Rabirius,
Cotta the orator being consul, and Cicero quaes- an old senator, who was indicted for the murder
tor in Sicily (Brut.
Cotta the orator being consul, and Cicero quaes- an old senator, who was indicted for the murder
tor in Sicily (Brut.
William Smith - 1844 - Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities - b
Valerius Bithynia, who had been expelled by his brother
Messala. Their son nearly became heir to the Chrestus. His client was restored (Cic. de Orat.
orator (HORTENSIUS, No. 8). [H. G. L. ] iii. 61). By these speeches Hortensius at once
HORTE'NSIA GENS, plebeian ; for we have rose to eminence as an advocate. Q. Horlensius,
an Hortensius as tribunus plebis (HORTENSIUS, says Cicero, admodum adolescentis ingenium simul
No. 1), and there is no evidence of any patrician spectatum et probatum est (Brut. 64). But his
families of this name. Cicero, indeed, gives the forensic pursuits were soon interrupted by the
epithet of nobilis to the orator (pro Quinct
. 22 ; cf. Social War, in which he was obliged to serve two
Plut. Cat. Maj. 25 ; Plin. H. N. 9, 80); but this campaigns (B. C. 91, 90), in the first as a legionary,
is sufficiently accounted for by the high curule in the second as tribunus militum (Brut. 89). In
offices that had been held by several of his ances- the year 86 B. c. he defended young Cn. Pompeius,
tors. The name seeins to have been derived from who was accused of having embezzled some of the
the gardening propensities of the first person who public booty taken at Asculum in the course of
bore it ; and the surname Hortalus, borne by the the war (Brut. 64). But, for the most part, the
great orator's son [Nos. 8 and 10), seems, as Dru- courts were silent during the anarchy which fol-
mann observes, to have been a kind of nickname lowed the Marian massacres, up to the return of
of the orator himself. (Cic. Att. ii. 25, iv. Sulla, B. C. 83. But these troubles, though they
15. )
(H. G. L. ] checked the young orator in his career, left him
HORTE'NSIUS. 1. Q. HORTENSIUS, tribu- complete master of the courts—rex judiciorum,--
nus plebis, B. C. 419. He indicted C. Sempronius, as Cicero calls him (Divin. in Q. Caecil. 7). For
consul of the year before, for ill conduct of the Crassus had died before the landing of Marius ;
Volscian war, but dropped his accusation at the Antonius, Catulus, and others fell victims in the
instance of four of his colleagues. (Liv. iv. 42; cf. massacres; and Cotta, who survived, yielded the
Val. Max. vi. 5. 2. )
first place to his younger rival. Hortensius,
2. Q. HORTENSIUS, dictator about B. c. 286 therefore, began his brilliant professional career
(Fasti). The commons, oppressed by debt, had anew, and was carried along on the top of the
broken out into sedition, and ended by seceding to wave till he met a more powerful than himself in
the Janiculuin. He was appointed dictator to Cicero. Henceforth he confined himself to civil life,
remedy the evil, and for this purpose re-enacted and was wont to boast in his old age that he had
the Lex Horatia-Valeria (of the year 446 B. c. ), never borne arms in any domestic strife (Cic. ad
and the Lex Pubiilia (B. C. 336), “ut quod plebs Fam. ii. 16). He attached himself closely to
jussisset omnes Quirites teneret. ” (Plin. H. N. xvi. the dominant Sullane or aristocratic Party, and his
$ 37 ; c£. Liv. Epit
. xi. ) On the supposed difference chief professional labours were in defending men of
of these three laws, see Niebuhr, R. H. vol. ii. p. this party, when accused of mal-adminstration and
365, vol iii. p. 418, &c. He passed another law, extortion in their provinces, or of bribery and the
establishing the nundinae as dies fasti, and intro- like in canvassing for public honours. His con-
ducing the trinundinum as the necessary term be- stant success, partly due to his own eloquence,
tween promulgating and proposing a lex centu- readiness, and skill (of which we shall say some
riata (Dict. of Antiq. s. v. Nundinae. )
what hereafter), was yet in great measure dne to
3. L. HORTENSIUS, as praetor, B. c. 171, suc- circumstances. The judices at that time were all
ceeded C. Lucretius in the command of the fleet in taken from the senatorial order, i. e. from the same
the war with Perseus, and pursued a like course of party with those who were arraigned before them,
oppression with his predecessor. Of Abdera he and the presiding praetor was of the same party.
demanded 100,000 denarii and 50,000 modii of Moreover, the accusers were for the most part
wheat ; and when the inhabitants sent to entreat young men, of ability indeed and ambition, but
race.
2.
Wieland is red
his Latias
las Cits Herren
above.
M. Vader
and stit tot equal in
slation by Count lez
Capmartin de Chanyes
ve
ttmann
See shers
T, Franke, Groteterd
Vanderboarz, Listas
Lat. Relig d de Luz
enda SH & ;
29, No 5 Compas
Tate, Hans R
- s 16. (L. . 1]
god sto rather
caths, 2nd parties
s a summer less
## p. 526 (#542) ############################################
526
HORTENSIUS.
