For the nobility "virtus" lies not only in one's personal "acta" but also that of one's ancestors. However Cicero, a "novus homo", asserted that "virtus" was a virtue particularly suited to the new man just as nobilitas was suited to the noble. Cicero argued that just as young men from noble families won the favor of the people so too should the novus homo earn the favor of the people with his "virtus". He even extended the argument that "virtus" and not one's family history should decide a man's worthiness. "Virtus" is something that a man earns himself, not something that is given to him by his family, thus it is a better measure of a man's ability. Cicero's goal was not to impugn the noble class but widen it to include men who had earned their positions by merit.