Rape, incest, and other horrors are subjected to the lads for their declamation, in order that they may learn to be orators.
Messala then explains that in those latter days--his days, that is--under the rule of despotic princes, truly large subjects are not allowed to be discussed in public--confessing, however, that those large subjects, though they afford fine opportunities to orators, are not beneficial to the State at large.

But it was thus, he says, that Cicero became what he was, who would not have grown into favor had he defended only P.Quintius and Archias, and had had nothing to do with Catiline, or Milo, or Verres, or Antony--showing, by-the-way, how great was the reputation of that speech, Pro Milone, with which we shall have to deal farther on.
The treatise becomes somewhat confused, a portion of it having probably been lost.

From whose mouth the last words are supposed to come is not apparent.

It ends with a rhapsody in favor of imperial government--suitable, indeed, to the time of Domitian, but very unlike Tacitus.

While, however, it praises despotism, it declares that only by the evils which despotism had quelled could eloquence be maintained.
"Our country, indeed, while it was astray in its government; while it tore itself to pieces by parties and quarrels and discord; while there was no peace in the Forum, no agreement in the Senate, no moderation on the judgment-seat, no reverence for letters, no control among the magistrates, boasted, no doubt, a stronger eloquence." From what we are thus told of Cicero, not what we hear from himself, we are able to form an idea of the nature of his education.