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

902 CURIO. CURIO.
the Dardanians and Moesians with great success. reckless in squandering money as he was insatiable
IHe was the first Roman general who advanced in in acquiring it, had by this time contracted enorthose regions as far as the river Danube, and on mous debts, and he saw no way of getting out of
his return to Rome in 71, he celebrated a triumph his difficulties except by an utter confusion of the
over the Dardanians. Curio appears to have hence- affairs of the republic. It was believed that he
forth remained at Rome, where he took an active would direct his power and influence as tiibune
part in all public affairs. He acted as an opponent against Caesar, and at first he did so; but Caesar,
of Julius Caesar, and was connected in intimate who was anxious to gain over some of the influenfriendship with Cicero. When the punishment of tial men of the city, paid all Curio's debts on conthe Catilinarian conspirators was discussed in the dition of his abandoning the Pompeian party.
senate, Curio also spoke, and afterwards expressed This scheme was perfectly successful; but Curio
his satisfaction with Cicero's measures. In the was too clever and adroit a person at once to turn
trial of P. Clodius, for having violated the sacra of his back upon his former friends. At first he
the Bona Dea, Curio spoke in favour of Clodius, continued to act against Caesar; by and by he
probably out of enmity towards Caesar; and Cicero assumed an appearance of neutrality; and in order
on that occasion attacked both Clodius and Curio to bring about a rupture between himself and the
most vehemently in a speech of which considerable Pompeian party, he brought forward some laws
fragments are still extant. This event, however, which he knew could not be carried, but which
does not appear to have at all interrupted their would afford him a specious pretext for deserting
personal friendship, for Cicero speaks well of him his friends. When it was demanded that Caesar
as a man on all occasions; he says, that he was should lay down his imperium before coming to
one of the good men of the time, and that he was Rome, Curio proposed that Pompey should do the
always opposed to bad citizens. In B. c. 57 Curio same. This demand itself was as fair as the
was appointed pontifex maximus; he died four source from which it originated was impure. Pomyears later, B. c. 53. Like his father and his son, pey shewed indeed a disposition to do anything that
Curio acquired in his time some reputation as an was fair, but it was evident that in reality he did
orator, and we learn from Cicero, that he spoke on not intend to do any such thing. Curio therefore
various occasions; but of all the requisites of an now openly attacked Pompey, and described him as
orator he had only one, viz. elocution, and he ex- a person wanting to set himself up as tyrant; but,
celled most others in the purity and brilliancy of in order not to lose every appearance of neutrality
his diction; but his mind was altogether unculti- even now, he declared, that if Caesar and Pompey
vated; he was ignorant without being aware of would not consent to lay down their imperium,
this defect; he was slow in thinking and invent- both must be declared public ememies, and war
ing, very awkward in his gesticulation, and with- must be forthwith made against them. This exout any power of memory. With such deficiencies cited Pompey's indignation so much, that he withhe could not escape the ridicule of able rivals or of drew to a suburban villa. Curio, however, contihis audience; and on one occasion, probably during nued to act his part in the senate; and it was
his tribuneship, while he was addressing the peo- decreed that Pompey and Caesar should each disple, he was gradually deserted by all his hearers. miss one of their legions, which were to be sent to
His orations were published, and he also wrote Syria. Pompey cunningly evaded obeying the
a work against Caesar in the form of a dialogue, command by demanding back from Caesar a legion
in which his son, C. Scribonius Curio, was one of which he had lent him in B. c. 53; and Caesar
the interlocutors, and which had the same defi- sent the two legions required, which, however,
ciencies as his orations. (The numerous passages instead of going to Syria, took up their winterin which he is spoken of by Cicero are given in quarters at Capua.
Orelli's Onom. Tull. ii. p. 525, &c.; comp. Plut. Soon after, the consul Claudius Marcellus proSull. 14; Appian, Mithrid. 60; Eutrop. vi. 2; posed to the senate the question, whether a sucOros. iv. 23; Suet. Caes. 9, 49, 52; Dion Cass. cessor of Caesar should be sent out, and whether
xxxviii. 16; Val. Max. ix. 14. ~ 5; Plin. II. N. Pompey was to be deprived of his imperium?
vii. 12; Solin. i. 6; Quintil. vi. 3. ~ 76.) The senate consented to the former, but refused to
4. C. SCRIBONIUS CURIO, the son of the former, do the latter. Curio repeated his former proposal,
and, like his father, a friend of Cicero, and an ora- that both the proconsuls should lay down their
tor of great natural talents, which however he left power, and when it was put to the vote, a large
uncultivated from carelessness and want of indus- majority of the senators voted for Curio. Claudius
try. Cicero knew him from his childhood, and Marcellus, who had always pretended to be a
did all he could to direct his great talents into a champion of the senate, now refused obedience to
proper, channel, to suppress his love of pleasure its decree; and as there was a report that Caesar
and of wealth, and to create in him a desire for was advancing with his army towards Rome, he
true fame and virtue, but without any success, proposed that the two legions stationed at Capua
and Curio was and remained a person of most pro- should be got ready at once to march against Caefligate character. He was married to Fulvia, who sar. Curio, however, denied the truth of the reafterwards became the wife of Antony, and by port, and prevented the consul's command being
whom Curio had a daughter who was as dissolute obeyed. Claudius Marcellus and his colleague,
as her mother. Owing to his family connexions Ser. Sulpicius Rufus now rushed out of the city to
and several other outward circumstances, he be- Pompey, and solemnly called upon him to underlonged to the party of Pompey, although in his take the command of all the troops in Italy, and
heart he was favourably disposed towards Caesar. save the republic. Curio now could not interfere,
After having been quaestor in Asia, where he had as he could not quit the city in the character of
discharged the duties of his office in a praiseworthy tribune; he therefore addressed the people, and
manner, he sued for and obtained the tribuneship called upon them to demand of the consuls not to
for the eventful year B. c. 50. Curio, who was as permit Pompey to levy an army. But he was not