Cicero   

Sylla took it angrily to have his actions questioned, and preferred
a process against Roscius for the of his father, Chrysogonus managing
the evidence. None of the advocates durst assist him, but, fearing
the cruelty of Sylla, avoided the cause. The young man, being thus
deserted, came for refuge to Cicero. Cicero's friends encouraged him,
saying he was not likely ever to have a fairer and more honourable
introduction to public life; he therefore undertook the defence, carried
the cause, and got much renown for it.
But fearing Sylla, he travelled into Greece, and gave it out that
he did so for the benefit of his health. And indeed he was lean and
meagre, and had such a weakness in his stomach that he could take
nothing but a spare and thin diet, and that not till late in the evening.
His voice was loud and good, but so harsh and unmanaged that in vehemence
and heat of speaking he always raised it to so high a tone that there
seemed to be reason to fear about his health.
When he came to Athens he was a hearer of Antiochus of Ascalon, with
whose fluency and elegance of diction he was much taken, although
he did not approve of his innovations in doctrine. For Antiochus had
now fallen off from the New Academy, as they call it, and forsaken
the sect of Carneades, whether that he was moved by the argument of
manifestness and the senses, or, as some say, had been led by feelings
of rivalry and opposition to the followers of Clitomachus and Philo
to change his opinions, and in most things to embrace the doctrine
of the Stoics. But Cicero rather affected and adhered to the doctrines
of the New Academy; and purposed with himself, if he should be disappointed
of any employment in the commonwealth, to retire hither from pleading
and political affairs, and to pass his life with quiet in the study
of philosophy.
But after he had received the news of Sylla's death, and his body,
strengthened again by exercise, was come to a vigorous habit, his
voice managed and rendered sweet and full to the ear and pretty well
brought into keeping with his general constitution, his friends at
Rome earnestly soliciting him by letters, and Antiochus also urging
him to return to public affairs, he again prepared for use his orator's
instrument of rhetoric, and summoned into action his political faculties,
diligently exercising himself in declamations and attending the most
celebrated rhetoricians of the time. He sailed from Athens for Asia
and Rhodes. Amongst the Asian masters, he conversed with Xenocles
of Adramyttium, Dionysius of Magnesia, and Menippus of Caria; at Rhodes,
he studied oratory with Apollonius, the son of Molon, and philosophy
with Posidonius. Apollonius, we are told, not understanding Latin,
requested Cicero to declaim in Greek. He complied willingly, thinking
that his faults would thus be better pointed out to him. And after
he finished, all his other hearers were astonished, and contended
who should praise him most, but Apollonius, who had shown no signs
of excitement whilst he was hearing him, so also now, when it was
over, sate musing for some considerable time, without any remark.
And when Cicero was discomposed at this, he said, "You have my praise
and admiration, Cicero, and Greece my pity and commiseration, since
those arts and that eloquence which are the only glories that remain
to her, will now be transferred by you to Rome."
And now when Cicero, full of expectation, was again bent upon political
affairs, a certain oracle blunted the edge of his inclination for
consulting the god of Delphi how he should attain most glory, the
Pythoness answered, by making his own genius and not the opinion of
the people the guide of his life; and therefore at first he passed
his time in Rome cautiously, and was very backward in pretending to
public offices, so that he was at that time in little esteem, and
had got the names, so readily given by low and ignorant people in
Rome, of Greek and Scholar. But when his own desire of fame and the
eagerness of his father and relations had made him take in earnest
to pleading, he made no slow or gentle advance to the first place,
but shone out in full lustre at once, and far surpassed all the advocates
of the bar. At first, it is said, he, as well as Demosthenes, was