ulus and his other detractors: that he must
take extraordinary precautions to prevent being overpowered by that
demagogue--with a people all but wholly alienated, a nobility hostile, a
senate ill-affected, and the younger men corrupt. So he is making his
preparations and summoning men from the country. On his part, Clodius is
rallying his gangs: a body of men is being got together for the
Quirinalia. For that occasion we are considerably in a majority, owing
to the forces brought up by Pompey himself: and a large contingent is
expected from Picenum and Gallia, to enable us to throw out Cato's bills
also about Milo and Lentulus.

On the 10th of February an indictment was lodged against Sestius for
bribery by the informer Cn. Nerius, of the Pupinian tribe, and on the
same day by a certain M. Tullius for riot.[458] He was ill. I went at
once, as I was bound to do, to his house, and put myself wholly at his
service: and that was more than people expected, who thought that I had
good cause for being angry with him. The result is that my extreme
kindness and grateful disposition are made manifest both to Sestiius
himself and to all the world, and I shall be as good as my word. But
this same informer Nerius also named Cn. Lentulus Vatia and C. Cornelius
to the commissioners.[459] On the same day a decree passed the senate
"that political clubs and associations should be broken up, and that a
law in regard to them should be brought in, enacting that those who did
not break off from them should be liable to the same penalty as those
convicted of riot."

On the 11th of February I spoke in defence of Bestia[460] on a charge of
bribery before the praetor Cn. Domitius,[461] in the middle of the forum
and in a very crowded court; and in the course of my speech I came to
the incident of Sestius, after receiving many wounds in the temple of
Castor, having been preserved by the aid of Bestia. Here I took occasion
to pave the way beforehand for a refutation of the charges which are
being got up against Sestius, and I passed a well-deserved encomium upon
him with the cordial approval of everybody. He was himself very much
delighted with it. I tell you this because you have often advised me in
your letters too retain the friendship of Sestius. I am writing this on
the 12th of February before daybreak: the day on which I am to dine with
Pomponius on the occasion of his wedding.

Our position in other respects is such as you used to cheer