'The time has come,' they say, 'not that I should look after the interest of this or that man, but that I should protect the very life and well-being of the whole province.' I am inclined by my sense of duty, by the faith which I owe them, by my pity for them, by the example of all good Romans before me, by the custom of the Republic, by the old constitution, to undertake this task, not as pertaining to my own interests, but to those of my close friends."[101] That was his own reason for undertaking the case.
Then he reminds the judges of what the Roman people wished--the people who had felt with dismay the injury inflicted upon them by Sulla's withdrawal of all power from the Tribunes, and by the putting the whole authority of the bench into the hands of the Senators.

"The Roman people, much as they have been made to suffer, regret nothing of that they have lost so much as the strength and majesty of the old judges.

It is with the desire of having them back that they demand for the Tribunes their former power.

It is this misconduct of the present judges that has caused them to ask for another class of men for the judgment-seat.

By the fault and to the shame of the judges of to-day, the Censor's authority, which has hitherto always been regarded as odious and stern, even that is now requested by the people."[102] Then he goes on to show that, if justice is intended, this case will be put into the hands of him whom the Sicilians have themselves chosen.