io_.--The prosecution of Caelius on a charge of
poisoning was instigated by his former mistress, Clodia; it took place
in B.C. 56, for Cn. Domitius, who tried the case (par. 32), was praetor
in that year (_ad Q.F._ ii. 3, 6).

23. The speech _De Provinciis Consularibus_, B.C. 56, argues that
Caesar should be allowed to continue as proconsul of Gaul, and that
Syria and Macedonia should be taken away from Gabinius and Piso.
Mommsen[27] regards it as the +palinodia+ of _ad Att._ iv. 5,
1, and contrasts Cicero's tone to Caesar in this speech with his
attitude in the _Pro Sestio_, _In Vatinium_, and _De Haruspicum
Responsis_.

24. The speech _Pro Balbo_ deals with a case similar to that of
Archias. L. Cornelius Balbus, a native of Gades, and the trusted
friend of Caesar, had received the _civitas_ from Pompey, and this
speech is in defence of his right thereto (B.C. 56).

25. _In Pisonem_, an attack on Cicero's enemy (consul B.C. 58),
delivered in the Senate B.C. 55.

26. _Pro Plancio_, B.C. 54, on behalf of Cn. Plancius, accused of
organizing clubs to secure by bribery his election to the aedileship.

27. _Pro Rabirio Postumo_, B.C. 54. Rabirius was charged with
extortion in Egypt.

28. _Pro Milone_.--At the trial of Milo _de vi_ in B.C. 52 Cicero was
so intimidated by the uproar of the rabble that his speech was a
failure, and Milo was condemned. The speech now extant was written by
Cicero at his leisure. Both were known to Asconius,[28] who supplies a
valuable introduction.

29. For six years we have no speech; but in 46 Cicero broke his rule
of silence ('in perpetuum tacere,' _ad Fam._ iv. 4, 4), and in the
speech _Pro Marcello_ thanked Caesar for allowing Marcellus, the
consul of B.C. 51, to return to Rome.

30. On 26th November B.C. 46 he pleaded before Caesar the cause of Q.
Ligarius (_Pro Ligario_).

31. In the latter part of B.C. 45 he delivered in Caesar's house the
speech _Pro Rege Deiotaro_ on behalf of his 'hospes vetus et amicus,'
the tetrarch of Galatia, accused of treachery to Caesar.

32. Cicero's oratorical career closes with the fourteen speeches
against Antony, called _Philippics_, after the speeches of
Demosthenes. This title was suggested by the author himself; cf. the
letter of Brutus (_ad Brut._ ii. 5, 4), 'iam concedo ut vel
Philippicae vocentur, quod tu quadam epistula iocans scripsisti.' It
was the usual title in antiquity, though Gellius (xiii. 1, 1) uses the
alternative _Antonianae_