James Leigh Strachan-Davidson

“ But I am astonished at those men of sense and character, first, that they listen so readily when they hear a great citizen and a noble servant of the commonwealth traduced by the tongue of a scoundrel; next, that they hold a doctrine most contrary to their own interests, that the glory and dignity of any man are at the mercy of the insults of a rascal, bankrupt in fortune and reputation ”

“ Pompey was still further hampered by his own reserve and mystery and dread of committing himself. These bad habits had by long indulgence now completely gained the mastery over him. It is pitiful to see how a man, honest and well-meaning at bottom, earned the reputation of insincerity and double-dealing, merely because he was afraid to speak his mind. No one now relied on him. Cicero expresses this distrust in an amusing way to Atticus a few months later. ”

“ Can we believe it that worthy citizens have brooked to gather to their bosoms and hold as their darling this fanged and deadly adder? With what bait did he catch them? 'We wish,' they say, 'that there should be some one to speak against Pompey, and to cast reproach on Pompey.' What! does Clodius cast reproach on Pompey by abusing him? I hope that great man, to whom I owe so much, will take what I say in the spirit in which it is meant ”

“ It became more clear that Cicero must either fly or else fight a pitched battle. He had on his side the Senate, the equestrian order, and the whole country population of Italy; but it would require time to collect and marshal these forces, whereas the gangs of Clodius were ready armed and organised. Even if the tribune were disposed of, Cicero would have still to deal with the consuls and with Cæsar, so that, as Clodius maliciously pointed out to him, he would either be knocked on the head once for all, or else have to win a battle twice over. ”

“ To a Roman, abuse was mere words and wind, carrying no responsibility with it; neither did the man who uttered it suffer from loss of dignity, nor was the object of it under any obligation to clear his character.
Notwithstanding its sins against good taste, the speech against Vatinius has an interest of its own as illustrating Cicero's attitude towards Cæsar. He could hardly attack Cæsar's jackal without approaching dangerously near to the proconsul himself. When he inveighs against Vatinius for carrying laws in defiance of the auspices, do not his words reflect on Vatinius' master? ”

“ The assembly was by centuries, the most solemn and august fashion for the utterance of the popular voice; the bill was introduced by both the consuls; Pompey himself urged its acceptance and delivered a panegyric on Cicero; men of rank and position not only appeared to give their votes, but were proud to discharge in person the subordinate functions of distributing the ballots and counting the votes. Clodius was present and was permitted to say what he had to say against the proposal ”

“ So far as the unwieldy forms of a mass-meeting permit a real expression of the will of the majority, this was a truly representative assembly, and this decree stands almost alone in the latter days of the Republic, as having received not only the formal but the real assent of the Roman people. Cicero's journey homeward was a triumphal progress. Along the way he was stopped by deputations sent from all parts of Italy to congratulate him. When he reached the gates he found that every one with the least pretence to be a notable person in Rome had come forth to greet him ”

“ If he puts himself in Milo's road during a riot, Milo will certainly do it; he is quite resolved and announces it openly; he has no fear of failing as I did, for he puts his trust in no one but himself."
Clodius had no luck when he tried to carry the war of prosecutions at law into the enemy's camp. His accusation of Milo before the people came to nothing, and a charge of rioting which he brought before a jury against Sestius, whom we have seen as tribune exerting himself to procure Cicero's restoration, led to a signal triumph for Clodius' opponents. ”

“ During times of prosperity he suns himself in the society of his friends, in the affection of his children, in the applause of his fellows, in the approval of his own judgment and conscience; whenever these fail him, the gloom of anxiety and disappointment closes around him, and he sets forth his grief and despair as frankly as he had set forth his self-satisfaction. ”

“ Cicero writes to Lentulus that "when he hears Pompey speak, he acquits him of any hankering after the job," but that his action is so inconsistent that he cannot penetrate his real wishes. "You know," he adds, "how slow the man is, and how incapable of speaking out." [34] The time was wasted in endless wrangles, and nothing could be settled in the Senate. Ptolemy remained an exile till the next year (55 B.C.) when Gabinius, the governor of Syria, without any authorisation from the home government, restored him to his throne. ”

“ Cicero could now afford to disregard the limits to which Clodius' law confined him, and was at liberty to approach close to Italy and await the restoration which was drawing nigh.
Clodius had become intolerable in Rome. "Like Cæsar himself," writes Mommsen, "Cæsar's ape kept governorships and other posts great and small on sale for the benefit of his fellow-citizens, and sold the sovereign rights of the State for the benefit of subject kings and cities." "What region," asks [13] Cicero, "what district of any extent was there on the face of the earth, in which some principality was not set up? ”

“ The northern peoples of Europe have inherited notions of the dignity of stoical endurance, which, though far less thorough than those of some barbaric races, lead us to consider tears and lamentations as unworthy of a man. ”

“ He is convinced that never has there been such a fall as his; he measures it by all the height of his former position of honour and influence. He has brought ruin not only on himself but on his dear ones at home; he does not trust himself to meet his brother Quintus, now returning home from his province ”

