There was no system of attorneys.

But the story was probably made out for the "patronus" or advocate by an underling, and in some way prepared for him.

That which was thus prepared he exaggerated as the case might seem to require.

It has to be understood of Cicero that he possessed great art and, no doubt, great audacity in such exaggeration; in regard to which we should certainly not bear very heavily upon him now, unless we are prepared to bear more heavily upon those who do the same thing in our own enlightened days.

But Cicero, even as a young man, knew his business much too well to put forward statements which could be disproved.