Curius 7

vol. IV p.1840-1841

7) Q. Curius

Natus haud obscuro loco (Sall. Cat. 23, 1), he had served as quaestor (Cic. in tog. cand. in Ascon. p. 83), and therefore belonged to the senate (Sall. Cat. 17, 3 [Q. Cic.] pet. cons. 10). However, because of his infamously shameful way of life (cf. notissimus aleator and the poetry by Calvus in Ascon. p. 84), the censors removed him from the senate (Sall. Cat. 23, 1. Appian. bell. civ. II 3; cf. damnatus in Ascon. loc. cit.). <50> This must have happened in 684 = 70, because no ‘lectio senatus’ took place under the two censors in the following year. He then joined the Catilinarian conspiracy, and vainly boasted about his great ambitions to his beloved Fulvia: she, however, was close to the consul Cicero, and this prompted her to do the right thing. <60> Curius finally relented and agreed to make a public confession, and bring the entire conspiracy to light (Sall. Cat. 23, 2-4. 26, 3. 28, 2. Appian. bell. civ. II 3; embellished, though without names, in Diod. XL 5 [frg. Escor. 35, 2ff. FHG II p. XXVI]). He also confessed to the names of some of his co-conspirators, including Caesar, who arranged for the rewards owed to Curius for sharing his knowledge on the conspiracy to be taken away from him (Suet. Caes. 17). Cf. nr. 1. <page break 1840/1841>

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This article is referenced by: C. Licinius Macer Calvus (113)