HORTENSIUS.
as their instrum
the waition of
(erraneously cal
Fu Dow Crs
babs that bis
power of
to issue 1 1
50) De combines
He edended F
POLLUIT W CM
are the mata
jie s pieaded
2015 whom 1
Cicers, bearinho
fice (ci Fam.
in the delence
speak ins
was in his pret
bov. Derde
He was, as 18
the theatre of
quite unequal to cope with the experience and elo- | power of the Sullane aristocracy. But this party
quence of Hortensius. Nor did he neglect baser I. ad been much weakened by the measures passed
methods to ensure success. Part of the plundered by Pompey in his consulship with Crassus in the
money, which he was engaged to secure to his year before (B. c. 70). Especially, the Aemilian
clients, was unscrupulously expended in corrupting law, which transferred the judicial power from the
the judices; those who accepted the bribes receiving senators to the senators, equites, and tribuni aera-
marked ballots to prevent their playing false (Cic. rii conjointly, must have very much weakened the
Divin. in Q. Cueci. 7). It is true this statement influence of Hortensius and his party. (Ascon.
rests chiefly on the authority of a rival advocate. and Cic. in Pison. p. 16; in Cornel. p. 67, Orelli ;
But Cicero would hardly have dared to make it so see Cotta, No. 1)).
broadly in open court, with his opponent before After his consulship, Hortensius took a leading
him, unless he had good warrant for its truth. part in supporting the optimates against the rising
Turius, or Furius, mentioned by Horace (Serm. ii. power of Pompey. He opposed the Gabinian law,
1. 49), is said to have been one of the judices cor which invested that great commander with absolute
rupted by Hortensius.
power on the Mediterranean, in order to put down
This domination over the courts continued up to the pirates of Cilicia (B. C. 67); and the Manilian,
about the year B. c. 70, when Hortensius was re- by which the conduct of the war against Mithri-
tained by Verres against Cicero. Cicero had come dates was transferred from Lucullus (of the Sullane
to Rome from Athens in B. c. 81, and first met party) to Pompeius (B. c. 66). In favour of the
Hortensius as the advocate of P. Quinctius. Cicero's latter, Cicero made his first political speech.
speech is extant, and not the least interesting part In the memorable year B. C. 63 Cicero was
is that in which he describes and admits the extra- unanimously elected consul. He had already be-
ordinary gifts of his future rival (pro Quinct. 1, 2, come estranged from the popular party, with whom
22, 24, 26). But Cicero again left Rome, and did he had hitherto acted. The intrigues of Caesar
not finally settle there till B. c. 74, about three and Crassus, who supported his opponents C. An-
years before the Verrine affair came on.
tonius and the notorious Catiline, touched him
Meantime, Hortensius had begun his course of personally; and he found it his duty as consul to
civil honours. He was quaestor in B. C. 81, and oppose the turbulent measures of the popular lead-
Cicero himself bears witness to the integrity with ers, such as the agrarian law of Rullus. Above
which his accounts were kept (in Verr. i. 14, 39). all, the conspiracy of Catiline, to which Crassus
Soon after he defended M. Canuleius (Brut. 92); was suspected of being privy, forced him to combine
Cn. Dolabella, when accused of extortion in Cilicia with the senate for the safety of the state. He
by M. Scaurus ; another Cn. Dolabella, arraigned thus came to act with the Sullane nobility, and
by Caesar for like offences in Macedonia [DOLA Hortensius no longer appears as his rival. We
BELLA, Nos. 5, 6]. In B. c. 75 he was aedile, first find them pleading together for C.
Rabirius,
Cotta the orator being consul, and Cicero quaes- an old senator, who was indicted for the murder
tor in Sicily (Brut. 92). The games and shows of C. Saturninus, tribune of the plebs in the times
he exhibited as aedile were long remembered of Sulla. They both appeared as counsel for L.
for their extaordinary splendour (Cic. de Off. ii. Muraena, when accused of bribery in aanvassing
16); but great part of this splendour was the loan for the consulship by Sulpicius and Cato ; and
of those noble clients, whose robberies he had so again for P. Sulla, accused as an accomplice of
successfully excused (Cic. in Verr. i. 19, 22; Ascon. Catiline. On all these occasions Hortensius allowed
ad. l. ). In B. c. 72 he was praetor urbanus, and Cicero to speak lastma manifest admission of his
had the task of trying those delinquents whom he former rival's superiority. And that this was the
had hitherto defended. In B. c. 69 he reached general opinion appears from the fact, that M.
the summit of civic ambition, being consul for that Piso (consul in 61), in calling over the senate,
year with Q. Caecilius Metellus. After his consul- named Cicero second, and Hortensius only fourth.
ship the province of Crete fell to him by lot, but About the same time we find Cicero, in a letter to
he resigned it in favour of his colleague.
their mutual friend Atticus, calling him “ noster
It was in the year before his consulship, after he Hortensius” (ad Att. i. 14).
was designated, that the prosecution of Verres The last active part which Hortensius took in
commenced.
