The college found that Clodius had committed
sacrilege, and the regular course in such cases was to send the offender
to trial. There was general unwillingness, however, to treat this matter
seriously. Clodius had many friends in the house, and even Cicero, who was
inclined at first to be severe, took on reflection a more lenient view.
Clodius had a sister, a light lady who, weary of her conquests over her
fashionable admirers, had tried her fascinations on the great orator. He
had escaped complete subjugation, but he had been flattered by the
attention of the seductive beauty, and was ready to help her brother out
of his difficulty. Clodius was not yet the dangerous desperado which he
afterward became; and immorality, though seasoned with impiety, might
easily, it was thought, be made too much of. Caesar himself did not press
for punishment. As president of the college, he had acquiesced in their
decision, and he divorced the unfortunate Pompeia; but he expressed no
opinion as to the extent of her criminality, and he gave as his reason for
separating from her, not that she was guilty, but that Caesar's wife must
be above suspicion.
Cato, however, insisted on a prosecution. Messala, one of the consuls, was
equally peremptory. The hesitation was regarded by the stricter senators
as a scandal to the order; and in spite of the efforts of the second
consul Piso, who was a friend of Clodius, it was decided that a bill for
his indictment should be submitted to the assembly in the Forum.
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