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

672 RUFUS.- RUFUS.
as Pompey did not venture to refuse to it his 43); but this M. Rufus must in all probability
sanction. No sooner had his year of office expired have been a different person.
than he accused his late colleague Q. Pompeius He was rewarded for his services by the praetorRufus of vis under the provisions of the very law ship, which he held in B. C. 48. But various causes
which the latter had taken so active a part in passing. had already alienated the mind of Caelius from his
The triumvir, who had no further occasion for his new patron, and these at length led him to engage in
services, rendered him but faint support. He was desperate enterprises which ended in his ruin and
condemned, and retired to Bauli in Campania, death. He was mortified that Caesar had enwhere he was in great pecuniary difficulties, till trusted the honourable duties of the city praetorCaelius generously compelled Cornelia, the mother ship to C. Trebonius rather than to himself, a disof Pompeius, to surrender to him his paternal pro- tinction, however, to which Trebonius had much
perty. (Val. Max. iv. 2. ~ 7.) greater claims, as he had in his tribuneship in
In B. C. 51, Cicero went to Cilicia as proconsul, B. C. 55 proposed the law for prolonging the promuch against his will, and before leaving Italy he consular government of Caesar. But his chief
requested Caelius, who accompanied him on his dissatisfaction with the existing state of things
journey as far as.Cumae, to send him from time to arose from his enormous debts. It seems that he
time a detailed account of all the news of the had looked forward to a proscription for the paycity. Caelius readily complied with his request, ment of his creditors; but as Caesar's generous
and his correspondence with his friend is still pre- conduct towards his opponents deprived him of
served in the collection of Cicero's letters. In the this resource, he saw no remedy for his ruined for.
same year Caelius became a candidate for the tunes but a general commotion. Accordingly, when
curule aedileship, which he gained along with Trebonius was, in the exercise of his judicial
Octavius. As he was anxious to exhibit the games duties, carrying into execution the law which had
with becoming splendour, he applied to Cicero for been lately passed by Caesar for the settlement of
money and for panthers, as his command of an debts, Caelius set up his tribunal by the side of
Asiatic province would enable him to obtain a his colleague and promised his assistance to all who
large supply of both without much difficulty. might appeal to him against the decision of the
Cicero, with all his faults, did not plunder the pro- latter. But as no one availed himself of his profvincials. He therefore refused the money at once; fered aid, he brought forward a law according to
and does not seem to have put himself to much which debts were to be paid without interest in
trouble to procure the panthers, although Caelius six instalments, probably at the interval of six
reminds him of them in almost every letter. months from one another.* When this measure was
During his aedileshlip in the following year (n. c. opposed by Servilius Isauricus, Caesar's colleague
50), Caelius still carried on his correspondence in the consulship, and by the other magistrates,
with Cicero; and his letters contain some interest- he dropt it and brought forward two others in its
ing accounts of the proceedings of the different place, which were in fact equivalent to a general
parties at Rolne immediately before the breaking confiscation of property. By one of these new
out of the civil war. In the same year he became laws the proprietors of houses had to give up a
involved in a personal quarrel with the censor Ap. year's rent to their tenants, and by another creClaudius Pulcher, and with L. Domitius Aheno- ditors were to forgive debtors all their debts. After
barbus, who had been the colleague of Claudius such sweeping measures as these, the decisions of
in the consulship; but we must refer the reader for Trebonius, however lenient, would seem harsh toparticulars to his correspondence with Cicero (ad wards debtors. A mob attacked him as he was adFam. viii. 12, 14). Having thus become a per- ministering justice; several persons were'wounded,
sonal enemy of two of the most distinguished and Trebonius himself driven from his tribunal.
leaders of the aristocracy, his connection with Thereupon the senate resolved to deprive Caelius
this party, of which he had hitherto been a warm of his office, and Servilius carried the decree into
supporter, was naturally weakened. He felt no execution by breaking himself the curule seat of
confidence in Pompey and the senate in the im- the praetor. Caelius saw that he could effect
pending civil war; he saw that Caesar was the nothing more at Rome, and accordingly left the
stronger; and avowing the principle that the more city, giving out that he intended to repair to
powerful party is to be joined when the struggle Caesar. But his real intention was to join Milo
in a state comes to arms, he resolved to espouse in Campania, whom he had secretly sent for from
the side of Caesar. Massilia, and along with him to raise an insurrecIn the discussions in the senate at the beginning tion in favour of Pompey. Milo, however, was
of January, B. c. 49, Caelius supported the opinion killed in an attack upon an obscure fort near
of M. Calidius that Pompey ought to betake Thurii before Caelius could join him [MILo];
himself to his Spanish provinces in order to remove and Caelius himself was put to death shortly afterevery pretext for war. By this declaration he wards at Thurii by some Spanlish and Gallic horseopenly broke with the aristocratical party, and in men whom he was endeavouring to bribe to sura few days afterwards he fled from Rome with render the place. (Caes. B. C. iii. 20-22; Dion
M. Antonius, Q. Cassius, and C. Curio to Caesar's Cass. xlii. 22-25; Appian, B. C. ii. 22; Liv.
camp at Ravenna (Caes. B. C. i. 2; Dion Cass. Epit. 111; Vell. Pat. ii. 68; Oros. vi. 15; Quinxli. 2, 3). Caesar sent him into Liguria to sup- til. vi. 3. ~ 25.)
press an insurrection at Intemelium (ad Faem. viii.
15); and in April he accompanied Caesar in his * The passage in Caesar (B. C. iii. 20), froln
campaign in Spain (ad Fain. viii. 16. ~ 4,17. ~ 1). which the statement in the text is taken, is corIt is supposed by some modern writers that he rupt:-" legem promulgavit, ut sexies seni dies
also served under Curio in Africa in the course of sine usuris creditae pecuniae solvantur." Niebullr
the same year, as we read of a M. Rulfus who was conjectures sexies senmestri die (Kleine Scrimfen:
the quaestor of Curio in Africa (Caes. B. C. ii. vol. ii. pp. 253, 2,54.)