen fighting, or who had been executed in the dungeons.

Accusations became very rife.

One Vettius accused Caesar, the Praetor; but Caesar, with that potentiality which was peculiar to him, caused Vettius to be put into prison instead of going to prison himself.

Many were convicted and banished; among them Porcius Laeca, Vargunteius, Servius Sulla, the brother of him of whom we are now speaking, and Autronius his colleague.
In the trial of these men Cicero took no part.

He was specially invited by Autronius, who was an old school-fellow, to defend him, but he refused; indeed, he gave evidence against Autronius at the trial.