Cicero was then aedile-elect, though public life was in the debates of the senate in the
Hortensius and his party had endeavoured to pre prosecution of the infamous Clodius for his offence
vent his election, and another Metellus praetor against the Bona Dea Fearing delay, he supported
elect; so that, had the cause been put off till the the amendment of Fufius, that Clodius should be tried
next year, Cicero would have had the weight of before the ordinary judices, instead of before a court
consular and praetorian authority against him. selected by the praetor. Cicero condemns his conduct
The skill and activity by which he baffled the in strong terms (ad Att. i. 16; cf. 14), and seems
schemes of his opponents will be found under his to have considered the success of this amendment
life (p. 710 ; see also Verres). Suffice it to say as the chief cause of Clodius's acquittal. [CLODIUS,
here, that the issue of this contest was to dethrone p. 771. ] In the subsequent quarrels between
Hortensius from the seat which had been already Milo and Clodius, Hortensius showed such zeal for
tottering, and to establish his rival, the despised the former, that he was nearly being murdered by
provincial of Arpinum, as the first orator and ad- the hired ruffians of Clodius (Cic. pro Milon, 14).
vocate of the Roman forum. No doubt the victory In B. c. 61 Pompey returned victorious from the
was complete, though here, as in all the contests Mithridatic war. He found he could no longer
between the two orators, the remark of Quintilian command a party of his own. He must side
is worth noticing, viz. that we have only Cicero's with one of the two factions which had been
own speeches, and have small means of judging fully formed during his absence in the East-the
what the case on the other side was (Instit. x. 1). old party of the optimates and the new popular
It is true also that Verres was backed by all the party, led by Caesar and Crassus, who used Clodius
To the first
kod ad Fan
C. 51, be ar
veel succes
na estate et a
in-aw of Ciort
received when
vas retargin:
de ateriza
In the abot
kegi Cicero co
- speeches
** Ore 21st
It may be me
they stood to
are keen to
BG they wer
and political
:
und wegetables
tired (as we
fez Q. HO
hare peided
the latter eee
basy for his
into enle bs
to bare used
fet Cicero co
pering
to keep tim
Vated to un
Au. ii. 9. )
world
melo Ho
12. 14
i anguis
tiles Celer
vba Attico
t Hortensia
0);--for the
- Horunisia
in Cro's!
Tea, be con
kasida is
## p. 527 (#543) ############################################
HORTENSIUS.
HORTENSIUS.
537
ENSIUS
stocracy. But this part
d by the measura pel
Iship with Crnason in the
Especially, the Aania
e judicial power from the
equites, and tribus
very much weakened the
and his party. (
in Coreel. p. 67, Ori;
Tortensius took a leading
imates against the name
pposed the Gabinian bn
cornmander with absolute
an, in order to put on
67); and the Manilang
the war against Maths
Lucullus (of the Scene
66). In faveur de
it political speech
B. G 63 Cicery
1 He had already be
opular parts, vt vin
The intrigues of (
d his opponents C. As
Catiline, touched in
it his duty as consel
ares of the popular izat
Law of Rellus doo
iline, to which Cranes
y, forced him to combine
as their instrument. Hence followed (in B. c. 60) | hand to have him detained yet longer (ad All. v. 17;
the coalition of Pompey with Caesar and Crassus comp. ib. 2, &c. ). There seems to have been really
(erroneously called the first triumvirate). Horten- no ground for these suspicions, and we must set
sius now drew back from public life, seeing pro- them down to the naturally susceptible and irritable
bably that his own party must yield to the arts temper of Cicero. It must be confessed, moreover,
and power of the coalition, and yet not choosing that the conduct of some of his great friends,
to forsake it. From this time to his death (in B. C. Pompey in particular, had been such as to justify
50) he confined bimself to his advocate's duties. suspicions of others.
He defended Flaccus, accused of extortion in Asia, The character of Hortensius was rather fitted
jointly with Cicero, and took occasion to extol the to conciliate than to command--to call forth regard
acts of the latter in his consulship (ad Att. ii. 25). rather than esteem. He was not, as we have seen,
lle also pleaded the cause of P. Lentulus Spinther, at all scrupulous about the means he took to gain
against whom Pompey bad promoted an accusation verdicts ; but in considering this, we must not
for his conduct respecting Piolemy Auletes, though forget the low state of Roman manners (not to
Cicero, fearing a second banishment, declined the speak of morals) at this period. Personally ku
office (ad Fam. i. 1, ii. 1). He joined Cicero again seems to stand above suspicion of corruption. Yet
in the defence of Sextius, and again allowed him his enormous wealth was not all well gotten ; for Ci-
to speak last (pro Sezt. ii. 6),, When the latter cero quotes a case in which Hortensius did not scruple
was in his province (B. c. 51), Hortensius defended to join Crassus in taking possession of the inherit-
his own nephew, M. Valerius Messalla, who was ance of Minuc. Basilius, though, from the circum-
accused of bribery in canvassing for the consulship. stances, he must have known that the will under
He was, as usual, successful ; but the case was so which he claimed was a forgery. (De Offic. iii.
