1What shall I complain of first, or where, judges, shall I best begin, or what help shall I seek, or from whom? 1shall I implore the protection of the immortal gods, of the Roman people, or yours, who hold the supreme power at this time? 30A father wickedly murdered, a house besieged by enemies, property taken away, occupied, plundered, the son's life threatened, often attacked with the sword and with ambushes. 30What crime seems to be missing from these many misdeeds? 30Yet they heap up and increase these with other wicked acts, they invent an incredible charge, they procure witnesses against this man and accusers with this man's own money; 30they offer the wretched man this choice, that he should decide whether he would rather offer his neck to Titus Roscius or be sewn into a sack and lose his life in the utmost disgrace.
30They thought advocates would be lacking for him; 30they are lacking; 30but one who will speak freely, who will defend him with good faith, which is enough in this case, is certainly not lacking, judges. 31And perhaps in undertaking the case I have acted rashly, driven by youth; 31but since I have once undertaken it, then, by Hercules, though all threats, terrors and dangers hang over me from every side, I shall come to his aid and face them all. 31I am resolved and determined to say everything that I think relevant to the case, and not only to say it but to say it willingly, boldly and freely; 31nothing will arise so great, judges, that fear can exert a greater force on me than good faith.
32For who is of so lax a spirit that, when he sees these things, he can keep silent and disregard them? 32'You murdered my father, though he had not been proscribed; when he was killed you entered him in the number of the proscribed; you drove me out of my house by force; you hold my patrimony. 32What more do you want? 32have you come even to these benches with sword and weapons, so that here you may either cut my throat or condemn me?'