Of the pleadings of which we know the particulars, that in the defence of Sextus Roscius Amerinus, which took place undoubtedly in the year 80 B.C., aetat twenty-seven, was probably the earliest.

As to that, we have his speech nearly entire, as we have also one for Publius Quintius, which has generally been printed first among the orator's works.

It has, however, I think, been made clear that that spoken for Sextus Roscius came before it.

It is certain that there had been others before either of them.

In that for Sextus he says that he had never spoken before in any public cause,[61] such as was the accusation in which he was now engaged, from which the inference has to be made that he had been engaged in private causes; and in that for Quintius he declares that there was wanting to him in that matter an aid which he had been accustomed to enjoy in others.[62] No doubt he had tried his 'prentice hand in cases of less importance.