“ Milo attempted to bring Clodius to justice, but found his family connections too powerful. He then resolved to meet Clodius with his own weapons and himself hired a band of gladiators; many of Cicero's friends seem to have contributed to bear the expense. The two champions fought out their quarrel much in the fashion of the Montagues and Capulets, and neither could drive his adversary from the field. It was sufficient however for Milo to hold Clodius in check, and so soon as he accomplished this, the public feeling in favor of Cicero's recall bore down all other obstacles. ”

“ One reason for the difference probably is, that our notions of what is proper and gentlemanlike are an inheritance from days when the practice of duelling compelled every one to be punctilious both about the language he used and the language of which he must take notice. Now, nothing like the duel had existed in the civic communities of the ancient world, and so the point of honour was not liable to be touched in the controversies of society or of politics. ”

“ The versatile intelligence, the susceptibility to impressions, the quick wit and the genial receptiveness, which give their charm to his writings as they doubtless did to his conversation, are compensated in the economy of nature by an equal sensitiveness to pain. ”

“ Having thus prepared the way, he brought in a bill "that any one who had put citizens to death without trial should be outlawed." Cicero was afterwards of opinion that he committed a fatal blunder in not expressing his approval of this decree, and taking his stand absolutely on the ground that Lentulus was not a citizen but an enemy. At the moment, however, he publicly recognised Clodius' proposal as directed against himself. He and his friends put on mourning and commended themselves to the people. ”

“ Clodius was ædile, and could in turn arraign Milo before the People. When a namesake and creature of their favourite, Sextus Clodius, was tried before a jury for complicity in his patron's lawless proceedings, a majority among the non-senatorial jurors was for a verdict of "Guilty," but the senators' votes turned the scale, and procured an acquittal.
Cicero was naturally indignant at all this. In a speech, delivered in the Senate early in this year, 56 B.C. he upbraids the Nobles with the folly and indecency of their conduct. "I am not surprised at Clodius; he does after his kind. ”

“ There never was much love lost between the two, and though Cæsar had brought them together, their true feelings manifested themselves now that Cæsar's presence was withdrawn. We find Pompey complaining to Cicero in February, 56, "that plots were being laid against his life; that money was being supplied by Crassus to Clodius and to Clodius' associate, Caius Cato, and that Curio, Bibulus, and others of his old opponents were likewise backing up the pair." [36] In order to protect himself, Pompey was obliged to enroll a band of roughs, whom he imported from his native Picenum. ”

“ Before departing for his province, he had made arrangements for expelling from Rome the other statesman who shared with Cicero the honour of being feared by Cæsar as a leader of opposition. Cato was to be removed more gently than his comrade had been, but quite as effectually. Clodius had passed a law for the annexation of the kingdom of Cyprus, and the deposition of the Ptolemy who reigned there. ”

“ The departure of Cæsar's army and the estrangement of Pompey left the Romans more free to June, 58 B.C. express their real feelings as to Cicero's banishment. Though not one of Clodius' colleagues had dared to interpose his veto at the critical moment, Ninnius, as early as the 1st of June brought the question of Cicero's recall before the Senate, and elicited an unanimous resolution in favour of it; in October, eight of the tribunes not only consulted the Senate but proposed a bill to the People. ”

“ I must oblige him, just as you did your colleague Antonius. It is of no use your applying to the consuls; every one must look after himself." [6] Shortly afterwards when publicly questioned by Clodius what he thought of Cicero's consulship, Piso delivered himself of the oracular response, that "he did not approve of cruelty." Meanwhile the day for the passing of Clodius' bill drew on. His new law about the auspices seems to have barred any attempt to invalidate the proceedings as those of Cæsar had been invalidated by Bibulus. ”

“ CICERO'S EXILE AND RETURN.
58-56 B.C.
LODIUS entered on his tribuneship on the 10th of December, and on the 1st of January 58 B.C. the consulship of Gabinius and Piso commenced. Cæsar was now proconsul of Gaul, but he delayed his departure and remained with his newly levied legions at the gates of Rome. Though both consuls were the servants of the triumvirs, they expected to be paid for their services. Clodius accordingly bargained to give them by decree of the People rich provinces and extraordinary allowances. ”

“ Almost to the last he had encouraged Cicero by his promises, and now in the hour of peril "suddenly he fell away from him." [4] He studiously kept out of Cicero's way, and referred him to the consuls, whose help he pretended to desire; he would be only too glad to oppose force to the violence of Clodius, but he was a private man, and must really wait till he was summoned by the consuls. [5] To the consuls accordingly Cicero turned. Gabinius rudely repulsed him. Piso affected some concern; "but," said he, "Gabinius is in difficulties; he is quite out at elbows; he is a ruined man unless ”

“ On Cicero's motion, it was resolved that the question should be submitted formally to the House by the consuls on the Ides of May. This was, as he afterwards said to Lentulus, [48] "to attack the enemy in the very heart of his position."
Pompey showed no displeasure. On the 8th of April Cicero writes to his brother, [49] then acting as Pompey's legate in Sardinia: "Yesterday I dined with Crassipes, and after dinner was carried in a litter to Pompey's garden. ”