A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

374 PISO. PISO.
recal of his father-in-law from banishment, and for there suppressed an insurrection of the Allobroges.
that reason would not go into the provinces of Like the other Roman nobles, he plundered his
Pontus and Bithynia, which had been allotted province, and was defended by Cicero in B. c. 63,
him. He did not, however, live to see the return when he was accused of robbing the Allobroges,
of Cicero, who arriyed at Rome on the 4th of Sep- and of executing unjustly a Transpadane Gaul.
tember, B. C. 57. He probably died in the sum- The latter charge was brought against him at the
mer of the same year. He is frequently mentioned instigation of Caesar; and Piso, in revenge, imby Cicero in terms of gratitude on account of the plored Cicero, but without success, to accuse Caesar
zeal which he had manifested in his behalf during as one of the conspirators of Catiline. Piso must
his banishment. (Cic. ad Att. ii. 24, in Vatin. 11, have died before the breaking out of the civil war,
pro Sest. 24, 31, ad Q. Fr. i. 4, ad Fam. xiv. 1, but in -what year is uncertain. Cicero ascribes
2, post Red. in Sen. 15, post Red. ad QzLir. 3.) (Brut. 68) to him considerable oratorical abilities.
13. CN. CALPURNIUS PISO, of whom we know (Plut. Pomp. 25, 27; Dion Cass. xxxvi. 7,
nothing, except that he was consul B. C. 139, with 20-22; Ascon. in Cic. Cornel. pp. 68, 75, ed.
M. Popillius Laenas. (Val. Max. i. 3 ~ 2.) Orelli; Cic. ad Att. i. 1, 1 3, pro Flacc. 39; Sail.
14. Q. CALPURNIUS PIso, consul B.c. 135, with Cat. 49.)
Ser. Fulvius Flaccus, was sent against Numantia. He may be the same as the L. Piso, who was
He did not, however, attack the city, but contented judex in the case of Q. Roscius, B. c. 67 (Cic. pro
himself with making a plundering excursion into Rose. Com. 3, 6), and as the L. Piso, who defended
the territory of Pallantia. (Appian. Hisp. 83; Aebutus against Caecina in 75 (pro Caecin. 12).
Oros. v. 6; Obsequ. 85.) 18. M. PUPIus PIso, consul B. C. 61, belonged
15. CALPURNIUS PISO, of unknown descent, originally to the Calpurnia gens, but was adopted by
praetor about B. C. 135, was defeated by the slaves M. Pupius, when the latter was an old man (Cic. pro
in Sicily. (Flor. iii. 19.) Dom. ]13). He retained, however, his family-name
16. CALPURNIUS PISO, of whom we know Piso, just as Scipio, after his adoption by Metellus,
nothing, except that he fought with success against was called Metellus Scipio. [METELLUS, No. 22.]
the Thracians, about B. C. 104. (Flor. iii. 4. ~ 6, There was, however, no occasion for the addition of
iv. 12. ~ 17.) Calpurnianus to his name, as that of Piso showed
17. C. CALPURNIUS PISO, was consul B. C. 67, sufficiently his original family. Piso had attained
with M'. Acilius Glabrio. He belonged to the some importance as early as the first civil war.
high aristocratical party, and, as consul, led the On the death of L. Cinna, in B. C. 84, he married
opposition to the proposed law of the tribune Ga- his wife Annia, and in the following year, 83, was
binius, by which Pompey was to be entrusted appointed quaestor to the consul L. Scipio; but he
with extraordinary powers for the purpose of con- quickly deserted this party, and went over to
ducting the war against the pirates. Piso even Sulla, who compelled him to divorce his wife on
went so far as to threaten Pompey's life, telling account of her previous connection with Cinna
him, " that if he emulated Romulus, he would not (Cic. Verr. i. 14; Vell. Pat. ii. 41). He failed
escape the end of Romulus," for which inlprudent in obtaining the aedileship (Cic. pro Plane. 5, 21),
speech he was nearly torn to pieces by the people. and the year of his praetorship is uncertain. After
The law, however, was carried, notwithstanding all his praetorship he received the province of Spain
the opposition of Piso and his party; and when with the title of proconsul, and on his return to
shortly afterwards the orders which Pompey had Rome in 69, enjoyed the honour of a triumph,
issued, were not carried into execution in Nar- although it was asserted by some that he had nlo
bonese Gaul, in consequence, as it was supposed, claim to this distinction. (Cic. pro Flace. 3, ins
of the intrigues of Piso, Gabinius proposed to de- Pison. 26; Ascon. in Pison. p. 15.) Piso served
prive the latter of his consulship, an extreme mea- in the Mithridatic war as a legatus of Pompey,
sure which Pompey's prudence would not allow to who sent him to Rome in B. C. 62, to become a
be brought forward. Piso had not an easy life in candidate for the consulship, as he was anxious to
this consulship. In the same year the tribune, C. obtain the ratification of his acts in Asia, and
Cornelius, proposed several laws, which were di- therefore wished to have one of his friends at the
rected against the shameless abuses of the aristo- head of the state. Piso was accordingly elected
cracy. [CORNELIUS, Vol. I. p. 857.] All these Piso consul for the following year, B. C. 61, with M. Varesisted with the utmost vehemence, and none lerius Messalla Niger. In his consulship he gave
more strongly than a stringent enactment to put great offence to Cicero, by not asking him first in
down bribery at elections. But as the senate the senate for his opinion, and still further incould not with any decency refuse to lend their creased the anger of the orator by talcing P. Cloaid in suppressing this corrupt practice, they pre- dius under his protection after his violation of the
tended that the law of Cornelius was so severe, mysteries of the Bona Dea. Cicero revenged
that no accusers would come forward, and no himself on Piso, by preventing him from obtaining
judges would condemn a criminal; and they there- the province of Syria, which had been promised
fore made the consuls bring forward a less stringent him. (Dion Cass. xxxvii. 44; Cic. ad Att. i. 12law (Lex Acilia Calpurnia), imposing a fine on 18.) Piso must have died, in all probability, bethe offender, with exclusion from the senate and fore the breaking out of the second civil war, for
all public offices. It was with no desire to di- in B. C. 47 Antony inhabited his house at Rome.
minish corruption at elections that Piso joined (Cic. Plsil. ii. 25.) Piso, in his younger days, had
his colleague in proposing the law, for an accusa- so high a reputation as an orator, that Cicero was
tion had been brought against him in the preceding taken to him by his father, in order to receive inyear of obtaining by bribery his own election to struction from him. He possessed some natural
the consulship, ability, but was chiefly indebted for his excellence
In B. C. 66 and 65, Piso administered the pro- to study, especially of Greek literature, in the
vinces of Narbolnese Gaul as proconsul, and while knowledge of which he surpassed aIll previous