A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology

4. CN. DOMITIUS CN. F. CN. N. AHENOBARBUS, son of the preceding, was tribune of the plebs B. C. 104, in the second consulship of Marius. (Ascon. in Cornel. p. 81, ed. Orelli.) When the college of pontiffs did not elect him in place of his father, he brought forward the law (Lex Domitia), by which the right of election was transferred from the priestly colleges to the people. (Dict. of Ant. pp. 773, b. 774, a.) The people afterwards elected him Pontifex Maximus out of gratitude. (Liv. Epit. 67; Cic. pro Deiot. 11; V. Max. 6.5.5.) He prosecuted in his tribunate and afterwards several of his private enemies, as Aemilius Scaurus and Junius Silanus. (Val. Max. l.c. ; Dio Cass. Fr. 100; Cic. Div. in Caecil. 20, Verr. 2.47, Cornel. 2, pro Scaur. 1.) He was consul B. C. 96 with C. Cassius, and censor B. C. 92, with Licinius Crassus, the orator. In his censorship he and his colleague shut up the schools of the Latin rhetoricians (Cic. de Orat. 3.24; Gel. 15.11), but this was the only thing in which they acted in concert. Their censorship was long celebrated for their disputes. Domitius was of a violent temper, and was moreover in favour of the ancient simplicity of living, while Crassus loved luxury and encouraged

art. Among the many sayings recorded of both, we are told that Crassus observed, " that it was no wonder that a man had a beard of brass, who had a mouth of iron and a heart of lead." (Plin. Nat. 18.1; Suet. l.c.; Val. Max. 9.1.4; Macr. 2.11.) Cicero says, that Domitius was not to be reckoned among the orators, but that he spoke well enough and had sufficient talent to maintain his high rank. (Cic. Brut. 44.)