flagrant, that, next day, when Hortensius entered 18; cf. Parad. vi. 1; Val. Max. ix. 4, § 1. ) And
the theatre of Curio, he was received with a round though he was honest as quaestor, though he would
of hisses—a thing mainly remarkable, because it not accept a province to drain it of its riches, yet
was the first time he had suffered any thing of the no doubt he shared the plunder of provinces, not
kind (ad Fam. viii. 2). In the beginning of April, immediately indeed, but in the shape of large fees
B. c. 50, he appeared for the last time, with his and presents from the Dolabellas and other persons
wonted success, for App. Claudius, accused de like Verres, whom he so often and so successfully
majestate et ambitu by Dolabella, the future son- defended. He liked to live at Rome and his villas;
in-law of Cicero. He died not long after. Cicero he loved an easy life and a fair fame, had little
received the news of his death at Rhodes, as he ambition, and therefore avoided all acts that might
was returning home from his province, and was have made him amenable to prosecution. The
deeply affected by it (ad Att. vi. 6 ; comp. Brut. 1. ) same easy temper, joined as it often is with a kind
In the above sketch of Hortensius's life, we have heart and generous disposition, won him many
kept Cicero constantly in view, for it is from him friends; and perhaps we may say that he had no
--his speeches and letters, and other works--that enemies. He lived to a good age, little disturbed
we owe almost all our knowledge of his great rival. by ill health, surrounded by all that wealth can
It may be well to recur to the relation in which give, alive to all his enjoyments, with as much of
they stood to each other at different times. We active occupation as he desired, without being dis-
have seen that up to Cicero's consulship, in 63 turbed by the political turbulence of his times. He
B. Ca, they were continually opposed, professionally died just at the time when civil war broke out, a
and politically. After this period they usually complete specimen of an amiable Epicurean.
acted together professionally - for Hortensius re- His eloquence was of the florid or (as it was
tired (as we have seen) from political life in the termed) “ Asiatic” style (Cic. Brut. 95), fitter for
year 60. Hortensius, in his easy way, seems to hearing than for reading. Yet he did write his
have yielded without much struggle to Cicero ; yet speeches-on occasions at least (Cic. Brut. 96 ;
the latter seems never quite to have got over jea- Val. Max. v. 9. § 2). His voice was soft and
lousy for his former rival. When he was driven musical (Brut. 88); his memory so ready and
into exile by Clodius (in 58), Hortensius appears retentive, that he is said to have been able to come
to have used his influence to procure his return ; out of a sale-room and repeat the auction-list back-
yet Cicero could not be persuaded but that he was wards (Senec. Praef. in Controv. 1). We need
playing a part, and was secretly doing his utmost not refer to Cicero (Brut. 88, in Caecil
. 14) to per-
to keep him from Rome. Atticus in vain endea- ceive what use this must have been to hiin as an
voured to undeceive him. (Ad Q. Frat. i. 3, 4, ad advocate. His action was very elaborate, so that
Au. iii. 9. ) On his return, indeed, he made public sneerers called him Dionysia—the name of a well-
acknowledgment of his error, and spoke very hand- known dancer of the day (Gell. i. 5); and the
somely of Hortensius (pro Sest. 16-19, post Redit. pains he bestowed in arranging the folds of his toga
13, 14), and soon after he was named by Hor- have been recorded by Macrobius (Saturn. ii. 9).
tensius and Pompey to fill the place in the college But in all this there must have been a real grace
of augurs, made vacant by the death of Q. Me and dignity, for we read that Aesopus and Roscius,
tellus Celer (Brut. 1, Philipp. ii. 2, 13); yet, the tragedians, used to follow him into the forum
when Atticus begged him to dedicate some work to take a lesson in their own art.
to Hortensius, he evaded the request (ad Att. iv. Of his luxurious habits many stories are told.
6);—for the little treatise De Gloria, inscribed His house on the Palatine was that afterwards
“Hortensius,” was not written till 45 B. C. , after occupied by Augustus (Suet. Aug. 72); but this
the death of the orator. The same feelings recur was comparatively simple and modest. In his
in Cicero's letters from his province. In his ex- villas no expense was spared. One he had near
treme anxiety to return at the expiration of his Bauli, described by Cicero Acad. Prior. ii. 3);
year, he continually expresses his fears that Hor- a second in the Ager Tusculanus ; but the most
tensius is playing him false, and working under splendid was that near Laurentum. Here he laid
fety of the state. Be
Sullane Dobihty, 201
ears as his rival We
nogether for C. Rabens
ndieted for the mander
the plebs in the 2:34
ued as counsel für L
bribery in anzung
picius and Cats ; 232
d as an accomplig
ons Hortensius ait ad
gifest admission of his
And that this was the
om the fact that I
ling over the seniz,
Hortensius only forti
Cicero, in a letza 1
, calling kim " Eater
ch Hortensius took in
es of the senzate in the
Clodios for his otosce
ng delay, he supported
Clodius should be tried
stead of before a cart
condemns his conduct
5; c£ 14), and see
ss of this amendment
acquittal [CLODIES
,
showed such selts
zt quarrels besser
5 being murdered by
Cic. pro Mies 14
ed victorious from the
he could no longer
17. He post side
OS which had been
ce in the Est-
nd the per popular
sus, who used leis
## p. 528 (#544) ############################################
628
HORTENSIUS.
