1Although the sight of you thronging here has always seemed to me by far the most delightful of sights, citizens, and this place the most dignified for public business and the most distinguished for speaking, nevertheless it is not my own wish but the plan of life I adopted from my early youth that has so far kept me from this path to renown, which has always lain most open to every man of merit. 1For since previously I did not yet dare to lay claim to the authority of this place, and had decided that nothing should be brought here that was not perfected by talent and worked out by diligence, I thought that all my time should be given over to the needs of my friends.
2Thus this place has never been empty of men to defend your cause, and my labour, spent honestly and with integrity on the perils of private individuals, has won the fullest reward from your judgement. 2For when, because of the postponement of the elections, I was three times declared first praetor by all the centuries, I easily understood, citizens, both what you judged of me and what you prescribed for others. 2Now, since I have as much authority as you wished me to have in entrusting me with offices, and as much capacity for public business as almost daily practice in speaking, drawn from experience in the forum, could give a watchful man, I shall certainly use whatever authority I have before those who gave it to me, and, if I can achieve anything in speaking, I shall display it above all to those who judged that this skill too deserved to be rewarded by their verdict.
3And I see that I have every right to rejoice in this above all, that in this method of speaking from this place, unfamiliar to me, a case has been offered me of such a kind that no one could be at a loss for words. 3For I have to speak of the singular and outstanding merit of Gnaeus Pompey; 3and it is harder to find an end to this speech than a beginning. 3So what I must look for in speaking is not so much abundance as measure.