Sex. Clodius 12

vol. IV p.65-66

12) Sex. Clodius

Sex. Clodius, was probably descended from a freedman of the Claudian house, and was therefore referred to with very contemptuous terms by Cicero. On 1st January 696 = 58, he organised the Compitalian games, which hadn't been put on for a decade, to prepare for the restoration of the abolished collegia in P. Clodius' interests (Cic. Pis. 8. Ascon. on that p. 7). <60> From that point on, he seems to have been the most important and most trusted companion of P. Clodius (Ascon. Mil. p. 42), and amongst other things he was in charge of the written phrasing of his proposed laws (Cic. de domo 47. 83. 129; har. resp. 11; Sest. 133), he was entrusted with putting his grain law into place (de domo 25f.), he helped with the destruction of Cicero's house and with all the other violent acts while and after P. Clodius was tribune, <page break 65/66> which meant that Cicero gave an entire list of his crimes (Cael. 78). However, when Milo brought him to court because of all this in 698 = 56, he was acquitted, because the people were upset that Milo himself had just been protected by Pompey (Cic. loc. cit.; ad Q. fr. II 4, 6). But after Sextus had lead the mob when Clodius' corpse and the curia were burnt after his murder at the beginning of 702 = 52 (Cic. Mil. 33 [lumen curiae]. 90. Ascon. Mil. 29. 40), <10> he was condemned because of a charge from C. Caesennius Philo and M. Alfidius under general approval (Ascon. Mil. p. 49). He was first allowed to return from exile in 710 = 44 by M. Antonius, allegedly under Caesar's orders (Cic. ad Att. XIV 13 A, 2. 14, 2. 19, 2). [from suppl. vol. I p.323: Cicero was already afraid of Sex. Clodius' return in 705 = 49 (Cic. ad Att. 8, 3). Additional evidence for his return being approved is in Cic. Phil. II 9]. The charges which Cicero raised against Sextus during the years he was bitter enemies with P. Clodius and his following also include the charge that he was in a shameful relationship with Clodia (de domo 28. 83; Cael. 78, cf. nr. 66). <20>

[Münzer.]

This article is referenced by: Clodia (66), Fulvia (113)