HORUS
HUSITS
OʻSICS as
facris en
the tone ai
though it be
Specia, the
be was an
native of Co
o Vicians
o Corcube at
esca. I
Sazne appears
Labbe Conc
cora. 2
305, arà Cas
for A s. 340
on toder D
ertent, and it
бе.
Messala. Their son nearly became heir to the Chrestus. His client was restored (Cic. de Orat.
orator (HORTENSIUS, No. 8). [H. G. L. ] iii. 61). By these speeches Hortensius at once
HORTE'NSIA GENS, plebeian ; for we have rose to eminence as an advocate. Q. Horlensius,
an Hortensius as tribunus plebis (HORTENSIUS, says Cicero, admodum adolescentis ingenium simul
No. 1), and there is no evidence of any patrician spectatum et probatum est (Brut. 64). But his
families of this name. Cicero, indeed, gives the forensic pursuits were soon interrupted by the
epithet of nobilis to the orator (pro Quinct
. 22 ; cf. Social War, in which he was obliged to serve two
Plut. Cat. Maj. 25 ; Plin. H. N. 9, 80); but this campaigns (B. C. 91, 90), in the first as a legionary,
is sufficiently accounted for by the high curule in the second as tribunus militum (Brut. 89). In
offices that had been held by several of his ances- the year 86 B. c. he defended young Cn. Pompeius,
tors. The name seeins to have been derived from who was accused of having embezzled some of the
the gardening propensities of the first person who public booty taken at Asculum in the course of
bore it ; and the surname Hortalus, borne by the the war (Brut. 64). But, for the most part, the
great orator's son [Nos. 8 and 10), seems, as Dru- courts were silent during the anarchy which fol-
mann observes, to have been a kind of nickname lowed the Marian massacres, up to the return of
of the orator himself. (Cic. Att. ii. 25, iv. Sulla, B. C. 83. But these troubles, though they
15. )
(H. G. L. ] checked the young orator in his career, left him
HORTE'NSIUS. 1. Q. HORTENSIUS, tribu- complete master of the courts—rex judiciorum,--
nus plebis, B. C. 419. He indicted C. Sempronius, as Cicero calls him (Divin. in Q. Caecil. 7). For
consul of the year before, for ill conduct of the Crassus had died before the landing of Marius ;
Volscian war, but dropped his accusation at the Antonius, Catulus, and others fell victims in the
instance of four of his colleagues. (Liv. iv. 42; cf. massacres; and Cotta, who survived, yielded the
Val. Max. vi. 5. 2. )
first place to his younger rival. Hortensius,
2. Q. HORTENSIUS, dictator about B. c. 286 therefore, began his brilliant professional career
(Fasti). The commons, oppressed by debt, had anew, and was carried along on the top of the
broken out into sedition, and ended by seceding to wave till he met a more powerful than himself in
the Janiculuin. He was appointed dictator to Cicero. Henceforth he confined himself to civil life,
remedy the evil, and for this purpose re-enacted and was wont to boast in his old age that he had
the Lex Horatia-Valeria (of the year 446 B. c. ), never borne arms in any domestic strife (Cic. ad
and the Lex Pubiilia (B. C. 336), “ut quod plebs Fam. ii. 16). He attached himself closely to
jussisset omnes Quirites teneret. ” (Plin. H. N. xvi. the dominant Sullane or aristocratic Party, and his
$ 37 ; c£. Liv. Epit
. xi. ) On the supposed difference chief professional labours were in defending men of
of these three laws, see Niebuhr, R. H. vol. ii. p. this party, when accused of mal-adminstration and
365, vol iii. p. 418, &c. He passed another law, extortion in their provinces, or of bribery and the
establishing the nundinae as dies fasti, and intro- like in canvassing for public honours. His con-
ducing the trinundinum as the necessary term be- stant success, partly due to his own eloquence,
tween promulgating and proposing a lex centu- readiness, and skill (of which we shall say some
riata (Dict. of Antiq. s. v. Nundinae. )
what hereafter), was yet in great measure dne to
3. L. HORTENSIUS, as praetor, B. c. 171, suc- circumstances. The judices at that time were all
ceeded C. Lucretius in the command of the fleet in taken from the senatorial order, i. e. from the same
the war with Perseus, and pursued a like course of party with those who were arraigned before them,
oppression with his predecessor. Of Abdera he and the presiding praetor was of the same party.
demanded 100,000 denarii and 50,000 modii of Moreover, the accusers were for the most part
wheat ; and when the inhabitants sent to entreat young men, of ability indeed and ambition, but
race.
