Marcus Caelius Rufus (died 48 BC) was an orator and politician in the late Roman Republic. He was born into a wealthy equestrian family from Interamnia Praetuttiorum, on the central east coast of Italy. He is best known for his prosecution of Gaius Antonius Hybrida in 59 BC. He was also known for his trial for public violence (de vi publica) in March 56 BC, when Cicero defended him in the extant speech Pro Caelio, and as both recipient and author of some of the best-written letters in the ad Familiares corpus of Cicero's extant correspondence (Book 8).[1] He may be the Rufus named in the poems of Catullus.
In his twenties, Caelius became associated with Crassus and Cicero,[2] while he was also briefly connected to Catiline and his conspiracy. Caelius first achieved fame through his successful prosecution in 59 BC of Gaius Antonius Hybrida for corruption. Antonius Hybrida had served as consul with Cicero for the year 63 BC, and his prosecution was a sign of the negative political atmosphere towards Cicero at the time. A year later, in 58 BC, Cicero was exiled, through the efforts of his political enemy Publius Clodius Pulcher. Cicero was recalled from exile in 57 BC with the help of his ally Titus Annius Milo, who was tribune at the time.
Sometime around 57 BC, Caelius and Clodia are believed to have had an affair which ended acrimoniously. In 56 BC, Caelius was prosecuted for vis (violence), specifically for murdering an ambassador. He was successfully defended by Crassus and, more famously, Cicero, whose speech Pro Caelio argued that the prosecutor, Atratinus, was being manipulated by Clodia to get revenge on Caelius for an affair gone wrong.
Caelius was tribune of the plebs in 52 BC[3] and curule aedile in 50 BC.[4] During this period, he wrote a series of witty and informative letters to Cicero, who was serving as proconsul of Cilicia at the time. After much hesitation, Caelius sided with Julius Caesar against Pompey in the civil war, warning Cicero accordingly not to align his fortunes with Pompey:[5] in 48 BC, he was rewarded with the office of praetor peregrinus (“judge of suits involving foreigners”). However, when his proposed program of debt relief was opposed by the Senate and he was suspended from office, he joined in a rebellion against Caesar which was quickly crushed. It was during this rebellion that Caelius was killed.[6]
In Catullusedit
Caelius may appear in the poetry of Catullus under his cognomenRufus. Rufus in Carmen 69 and 77 as suggested by Riese to be Caelius, rejected by Robinson Ellis.[7] Catullus writes about a former friend named Rufus who betrayed him in an unspecified way, perhaps referring to the affair with Clodia (usually identified with the loved then reviled "Lesbia" of Catullus's poetry), the alleged attempt of Caelius to poison her, or subsequent attacks on her through Cicero (see pro Caelio).[8] Catullus lambastes this Rufus in an epigram that ends:
You ripped it away, alas, alas cruel poison of our life alas, alas destroyer of our friendship.[9]
In Caelius in 58, Catullus seems to expect a sympathetic ear as he bewails Lesbia's sexual profligacy; the former is an invective that taunts Rufus for bodily offensiveness that drives away women.
In imperial historiographyedit
A flamboyant, witty, ambitious and quarrelsome character,[10] Caelius attracted much attention from the minor historian Velleius Paterculus in the following century.[11]
In popular cultureedit
Marcus Caelius Rufus appears in multiple books in the Steven Saylor's Roma Sub Rosa series of historical novels set during the fall of the Roman Republic.
Rufus features prominently in the Cicero novels by British novelist Robert Harris.
Primary sourceedit
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
Bibliographyedit
Ancient Sourcesedit
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 L. Catilinam emisit, in Senatu habita -- II.oratio secunda, habita ad 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 worksedit
Boissier, G: Cicero and his friends : a study of Roman society in the time of Caesar (1897) [1]
Austin, R G: M. Tulli Ciceronis pro M. Caelio oratio, 3rd edition (Oxford University Press, 1960),
- Introduction with bibliography (i-xxxii) - Latin text (1-39) - Commentary (40-143) - Appendices and Addenda (144-175) - Indices (176-180)
^Millar, Fergus (1998). The Crowd in Rome in the Late Republic. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press. p. 182. doi:10.3998/mpub.15678. ISBN978-0-472-10892-3.
