Page:Plutarch's Lives (Clough, v.5, 1865).djvu/73

 CICERO. 65 the maid with whom he had come in. This matter being much talked about, Caesar put away his wife, Pompeia, and Clodius was prosecuted for profaning the holy rites. Cicero was at this time his friend, for he had been use- ful to him in the conspiracy of Catihne, as one of his for- wardest assistants and protectors. But when Clodius rested his defence upon this point, that he was not then at RomCj but at a distance in the country, Cicero testified that he had come to his house that day, and conversed with him on several matters; which thing was indeed true, although Cicero was thought to testify it not so much for the truth's sake as to preserve his quiet with Terentia his wife. For she bore a grudge against Clodius on account of his sister Clodia's wishing, as it was alleged, to marry Cicero, and having employed for this purpose the intervention of Tullus, a very intimate friend of Cicero's ; and his frequent visits to Clodia, who Hved m their neighborhood, and the attentions he paid to her had excited Terentia's suspicions, and, being a woman of a violent temper, and having the ascendant over Cicero, she urged him on to taking a part against Clodius, and delivering his testimony. Many other good and honest citizens also gave evidence against him, for perjm-ies, dis- orders, bribing the people, and debauching women. Lu- cullus proved, by his women-servants, that he had de- bauched his youngest sister when she was Lucullus's wife ; and there was a general belief that he had done the same with his two other sisters, Tertia, whom Marcius Rex, and Clodia, whom Metellus Celer had married ; the latter of whom was called Quadrantia, because one of her lovers had deceived her with a purse of small copper money instead of silver, the smallest copper coin being called a quadrant. Upon this sister's account, in particu- lar, Clodius's character was attacked. Notwithstanding VOL. v. 5