and a tribune was to attack him, Caesar offered him
two chances of honourable retreat--first as one of the commissioners to
administer his land law, and again as one of his _legati_ in Gaul. But
Cicero would not accept the first, because he was vehemently opposed to
the law itself: nor the second, because he had no taste for provincial
business, even supposing the proconsul to be to his liking; and because
he could not believe that P. Clodius would venture to attack him, or
would succeed if he did. Caesar's consulship of B.C. 59 roused his worst
fears for the Republic; and, though he thought little of the
statesmanship or good sense of Caesar's hostile colleague Bibulus, he was
thoroughly disgusted with the policy of the triumvirs, with the
contemptuous treatment of the senate, with the high-handed disregard of
the auspices--by means of which Bibulus tried to invalidate the laws and
other _acta_ of Caesar--and with the armed forces which Pompey brought
into the _campus_, nominally to keep order, but really to overawe the
_comitia_, and secure the passing of Caesar's laws. Nor was it in his
nature to conceal his feelings. Speaking early in the year in defence of
his former colleague, C. Antonius, accused of _maiestas_ for his conduct
in Macedonia, he expressed in no doubtful terms his view of the
political situation. Within a few hours the words were reported to the
triumvirs, and all formalities were promptly gone through for the
adoption of Clodius. Caesar himself presided at the _comitia curiata_,
Pompey attended as augur, and the thing was done in a few minutes. Even
then Cicero does not appear to have been alarmed, or to have been fully
aware of what the object of Publius was. While on his usual spring visit
to his seaside villas in April (B.C. 59), he expressed surprise at
hearing from the young Curio that Clodius was a candidate for the
tribuneship (vol. i., p. 99). His surprise no doubt was more or less
assumed: he must have understood that Clodius's object in the adoption
was the tribunate, and must have had many uneasy reflexions as to the
use which he would make of the office when he got it. Indeed there was
not very much doubt about it, for Publius openly avowed his intentions.
We have accordingly numerous references, in the letters to Atticus, to
Cicero's doubts about the course he ought to adopt. Should he accept
Caesar's offer of a legation in Gaul, or a free and votive legation?
Should he stay in Rome and