In his speech for Plancius[96] he tells us that by chance, coming direct from Sicily after his Quaestorship, he found himself at Puteoli just at the season when the fashion from Rome betook itself to that delightful resort.

He was full of what he had done--how he had supplied Rome with corn, but had done so without injury to the Sicilians, how honestly he had dealt with the merchants, and had in truth won golden opinions on all sides--so much so that he thought that when he reached the city the citizens in a mob would be ready to receive him.

Then at Puteoli he met two acquaintances.

"Ah," says one to him, "when did you leave Rome?
What news have you brought ?" Cicero, drawing his head up, as we can see him, replied that he had just returned from his province.

"Of course, just back from Africa," said the other.