Page:Plutarch's Lives (Clough, v.5, 1865).djvu/75

 CICERO. C7 the province. Caesar accepted him, and Clodius, perceiv- ing that Cicero would thus escape his tribunician author- ity, professed to be inchnable to a reconciUation, laid the greatest fault upon Terentia, made always a favorable mention of him,. and addressed him with kind expressions, as one who felt no hatred or ill-will, but who merely wished to urge his complaints in a moderate and friendly way. By these artifices, he so freed Cicero of all his fears, that he resigned his appointment to Csesar, and betook himself again to political affairs. At which Caesar being exasperated, joined the party of Clodius against him, and wholly ahenated Pompey from him; he also himself declared in a public assembly of the people, that he did not think Lentulus and Cethegus, with their accomplices, were fairly and legally put to death without being brought to trial. And this, indeed, was the crime charged upon Cicero, and this impeachment he was summoned to answer. And so, as an accused man, and in danger for the result, he changed his dress, and went round with his hair untrimmed, in the attire of a suppliant, to beg the peo- ple's grace. But Clodius met him in every corner, hav- ing a band of abusive and daring fellows about him, who derided Cicei'O for his change of dress and his humilia- tion, and often, by throwing dirt and stones at him, inter- rupted his supplication to the people. However, first of all, almost the whole equestrian order changed their dress with him, and no less than twenty thousand young gentlemen followed him with their hair untrimmed, and supplicating with him to the people. And then the senate met, to pass a decree that the people should change their dress as in time of public * sorrow. But the consuls opposing it, and Clodius with armed men besetting the senate-house, many of the senators ran out, crying out and tearing their clothes. But this sight moved neither shame nor pity ; Cicero must either fly or deter-