2.
Wieland is red
his Latias
las Cits Herren
above.
M. Vader
and stit tot equal in
slation by Count lez
Capmartin de Chanyes
ve
ttmann
See shers
T, Franke, Groteterd
Vanderboarz, Listas
Lat. Relig d de Luz
enda SH & ;
29, No 5 Compas
Tate, Hans R
- s 16. (L. . 1]
god sto rather
caths, 2nd parties
s a summer less
## p. 526 (#542) ############################################
526
HORTENSIUS.
HORTENSIUS.
as their instrum
the waition of
(erraneously cal
Fu Dow Crs
babs that bis
power of
to issue 1 1
50) De combines
He edended F
POLLUIT W CM
are the mata
jie s pieaded
2015 whom 1
Cicers, bearinho
fice (ci Fam.
in the delence
speak ins
was in his pret
bov. Derde
He was, as 18
the theatre of
quite unequal to cope with the experience and elo- | power of the Sullane aristocracy. But this party
quence of Hortensius. Nor did he neglect baser I. ad been much weakened by the measures passed
methods to ensure success. Part of the plundered by Pompey in his consulship with Crassus in the
money, which he was engaged to secure to his year before (B. c. 70). Especially, the Aemilian
clients, was unscrupulously expended in corrupting law, which transferred the judicial power from the
the judices; those who accepted the bribes receiving senators to the senators, equites, and tribuni aera-
marked ballots to prevent their playing false (Cic. rii conjointly, must have very much weakened the
Divin. in Q. Cueci. 7). It is true this statement influence of Hortensius and his party. (Ascon.
rests chiefly on the authority of a rival advocate. and Cic. in Pison. p. 16; in Cornel. p. 67, Orelli ;
But Cicero would hardly have dared to make it so see Cotta, No. 1)).
broadly in open court, with his opponent before After his consulship, Hortensius took a leading
him, unless he had good warrant for its truth. part in supporting the optimates against the rising
Turius, or Furius, mentioned by Horace (Serm. ii. power of Pompey. He opposed the Gabinian law,
1. 49), is said to have been one of the judices cor which invested that great commander with absolute
rupted by Hortensius.
power on the Mediterranean, in order to put down
This domination over the courts continued up to the pirates of Cilicia (B. C. 67); and the Manilian,
about the year B. c. 70, when Hortensius was re- by which the conduct of the war against Mithri-
tained by Verres against Cicero. Cicero had come dates was transferred from Lucullus (of the Sullane
to Rome from Athens in B. c. 81, and first met party) to Pompeius (B. c. 66). In favour of the
Hortensius as the advocate of P. Quinctius. Cicero's latter, Cicero made his first political speech.
speech is extant, and not the least interesting part In the memorable year B. C. 63 Cicero was
is that in which he describes and admits the extra- unanimously elected consul. He had already be-
ordinary gifts of his future rival (pro Quinct. 1, 2, come estranged from the popular party, with whom
22, 24, 26). But Cicero again left Rome, and did he had hitherto acted. The intrigues of Caesar
not finally settle there till B. c. 74, about three and Crassus, who supported his opponents C. An-
years before the Verrine affair came on.
tonius and the notorious Catiline, touched him
Meantime, Hortensius had begun his course of personally; and he found it his duty as consul to
civil honours. He was quaestor in B. C. 81, and oppose the turbulent measures of the popular lead-
Cicero himself bears witness to the integrity with ers, such as the agrarian law of Rullus. Above
which his accounts were kept (in Verr. i. 14, 39). all, the conspiracy of Catiline, to which Crassus
Soon after he defended M. Canuleius (Brut. 92); was suspected of being privy, forced him to combine
Cn. Dolabella, when accused of extortion in Cilicia with the senate for the safety of the state. He
by M. Scaurus ; another Cn. Dolabella, arraigned thus came to act with the Sullane nobility, and
by Caesar for like offences in Macedonia [DOLA Hortensius no longer appears as his rival. We
BELLA, Nos. 5, 6]. In B. c. 75 he was aedile, first find them pleading together for C.
