54 Plutarch’s Lives
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ato should either supplicate him, or make an appeal. But when he saw that he did not so much as think of doing either, ashamed of what he was doing and of what people thought ofit, he himself privately bade one of the tribunes interpose andprocure his release. However, having won the multitude by these laws and gratifications, they decreed that Cesar should have the government of Illyricum, and all Gaul, with an army of four legions, for the space of five years, though Cato still cried out they were, by their own vote, placing a tyrant in their citadel. Publius Clodius, a patrician, who illegally became aplebeian, was declared tribune of the people, as he had promised to do all things according to their pleasure, on condition he might banish Cicero. And for consuls, they set up Calpurnius Piso, the father of Cesar’s wife, and Aulus Gabinius, one of Pompey’s creatures, as they tell us, who best knew his life and manners. Yet when they had thus firmly established all things, havingmastered one part of the city by favour, and the other by fear,they themselves were still afraid of Cato, and remembered withvexation what pains and trouble their success over him had cosithem, and indeed what shame and disgrace, when at last theywere driven to use violence to him. This made Clodius despairof driving Cicero out of Italy while Cato stayed at home. There-fore, having first laid his design, as soon as he came into hisoffice, he sent for Cato, and told him that he looked upon himas the most incorrupt of all the Romans, and was ready to showhe did so. “ For whereas,” said he, “‘ many have applied to besent to Cyprus on the commission in the case of Ptolemy andhave solicited to have the appointment, I think you alone aredeserving of it, and I desire to give you the favour of the ap-pointment.” Cato at once cried out It was a mere design uponhim, and no favour, but an injury. Then Clodius proudly andfiercely answered, “If you will not take it as a kindness, youshall go, though never so unwillingly; ” and immediately goinginto the assembly of the people he made them pass a decree,that Cato should be sent to Cyprus. But they ordered himneither ship, nor soldier, nor any attendant, except two secre-taries, one of whom was a thief and a rascal, and the other aretainer to Clodius. Besides, as if Cyprus and Ptolemy werenot work sufficient, he was ordered also to restore the refugees ofByzantium. For Clodius was resolved to keep him far enoughoff whilst himself continued tribune. Cato, being in this necessity of going away, advised Cicero,
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