in a popular address. Cicero thought Cato was not discreet, not
diplomatic enough. Clodius had been elected Tribune. The
orator is full of anxiety and still tries to persuade himself that
when the crisis actually came, all would turn out well (16). "If
he will have me indicted, all Italy will rally to my support, so
that I will get out of it with my fame many times enlarged. My
ancient band of conservatives is aglow with devotion and affec-
tion for myself. If any of them were somewhat estranged or in-
different, they are now, on account of their hatred for these kings,
attaching themselves to the conservatives." All proved feeble
reeds. Cicero was temperamentally optimistic. On Dec. 10th P.
Clodius Pulcher became tribune. He stopped Bibulus from ad-
dressing the populace on the last day of the year, just as Metellus
Nepos had checked Cicero four years before.

Both Dio (38, 12) and Plutarch (Caes. 14) conceive Clodius' Tribu-
nate as anti-Ciceronian policy of Caesar.

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