CLO'DIUS PU'BLIUS, a Roman patrician, the son of Appius, first became notorious by introducing himself in the disguise of a woman into Cmsar's house during the celebration of the sacred rites of the Bona Dea. For this offence he was tried, but by the help of his hire Hogs and dependents, and by bribing the judieea, he was acquitted. (Cicero, • Ep. ad Attie.; i. 12. /6.) Cicero, who was called to give evidence on this trial, made a very unfavourable statement respecting his character, for which Clod ins never forgave him. It was chiefly in order to revenge himself on so formidable an enemy, that Clodine took measures to qualify himself for the office of tribune of the people. With this view he got himself adopted into a plebeian family, though with considerable difficulty, and not without the help of emu!. and Pompey. No sooner was he elected tribune than he applied all his energies to effect the ruin of Cicero. [Cleeno.] In n.c. 57, when Lentulus had brought before the senate a proposal to recal Cicero from banishment, a day was fixed for taking the sense of the people. Fabricius, olio of the tribunes, who favoured the cause of Cicero, eudeavoured to possess the place of assembly with armed men, but it had been pro-occupied by Clodius. An encounter followed, in which Clodius was victorious, and followed up his advantage by macsacrelug a considerable number of persons. Milo undertook to prosecute him for these outrages, but it was useless to proceed in the regular manner against a man who employed bodies of gladiators in his defence. Milo accordingly provided himself in a similar way, and the two parties had frequent engagements in the streets of Rome.
When Cicero was recalled from exile, a question was raised, whether the ground on which his house had stood, and his property, which had been alienated to religions uses, should be restored to him or not. Clodius made a vehement speech against the rostoratiou ; but the point being decided in Cicero's favour, enraged Clodius beyond all bounds, and he made an attempt on Cicero's life. lie contrived to screen himself from another trial, which he apprehended, by getting himself elected sessile ; and no sooner was Milo s tribuneship expired, than he took advantage of the circumstance to prosecute him fur acts of violence. Cicero appeared in defence of Milo, who was acquitted. In a.c. 52 Clodins was a candidate for the prastership. Shortly after, Milo, in his way from Rome to Lanuvium, a distance of about fifteen miles, met Clodius returning from his country-aeat at. Adele. The meeting appears to have been accidental; but through the officious nese of a gladiator in Milo's retinue, a fray ensued, in which Clodius received a severe wound. Ile was carried into an inn at Bovilke, to be attended to ; but Milo, wishing his men to make the most of their victory, Clodius was dragged out of the inn, and killed in the high road. (Appian, 'De Bell. Cie.,' ii. 439.) Milo was tried for the murder, and Cicero spoke, though ineffectually, in his defence. Milo withdrew before his condemnation, and retired into exile at Massilia (Marseille).
(Cicero, Ep. ad Atticum, Pro Ofilone, Pro Domo Sua ; Plutarch, Life of Cicero.)