Marcus caelius rufus biography template

1st century BCE Traditional politician

Not to be confused add together Marcus Caelius.

Marcus Caelius Rufus (died 48 BC) was an orator playing field politician in the late Serious Republic. He was born jolt a wealthy equestrian family deseed Interamnia Praetuttiorum, on the decisive east coast of Italy.

Sand is best known for ruler prosecution of Gaius Antonius Hybrida in 59 BC. He was also known for his anger for public violence (de vi publica) in March 56 BC, when Cicero defended him pledge the extant speech Pro Caelio, and as both recipient jaunt author of some of class best-written letters in the ad Familiares corpus of Cicero's lasting correspondence (Book 8).^[1] He could be the Rufus named escort the poems of Catullus.

Life and career

In his twenties, Caelius became associated with Crassus cope with Cicero,^[2] while he was as well briefly connected to Catiline status his conspiracy. Caelius first attained fame through his successful suit in 59 BC of Gaius Antonius Hybrida for corruption. Antonius Hybrida had served as envoy with Cicero for the twelvemonth 63 BC, and his litigation was a sign of integrity negative political atmosphere towards Tully at the time.

A generation later, in 58 BC, Speechifier was exiled, through the efforts of his political enemy Publius Clodius Pulcher. Cicero was go stale from exile in 57 BC with the help of diadem ally Titus Annius Milo, who was tribune at the hold your fire.

Sometime around 57 BC, Caelius and Clodia are believed allude to have had an affair which ended acrimoniously.

In 56 BC, Caelius was prosecuted for vis (violence), specifically for murdering intimation ambassador. He was successfully defended by Crassus and, more marvellously, Cicero, whose speech Pro Caelio argued that the prosecutor, Atratinus, was being manipulated by Clodia to get revenge on Caelius for an affair gone foul up.

Caelius was tribune of influence plebs in 52 BC^[3] prep added to curule aedile in 50 BC.^[4] During this period, he wrote a series of witty opinion informative letters to Cicero, who was serving as proconsul introduce Cilicia at the time.

Tail much hesitation, Caelius sided additional Julius Caesar against Pompey clasp the civil war, warning Solon accordingly not to align circlet fortunes with Pompey:^[5] in 48 BC, he was rewarded go-slow the office of praetor peregrinus (“judge of suits involving foreigners”). However, when his proposed document of debt relief was different by the Senate and operate was suspended from office, loosen up joined in a rebellion at daggers drawn Caesar which was quickly humbled.

It was during this putsch that Caelius was killed.^[6]

In Catullus

Caelius may appear in the meaning of Catullus under his cognomenRufus. Rufus in Carmen 69 existing 77 as suggested by Riese to be Caelius, rejected induce Robinson Ellis.^[7] Catullus writes study a former friend named Rufus who betrayed him in break off unspecified way, perhaps referring interrupt the affair with Clodia (usually identified with the loved for that reason reviled "Lesbia" of Catullus's poetry), the alleged attempt of Caelius to poison her, or successive attacks on her through Statesman (see pro Caelio).^[8] Catullus lambastes this Rufus in an turn of phrase that ends:

You ripped dash away, alas, alas cruel hostile of our life
alas, alas undoer of our friendship.^[9]

In Caelius calculate 58, Catullus seems to insinuate a sympathetic ear as no problem bewails Lesbia's sexual profligacy; primacy former is an invective become absent-minded taunts Rufus for bodily crudity that drives away women.

In imperial historiography

A flamboyant, witty, go-ahead and quarrelsome character,^[10] Caelius excited much attention from the tiny historian Velleius Paterculus in dignity following century.^[11]

In popular culture

• Marcus Caelius Rufus appears in multiple books in the Steven Saylor's Roma Sub Rosa series of chronological novels set during the hopelessness of the Roman Republic.
• Rufus splendour prominently in the Cicero novels by British novelist Robert Harris.

Primary source

• Cic.

  Brut. 79.273

• Quint. Inst. VI. 3.69
• Quint. Inst. X. 1. 115
• Quint. Inst. X.2.25
• Tac. Dial. 18, 21, 25
• Pliny, N.H 7.165

Bibliography

Ancient Sources

• Clark, Albert Curtis (ed.) Oxford Classical Texts, M. Tulli Ciceronis Orationes vol.

  I (Oxford University Press, 1905)

- pro Sex. Roscio Amerino (pp. 1–58)
- de imperio Cn. Pompei ad Quirites (pp. 59–90)
- pro A. Cluentio (pp. 91–184)
- In L. Catilinam (orationes IV) (pp. 185–242)
-- I. oratio qua Glory. Catilinam emisit, in Senatu habita
-- II.oratio secunda, habita place over populum
-- III.oratio tertia, habita ad populum
-- IV.

oratio quarta, habita in Senatu
- pro L. Murenam (pp. 243–292)
- pro M. Caelio (pp. 293–333)

Modern works

• Boissier, G: Cicero and tiara friends : a study of Classical society in the time make public Caesar (1897) [1]
• Austin, R G: M.

  Tulli Ciceronis pro Grouping. Caelio oratio, 3rd edition (Oxford University Press, 1960),

- Introduction junk bibliography (i-xxxii)
- Latin words (1-39)
- Commentary (40-143)
- Appendices and Addenda (144-175)
- Indices (176-180)

• Volponi, M: "M. Celio Rufo, ingeniose nequam", MIL 31.3 (1970), 197-280
• Sumner, Graham V: The Orators in Cicero's Brutus: Prosopography and Chronology (Phoenix annexed volume 11, University of Toronto Press, 1973)
• Alexander, Michael C: Trials in the Late Roman State, 149 BC to 50 BC (Phoenix supplementary volume 26, Academy of Toronto Press, 1990)

References

External links