Caesar

Accordingly, one of the tribunes of the people indicted Clodius for sacrilege, and the most influential senators leagued themselves together and bore witness against him that, among other shocking abominations, he had committed adultery with his sister, who was the wife of Lucullus. But against the eager efforts of these men the people arrayed themselves in defence of Clodius, and were of great assistance to him with the jurors in the case, who were terror-stricken and afraid of the multitude.

Caesar divorced Pompeia at once, but when he was summoned to testify at the trial, he said he knew nothing about the matters with which Clodius was charged. His statement appeared strange, and the prosecutor therefore asked, Why, then, didst thou divorce thy wife? Because, said Caesar, I thought my wife ought not even to be under suspicion.. Some say that Caesar made this deposition honestly; but according to others it was made to gratify the people, who were determined to rescue Clodius.

At any rate, Clodius was acquitted of the charge, the majority of the jurors giving their verdicts in illegible writing, in order that they might neither risk their lives with the populace by condemning him nor get a bad name among the nobility by acquitting him.[*](The sacrilege and trial of Clodius are described at length also in the Cicero, chapters xxviii. and xxix.)