What a dog he was to send into a wood for truffles! To such a condition as this had Rome fallen when the deputies from Sicily came to complain of their late governor, and to obtain the services of Cicero in seeking for whatever reparation might be possible.
Verres had carried on his plunder during the years 73, 72, 71 B.C.
During this time Cicero had been engaged sedulously as an advocate in Rome.

We know the names of some of the cases in which he was engaged--those, for instance, for Publius Oppius, who, having been Quaestor in Bithynia, was accused by his Proconsul of having endeavored to rob the soldiers of their dues.

We are told that the poor province suffered greatly under these two officers, who were always quarrelling as to a division of their plunder.

In this case the senior officer accused the younger, and the younger, by Cicero's aid, was acquitted.
Quintilian more than once refers to the speech made for Oppius.

Cicero also defended Varenus, who was charged with having murdered his brother, and one Caius Mustius, of whom we only know that he was a farmer of taxes.