Rabirius,
Cotta the orator being consul, and Cicero quaes- an old senator, who was indicted for the murder
tor in Sicily (Brut. 92). The games and shows of C. Saturninus, tribune of the plebs in the times
he exhibited as aedile were long remembered of Sulla. They both appeared as counsel for L.
for their extaordinary splendour (Cic. de Off. ii. Muraena, when accused of bribery in aanvassing
16); but great part of this splendour was the loan for the consulship by Sulpicius and Cato ; and
of those noble clients, whose robberies he had so again for P. Sulla, accused as an accomplice of
successfully excused (Cic. in Verr. i. 19, 22; Ascon. Catiline. On all these occasions Hortensius allowed
ad. l. ). In B. c. 72 he was praetor urbanus, and Cicero to speak lastma manifest admission of his
had the task of trying those delinquents whom he former rival's superiority. And that this was the
had hitherto defended. In B. c. 69 he reached general opinion appears from the fact, that M.
the summit of civic ambition, being consul for that Piso (consul in 61), in calling over the senate,
year with Q. Caecilius Metellus. After his consul- named Cicero second, and Hortensius only fourth.
ship the province of Crete fell to him by lot, but About the same time we find Cicero, in a letter to
he resigned it in favour of his colleague.
their mutual friend Atticus, calling him “ noster
It was in the year before his consulship, after he Hortensius” (ad Att. i. 14).
was designated, that the prosecution of Verres The last active part which Hortensius took in
commenced.
Cicero was then aedile-elect, though public life was in the debates of the senate in the
Hortensius and his party had endeavoured to pre prosecution of the infamous Clodius for his offence
vent his election, and another Metellus praetor against the Bona Dea Fearing delay, he supported
elect; so that, had the cause been put off till the the amendment of Fufius, that Clodius should be tried
next year, Cicero would have had the weight of before the ordinary judices, instead of before a court
consular and praetorian authority against him. selected by the praetor. Cicero condemns his conduct
The skill and activity by which he baffled the in strong terms (ad Att. i. 16; cf. 14), and seems
schemes of his opponents will be found under his to have considered the success of this amendment
life (p. 710 ; see also Verres). Suffice it to say as the chief cause of Clodius's acquittal. [CLODIUS,
here, that the issue of this contest was to dethrone p. 771. ] In the subsequent quarrels between
Hortensius from the seat which had been already Milo and Clodius, Hortensius showed such zeal for
tottering, and to establish his rival, the despised the former, that he was nearly being murdered by
provincial of Arpinum, as the first orator and ad- the hired ruffians of Clodius (Cic. pro Milon, 14).
vocate of the Roman forum. No doubt the victory In B. c. 61 Pompey returned victorious from the
was complete, though here, as in all the contests Mithridatic war. He found he could no longer
between the two orators, the remark of Quintilian command a party of his own. He must side
is worth noticing, viz. that we have only Cicero's with one of the two factions which had been
own speeches, and have small means of judging fully formed during his absence in the East-the
what the case on the other side was (Instit. x. 1). old party of the optimates and the new popular
It is true also that Verres was backed by all the party, led by Caesar and Crassus, who used Clodius
To the first
kod ad Fan
C. 51, be ar
veel succes
na estate et a
in-aw of Ciort
received when
vas retargin:
de ateriza
In the abot
kegi Cicero co
- speeches
** Ore 21st
It may be me
they stood to
are keen to
BG they wer
and political
:
und wegetables
tired (as we
fez Q. HO
hare peided
the latter eee
basy for his
into enle bs
to bare used
fet Cicero co
pering
to keep tim
Vated to un
Au. ii. 9. )
world
melo Ho
12. 14
i anguis
tiles Celer
vba Attico
t Hortensia
0);--for the
- Horunisia
in Cro's!
Tea, be con
kasida is
## p. 527 (#543) ############################################
HORTENSIUS.
HORTENSIUS.
537
ENSIUS
stocracy. But this part
d by the measura pel
Iship with Crnason in the
Especially, the Aania
e judicial power from the
equites, and tribus
very much weakened the
and his party. (
in Coreel. p. 67, Ori;
Tortensius took a leading
imates against the name
pposed the Gabinian bn
cornmander with absolute
an, in order to put on
67); and the Manilang
the war against Maths
Lucullus (of the Scene
66). In faveur de
it political speech
B. G 63 Cicery
1 He had already be
opular parts, vt vin
The intrigues of (
d his opponents C. As
Catiline, touched in
it his duty as consel
ares of the popular izat
Law of Rellus doo
iline, to which Cranes
y, forced him to combine
as their instrument. Hence followed (in B. c. 60) | hand to have him detained yet longer (ad All. v. 17;
the coalition of Pompey with Caesar and Crassus comp. ib. 2, &c. ). There seems to have been really
(erroneously called the first triumvirate). Horten- no ground for these suspicions, and we must set
sius now drew back from public life, seeing pro- them down to the naturally susceptible and irritable
bably that his own party must yield to the arts temper of Cicero. It must be confessed, moreover,
and power of the coalition, and yet not choosing that the conduct of some of his great friends,
to forsake it. From this time to his death (in B. C. Pompey in particular, had been such as to justify
50) he confined bimself to his advocate's duties. suspicions of others.
