Page:Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology (1870) - Volume 3.djvu/386

Rh 374 PISO. rccal of his father-in-law from banishment, and for that reason would not go into the provinces of Pontus and Bithynia, which had been allotted him. He did not, however, live to see the return of Cicero, who arrived at Rome on the 4th of Sep- tember, B. c. 57. He probably died in the sum- mer of the same j'ear. He is frequently mentioned by Cicero in temis of gratitude on account of the zeal which he had manifested in his behalf during his banishment, (Cic, ad Alt. ii. 24, in Vatin. 11, pro Sest. 24, 31, ad Q. Fr. i. 4, ad Fam. xiv. 1, 2, post Red. in Sen. 15, post Red. ad Quir. 3.) 13. Cn. Calpurnius Piso, of whom we know nothing, except that he was consul B. c. 139, with M. PopiUius Laenas. (Val. Max. i. 3 § 2.) 14. Q. Calpurnius Piso, consul b.c. 135, with Ser. Fulvius Flaccus, was sent against Numantia. He did not, however, attack the cit}^ but contented himself with making a plundering excursion into the territory of Pallantia. (Appian. Hisp. 83 ; Ores. V. 6 ; Obsequ. 85.) 15. Calpurnius Piso, of unknown descent, praetor about B, c, 1 35, was defeated by the slaves in Sicily. (Flor. iii, 19.) 16. Calpurnius Piso, of whom we know nothing, except that he fought with success against the Thracians, about B. c. 104. (Flor. iii. 4. § 6, iv.l2. §17.) 17. C. Calpurnius Piso, was consul b. c. C7, with M'. Acilius Glabrio. He belonged to the Jiigh aristocratical party, and, as consul, led the opposition to the proposed law of the tribune Ga- binius, by which Pompey was to be entrusted with extraordinary powers for the purpose of con- ducting the war against the pirates. Piso even went so far as to threaten Pompey 's life, telling him, " that if he emulated Romulus, he would not escape the end of Romulus," for which imprudent speech he was nearly torn to pieces by the people. The law, however, was carried, notwithstanding all the opposition of Piso and his party ; and when shortly afterwards the orders which Pompey had issued, were not carried into execution in Nar- bonese Gaul, in consequence, as it was supposed, of the intrigues of Piso, Gabinius proposed to de- prive the latter of his consulship, an extreme mea- sure which Pompey's prudence would not allow to be brought forward. Piso had not an easy life in this consulship. In the same year the tribune, C. Cornelius, proposed several laws, which were di- rected against the shameless abuses of the aristo- cracy. [Cornelius, Vol. I. p. 857.] All these Piso resisted with the utmost vehemence, and none more strongly than a stringent enactment to put down bribery at elections. But as the senate could not with any decency refuse to lend their aid in suppressing this corrupt practice, they pre- tended that the law of Cornelius was so severe, that no accusers would come forward, and no judges would condemn a criminal ; and they there- fore made the consuls bring forward a less stringent law {Lex Acilia Calpurniu), imposing a fine on the offender, with exclusion from the senate and all public offices. It was with no desire to di- minish corruption at elections that Piso joined his colleague in proposing the law, for an accusa- tion had been brought against him in the preceding year of obtaining by bribery his own election to the consulship. In B. c. 6 and ^5^ Piso administered the pro- vince of Narbonese Gaul as proconsul, and while PISO. there suppressed an insurrection of the Allobroges, Like the other Romnn nobles, he plundered his province, and was defended by Cicero in b. c 63, when he was accused of robbing the Allobroge" and of executing unjustly a Transpadane Gaul. The latter charge was brought against him at the instigation of Caesar ; and Piso, in revenge, im- plored Cicero, but without success, to accuse Caesar as one of the conspirators of Catiline. Piso must have died before the breaking out of the civil war, but in what year is uncertain. Cicero ascribes {Brut. 68) to him considerable oratorical abilities. (Plut. Pomp. 25, 27 ; Dion Cass, xxxvi. 7, 20 — 22 ; Ascon. in Cic. Cornel, pp. 68, 75, ed. Orelli ; Cic. ad Ait. i. 1, 13, pro Place. 39 ; Sail. Cat. 49.) He may be the same as the L. Piso, who was judex in the case of Q. Roscius, B. c. 67 f Cic, pro Rose. Com. 3, 6), and as the L. Piso, who defended Aebutus against Caecina in 75 {pro Caecin. 12). 18. M. Pupius Pis J, consul b. c. 61, belonged originally to the Calpurnia gens, but was adopted by M. Pupius, when the latter was an old man (Cic.//ro Dom. 13), He retained, however, his family-name Piso, just as Scipio, after his adoption by Metellus, was called Metellus Scipio, [Metellus, No, 22,] There was, however, no occasion for the addition of Calpurnianus to his name, as that of Piso showed sufficiently his original family. Piso had attained some importance as early as the first civil Avar. On the death of L, Cinna, in B. c, 84, he married his wife Annia, and in the following year, 83, was appointed quaestor to the consul L, Scipio ; but he quickly deserted this party, and went over to Sulla, who compelled him to divorce his wife on account of her previous connection with Cinna (Cic. Verr. i, 14 ; Veil. Pat, ii. 41). He failed in obtaining the aedileship (Cic, pro Plane. 5, 21), and the year of his praetorship is uncertain. After his praetorship he received the province of Spain with the title of proconsul, and on his return to Rome in 69, enjoyed the honour of a triumph, although it was asserted by some that he had no claim to this distinction. (Cic, pro Flacc. 3, in Pison. 26 ; Ascon. in Pison. p. 15.) Piso served in the Mitiiridatic war as a legatus of Pompej', who sent him to Rome in b, c. 62, to become a candidate for the consulship, as he was anxious to obtain the ratification of his acts in Asia, and therefore wished to have one of his friends at the head of the state. Piso was accordingly elected consul for the following year, b, c, 61, with M. Va- lerius Messalla Niger. In his consulship he gave great offence to Cicero, by not asking him first in the senate for his opinion, and still further in- creased the anger of the orator by taking P. Clo- dius under his protection after his violjjtion of the mysteries of the Bona Dea. Cicero revenged himself on Piso, by preventing him from obtaining the province of Syria, Avhich had been promised him. (Dion Cass, xxxvii. 44 ; Cic. ad Alt. i. 12— 18.) Piso must have died, in all probability, be- fore the breaking out of the second civil Avar, for in B. c. 47 Antony inhabited his house at Rome. (Cic. J'hil. ii, 25,) Piso, in his younger days, had so high a reputation as an orator, that Cicero was taken to him by his father, in order to receive in- struction from him. He possessed some natural ability, but Avas chiefly indebted for his excellence to study, especially of Greek literature, in the, knowledge of Avhich he surpassed all previoua