1I see, then, that there are very many motives which might have driven that man; 1let us now see whether there was any opportunity of undertaking the crime. 1Where was Sextus Roscius killed? 1— At Rome. 1— Well? 1you, Titus Roscius, where were you then? 1— At Rome. 1But what has that to do with it? 1so were many others. 1— As if the question now were which of so great a multitude killed him, and not rather this: whether it is more probable that a man killed at Rome was killed by one who was constantly at Rome at that time, or by one who for many years had not come near Rome at all.
93Come now, let us consider the other opportunities too. 93There was at that time a multitude of assassins, as Erucius mentioned, and men were killed with impunity. 93Well? 93of whom did that multitude consist? 93Either, I suppose, of those who were busy with confiscated estates, or of those who were hired by them to kill someone. 93If you mean those who were grasping at others' property, you are among them, you who are rich on our money; 93if you mean those whom people who use a milder name call 'hit-men', ask under whose protection and patronage they are; 93believe me, you will find someone from your partnership; 93and whatever you say in reply, compare it with our defence; 93in this way the case of Sextus Roscius will most easily be set against yours.
94You will say: 'What of it, if I was constantly in Rome?' 94I shall answer: 'But I was not there at all.' 94— I admit I am a buyer of confiscated property, but so are many others. 94— But I, as you yourself allege, am a farmer and a countryman. 94— It does not follow that if I joined a gang of assassins, I am an assassin. 94— But I, who do not even know any assassin, am surely far removed from a charge of that kind. 94There are very many things that could be said to show that you had every opportunity of undertaking the crime; 94which I pass over not only because I do not like accusing you, but even more because, if I wanted to recall those murders committed at that time in the same way as Sextus Roscius was killed, I fear my speech might seem to concern more people.