^D R Shackleton Bailey trans., Cicero’s Letters to his Friends (Atlanta 1988) p. 799
^D R Shackleton Bailey trans., Cicero’s Letters to his Friends (Atlanta 1988) p. 158 and p. 270
^S Usher, The Historians of Greece and Rome (London 1969) p. 242
External linksedit
Encyclopædia Britannica Marcus Caelius Rufus
E. T. Merrill, Commentary on Catullus, Intr. 59
Robinson Ellis, A commentary on Catullus, lix, note 1
January 01, 1970
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Not to be confused with Marcus Caelius This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia s quality standards The specific problem is WP LAYOUT Please help improve this article if you can March 2024 Learn how and when to remove this message Marcus Caelius Rufus died 48 BC was an orator and politician in the late Roman Republic He was born into a wealthy equestrian family from Interamnia Praetuttiorum on the central east coast of Italy He is best known for his prosecution of Gaius Antonius Hybrida in 59 BC He was also known for his trial for public violence de vi publica in March 56 BC when Cicero defended him in the extant speech Pro Caelio and as both recipient and author of some of the best written letters in the ad Familiares corpus of Cicero s extant correspondence Book 8 1 He may be the Rufus named in the poems of Catullus Contents 1 Life and career 2 In Catullus 3 In imperial historiography 4 In popular culture 5 Primary source 6 Bibliography 6 1 Ancient Sources 6 2 Modern works 7 References 8 External linksLife and career editIn his twenties Caelius became associated with Crassus and Cicero 2 while he was also briefly connected to Catiline and his conspiracy Caelius first achieved fame through his successful prosecution in 59 BC of Gaius Antonius Hybrida for corruption Antonius Hybrida had served as consul with Cicero for the year 63 BC and his prosecution was a sign of the negative political atmosphere towards Cicero at the time A year later in 58 BC Cicero was exiled through the efforts of his political enemy Publius Clodius Pulcher Cicero was recalled from exile in 57 BC with the help of his ally Titus Annius Milo who was tribune at the time Sometime around 57 BC Caelius and Clodia are believed to have had an affair which ended acrimoniously In 56 BC Caelius was prosecuted for vis violence specifically for murdering an ambassador He was successfully defended by Crassus and more famously Cicero whose speech Pro Caelio argued that the prosecutor Atratinus was being manipulated by Clodia to get revenge on Caelius for an affair gone wrong Caelius was tribune of the plebs in 52 BC 3 and curule aedile in 50 BC 4 During this period he wrote a series of witty and informative letters to Cicero who was serving as proconsul of Cilicia at the time After much hesitation Caelius sided with Julius Caesar against Pompey in the civil war warning Cicero accordingly not to align his fortunes with Pompey 5 in 48 BC he was rewarded with the office of praetor peregrinus judge of suits involving foreigners However when his proposed program of debt relief was opposed by the Senate and he was suspended from office he joined in a rebellion against Caesar which was quickly crushed It was during this rebellion that Caelius was killed 6 In Catullus editCaelius may appear in the poetry of Catullus under his cognomen Rufus Rufus in Carmen 69 and 77 as suggested by Riese to be Caelius rejected by Robinson Ellis 7 Catullus writes about a former friend named Rufus who betrayed him in an unspecified way perhaps referring to the affair with Clodia usually identified with the loved then reviled Lesbia of Catullus s poetry the alleged attempt of Caelius to poison her or subsequent attacks on her through Cicero see pro Caelio 8 Catullus lambastes this Rufus in an epigram that ends You ripped it away alas alas cruel poison of our lifealas alas destroyer of our friendship 9 In Caelius in 58 Catullus seems to expect a sympathetic ear as he bewails Lesbia s sexual profligacy the former is an invective that taunts Rufus for bodily offensiveness that drives away women In imperial historiography editA flamboyant witty ambitious and quarrelsome character 10 Caelius attracted much attention from the minor historian Velleius Paterculus in the following century 11 In popular culture editMarcus Caelius Rufus appears in multiple books in the Steven Saylor s Roma Sub Rosa series of historical novels set during the fall of the Roman Republic Rufus features prominently in the Cicero novels by British novelist Robert Harris Primary source editCic 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 165Bibliography editAncient Sources edit 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 L Catilinam emisit in Senatu habita II oratio secunda habita ad 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 edit Boissier G Cicero and his friends a study of Roman society in the time of Caesar 1897 1 Austin R G M Tulli Ciceronis pro M Caelio oratio 3rd edition Oxford University Press 1960 Introduction with bibliography i xxxii Latin text 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 supplementary volume 11 University of Toronto Press 1973 Alexander Michael C Trials in the Late Roman Republic 149 BC to 50 BC Phoenix supplementary volume 26 University of Toronto Press 1990 References edit D R Shackleton Bailey trans Cicero s Letters to his Friends Atlanta 1988 p 147 T Wiseman Catullus and his World 1987 p 62 Millar Fergus 1998 The Crowd in Rome in the Late Republic Ann Arbor MI University of Michigan Press p 182 doi 10 3998 mpub 15678 ISBN 978 0 472 10892 3 D R Shackleton Bailey trans Cicero s Letters to his Friends Atlanta 1988 p 799 D R Shackleton Bailey trans Cicero s Letters to his Friends Atlanta 1988 p 158 and p 270 Dio Cassius XLII 25 Roman History Robinson Ellis A commentary on Catullus lix note 1 E T Merrill Commentary on Catullus Intr 59 Eripuisti heu heu nostrae crudele venenum vitae heu heu nostrae pestis amicitiae Catullus 77 5 6 T Wiseman Catullus and his World 1987 p 63 5 S Usher The Historians of Greece and Rome London 1969 p 242External links editEncyclopaedia Britannica Marcus Caelius Rufus E T Merrill Commentary on Catullus Intr 59 Robinson Ellis A commentary on Catullus lix note 1 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Marcus Caelius Rufus amp oldid 1211669299, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
