, the conspirators were handed over to
the executioner, and as Caesar was leaving the Senate many of the young
men who then acted as a guard to Cicero, crowded together and
threatened Caesar with their naked swords.[461] But Curio[462] is said
to have thrown his toga round Caesar, and to have carried him off; and
Cicero also, when the young men looked to him, is said to have checked
them by a motion, either through fear of the people or because he
thought that the death of Caesar would be most unjust and a violation
of law. If this is true, I cannot conceive why Cicero said nothing
about it in the book on his Consulship;[463] but Cicero was blamed
afterwards for not having taken advantage of so favourable an
opportunity to get rid of Caesar, and for having feared the people, who
were extravagantly attached to Caesar. And indeed a few days after,
when Caesar had gone to the Senate and defended himself in a speech
against the imputations that had been cast on him, and his speech was
received with loud marks of disapprobation and the sitting of the
Senate was lasting longer than usual, the people came with loud cries
and surrounded the Senate-house calling for Caesar and bidding the
Senate let him go. Accordingly, Cato apprehending danger mainly from
some movement of the needy part of the people, who were like a
firebrand among the rest of the citizens, as they had all their hopes
in Caesar, prevailed on the Senate to give them a monthly allowance of
corn, which produced an addition to the rest of the expenditure of
seven millions[464] five hundred thousands. However, the immediate
alarm was manifestly quenched by this measure, which snapped off the
best part of Caesar's influence and scattered it, at a time when he was
going to enter on his office of Praetor which made him more
formidable.

IX. No tumults occurred in Caesar's Praetorship,[465] but a disagreeable
incident happened in his family. Publius Clodius,[466] a man of
Patrician rank, was distinguished both by wealth and eloquence, but in
arrogance and impudence he was not inferior to the most notorious
scoundrels in Rome. Clodius was in love with Pompeia, Caesar's wife,
and Pompeia was in no way averse to him. But a strict watch was kept
over the woman's apartment, and Aurelia, Caesar's mother, who was a
prudent woman, by always observing Pompeia, made it difficult and
hazardous for the lovers to have an interview. Now the Romans have a
goddess whom they call Bona