The getting up of his cases must have taken great time.

Letters went slowly and at a heavy cost.

Writing must have been tedious when that most common was done with a metal point on soft wax.

An advocate who was earnest in a case had to do much for himself.
We have heard how Cicero made his way over to Sicily, creeping in a little boat through the dangers prepared for him, in order that he might get up the evidence against Verres.

In defending Aulus Cluentius when he was Praetor, Cicero must have found the work to have been immense.