1. The earliest extant speech is that _Pro Quinctio_, delivered B.C. 81 (Gell. xv. 28, 3) in an action before a iudex for restitution of property. This was not Cicero's first appearance as an advocate: § 4, 'quod mihi consuevit in ceteris causis esse adiumento.'
2. Next year (cf. Gell. _ibid._) Cicero made his first speech in a criminal case, defending Sex. Roscius of Ameria on a charge of parricide. By so doing he incurred the risk of Sulla's enmity, but at the same time established his own position. _De Off._ ii. 51, 'contra L. Sullae dominantis opes pro S. Roscio Amerino'; _Brut._ 312, 'prima causa publica, pro Sex. Roscio dicta, tantum commendationis habuit, ut non ulla esset quae non digna nostro patrocinio videretur.' In later years he criticized the 'iuvenilis redundantia' of this speech (_Orat._ 108).
3. The speech _Pro Roscio Comoedo_, usually assigned to B.C. 76, was a defence of the famous actor in a civil case.
4. The year 70 B.C. is memorable for the group of speeches ('accusationis vii. libri,' _Orat._ 103), against Verres, accused of _repetundae_ by the Sicilians, at whose urgent entreaty Cicero undertook the prosecution. The preliminary question, who should conduct the prosecution, is argued in the _Divinatio in Caecilium_. Q. Caecilius Niger, Verres' quaestor, claimed the right to prosecute, but this manoeuvre failed. Of the six speeches _in Verrem_ only one, the _Actio Prima_, was delivered: Cicero, seeing that the other side were anxious to carry the trial over into the next year, confined himself to this short introductory speech (on 5th August, cf. § 31), after which he called his witnesses. Their evidence was so damaging that Hortensius[25] threw up the defence, and Verres was sentenced to banishment and his property confiscated. The five Books of the _Actio Secunda_ were published afterwards in order that the facts might be thoroughly known.
5. _Pro M. Fonteio_ (incomplete), for Fonteius, propraetor of Gallia Narbonensis B.C. 75-3, on a charge of _repetundae_. This trial perhaps took place B.C. 69, certainly after the equites had been placed on the _iudicia_ by the Lex Aurelia of 70 (cf. § 26).
6. To the same year probably belongs the speech _Pro Caecina_ in a civil case.