Page:Cicero And The Fall Of The Roman Republic.djvu/279

57 B.C.]

the Senate, and the matter was fully discussed on the first of January, 57 B.C. Lucius Aurelius Cotta, the first senator who was asked his opinion, protested that no legislation was required; the whole of the proceedings against Cicero, he argued, were null and void; he had merely yielded to violence, and now he should be simply invited to resume his place in the State. Pompey, who came next, while agreeing with much that Cotta said, recommended that for the avoidance of all scruples a bill should be proposed annulling the former decree and expressly restoring all Cicero's rights. This view (which was Cicero's own) met with the approval of the Senate. Though some delays occurred through the opposition of a single tribune, a decree was actually brought before the people on the 24th of January.

But Clodius, though no longer tribune, was still master of the streets. His gangs were reinforced by some gladiators whom he was training, and with these he made an armed attack on the supporters of the bill. A regular battle was fought ; the Forum had to be swabbed with sponges to clear away the blood, and corpses were tossed into the river or choked the sewers; Quintus Cicero barely escaped with his life; the day ended with the victory of Clodius and the bill was not carried. On another day the tribune Sestius was assailed with equal violence; he was left for dead on the ground, but none of his wounds proved mortal. Milo attempted