to Cicero. But when it happened that they came to blows in the Forum
and even proceeded so far as to wound one another, and a slave of
Clodius was detected in the crowd stealing through the bystanders up
to Pomipeius with a dagger in his hand, Pompeius alleging these
proceedings as his excuse, and besides that, being afraid of the
insolence and abuse of Clodius, came no more into the Forum so long as
Clodius was in office, but kept to his house and was planning with his
friends how he could pacify the resentment of the Senate and the
nobles towards him. However he would not listen to Culleo,[315] who
advised him to put away Julia and giving up the friendship of Caesar to
pass over to the Senate, but he followed the advice of those who
recommended that Cicero[316] should be restored, who was the greatest
enemy of Clodius and most beloved by the Senate. Pompeius with a
strong party accompanied Cicero's brother who was going to make his
entreaty to the people, and after some wounds had been inflicted in
the Forum and some persons were killed, they got the advantage over
Clodius. Cicero returning to the city in pursuance of a law
immediately reconciled Pompeius to the Senate, and, by speaking in
favour of the law relating to grain,[317] in a manner again made
Pompeius master of all the land and sea that the Romans possessed.
For under his control were placed harbours, places of trade, the
disposal of produce, in a word, all the affairs of those who navigated
the sea and cultivated the land. But Clodius complained that the law
had not been made on account of the scarcity of grain, but that the
scarcity of grain was caused in order that the law might be passed,
and that Pompeius might again fan into a flame and recover his power,
which was as it were wasting away through his want of spirit. Others
explained this to have been a device of the consul Spinther, whose
object was to engage Pompeius in a higher official employment, that
himself might be sent out to support king Ptolemaeus.[318] However
Canidius the tribune proposed a measure to the effect that Pompeius
without an army and with two lictors should go to bring about a
reconciliation between the Alexandrians and the king. And indeed it
was supposed that Pompeius was not displeased at the measure, but the
Senate rejected it on the specious pretext that they feared for the
safety of Pompeius. There were writings to be found scattered about
the Forum and near the Senate-ho