Cicero

So, being a woman of harsh nature, and having sway over Cicero, she incited him to join in the attack upon Clodius and give testimony against him. Moreover, many men of the better class bore witness against Clodius for perjury, recklessness, bribery of the multitude, and debauching of women. And Lucullus actually produced female slaves who testified that Clodius had commerce with his youngest sister when she was living with Lucullus as his wife.

There was also a general belief that Clodius had intercourse with his other two sisters, of whom Tertia was the wife of Marcius Rex, and Clodia of Metellus Celer; the latter was called Quadrantia, because one of her lovers had put copper coins into a purse and sent them to her for silver, and the smallest copper coin was called quadrans. It was with regard to this sister in particular that Clodius was in evil repute.

However, since the people at this time set themselves against those who combined and testified against him, the jurors were frightened and surrounded themselves with a guard, and most of them cast their voting-tablets with the writing on them confused.[*](Cf. also the Caesar, x. 7. Each juror was provided with three tablets, on one of which was marked A (absolvo); on a second C (condemno); and on a third N.L. (non liquet). The jurors voted by placing one of these tablets in the urn. Plutarch must have misunderstood his source.) But nevertheless those who were for acquittal appeared to be in the majority; and some bribery also was said to have been used.

This led Catulus to say, when he met the jurors, It was indeed as a measure of safety that you asked for your guard; you were afraid that someone would take your money away from you.[*](Cf. Cicero, ad Att. i. 16, 5. ) And Cicero, when Clodius told him that as a witness he had found no credit with the jurors, said: Nay, twenty-five of the jurors gave me credit, for so many voted against you; and thirty of them gave you no credit, for they did not vote to acquit you until they had got your money.[*](Cf. Cicero, ibid. 16, 10. )

Caesar, however, when summoned as a witness, gave no testimony against Clodius, and denied that he had condemned his wife for adultery, but said that he had put her away because Caesar’s wife must be free not only from shameful conduct, but even from shameful report.

But Clodius, having escaped his peril, and having been chosen tribune,[*](For the year 58 B.C.) at once began to attack Cicero, arraying and stirring up against him all things and all men alike. He won the favour of the people by benevolent laws, got large provinces voted to each of the consuls (Macedonia to Piso, and Syria to Gabinius), brought many of the poorer class into organized political activity, and kept armed slaves about his person.

Now, of the three men who at that time had most power, Crassus was an out-and-out foe of Cicero, Pompey was dallying with both, and Caesar was about to set out for Gaul with an army; into Caesar’s favour, therefore, Cicero insinuated himself (although Caesar was not a friend, but an object of suspicion owing to the affair of Catiline), and asked to accompany him on his campaign as legate.[*](According to Cicero (ad Att. ii. 18, 3), it was Caesar who made the request.)

But no sooner had Caesar granted the request than Clodius, seeing that Cicero was thus escaping his tribunicial power, pretended to be desirous of a reconciliation, and by laying the chief blame upon Terentia, and always speaking of Cicero in friendly terms and using kindly expressions about him, as one who bore him no hatred or even ill-will, but had moderate complaints to make of him in a friendly way, he altogether took away his fear, so that he declined the office of legate under Caesar and again applied himself to public matters.