He defended Flaccus, accused of extortion in Asia, The character of Hortensius was rather fitted
jointly with Cicero, and took occasion to extol the to conciliate than to command--to call forth regard
acts of the latter in his consulship (ad Att. ii. 25). rather than esteem. He was not, as we have seen,
lle also pleaded the cause of P. Lentulus Spinther, at all scrupulous about the means he took to gain
against whom Pompey bad promoted an accusation verdicts ; but in considering this, we must not
for his conduct respecting Piolemy Auletes, though forget the low state of Roman manners (not to
Cicero, fearing a second banishment, declined the speak of morals) at this period. Personally ku
office (ad Fam. i. 1, ii. 1). He joined Cicero again seems to stand above suspicion of corruption. Yet
in the defence of Sextius, and again allowed him his enormous wealth was not all well gotten ; for Ci-
to speak last (pro Sezt. ii. 6),, When the latter cero quotes a case in which Hortensius did not scruple
was in his province (B. c. 51), Hortensius defended to join Crassus in taking possession of the inherit-
his own nephew, M. Valerius Messalla, who was ance of Minuc. Basilius, though, from the circum-
accused of bribery in canvassing for the consulship. stances, he must have known that the will under
He was, as usual, successful ; but the case was so which he claimed was a forgery. (De Offic. iii.
flagrant, that, next day, when Hortensius entered 18; cf. Parad. vi. 1; Val. Max. ix. 4, § 1. ) And
the theatre of Curio, he was received with a round though he was honest as quaestor, though he would
of hisses—a thing mainly remarkable, because it not accept a province to drain it of its riches, yet
was the first time he had suffered any thing of the no doubt he shared the plunder of provinces, not
kind (ad Fam. viii. 2). In the beginning of April, immediately indeed, but in the shape of large fees
B. c. 50, he appeared for the last time, with his and presents from the Dolabellas and other persons
wonted success, for App. Claudius, accused de like Verres, whom he so often and so successfully
majestate et ambitu by Dolabella, the future son- defended. He liked to live at Rome and his villas;
in-law of Cicero. He died not long after. Cicero he loved an easy life and a fair fame, had little
received the news of his death at Rhodes, as he ambition, and therefore avoided all acts that might
was returning home from his province, and was have made him amenable to prosecution. The
deeply affected by it (ad Att. vi. 6 ; comp. Brut. 1. ) same easy temper, joined as it often is with a kind
In the above sketch of Hortensius's life, we have heart and generous disposition, won him many
kept Cicero constantly in view, for it is from him friends; and perhaps we may say that he had no
--his speeches and letters, and other works--that enemies. He lived to a good age, little disturbed
we owe almost all our knowledge of his great rival. by ill health, surrounded by all that wealth can
It may be well to recur to the relation in which give, alive to all his enjoyments, with as much of
they stood to each other at different times. We active occupation as he desired, without being dis-
have seen that up to Cicero's consulship, in 63 turbed by the political turbulence of his times. He
B. Ca, they were continually opposed, professionally died just at the time when civil war broke out, a
and politically. After this period they usually complete specimen of an amiable Epicurean.
acted together professionally - for Hortensius re- His eloquence was of the florid or (as it was
tired (as we have seen) from political life in the termed) “ Asiatic” style (Cic. Brut. 95), fitter for
year 60. Hortensius, in his easy way, seems to hearing than for reading. Yet he did write his
have yielded without much struggle to Cicero ; yet speeches-on occasions at least (Cic. Brut. 96 ;
the latter seems never quite to have got over jea- Val. Max. v. 9. § 2). His voice was soft and
lousy for his former rival. When he was driven musical (Brut. 88); his memory so ready and
into exile by Clodius (in 58), Hortensius appears retentive, that he is said to have been able to come
to have used his influence to procure his return ; out of a sale-room and repeat the auction-list back-
yet Cicero could not be persuaded but that he was wards (Senec. Praef. in Controv. 1). We need
playing a part, and was secretly doing his utmost not refer to Cicero (Brut. 88, in Caecil
. 14) to per-
to keep him from Rome. Atticus in vain endea- ceive what use this must have been to hiin as an
voured to undeceive him. (Ad Q. Frat. i. 3, 4, ad advocate. His action was very elaborate, so that
Au. iii. 9. ) On his return, indeed, he made public sneerers called him Dionysia—the name of a well-
acknowledgment of his error, and spoke very hand- known dancer of the day (Gell. i. 5); and the
somely of Hortensius (pro Sest. 16-19, post Redit. pains he bestowed in arranging the folds of his toga
13, 14), and soon after he was named by Hor- have been recorded by Macrobius (Saturn. ii. 9).
tensius and Pompey to fill the place in the college But in all this there must have been a real grace
of augurs, made vacant by the death of Q. Me and dignity, for we read that Aesopus and Roscius,
tellus Celer (Brut. 1, Philipp. ii. 2, 13); yet, the tragedians, used to follow him into the forum
when Atticus begged him to dedicate some work to take a lesson in their own art.
to Hortensius, he evaded the request (ad Att. iv. Of his luxurious habits many stories are told.
6);—for the little treatise De Gloria, inscribed His house on the Palatine was that afterwards
“Hortensius,” was not written till 45 B. C. , after occupied by Augustus (Suet. Aug. 72); but this
the death of the orator. The same feelings recur was comparatively simple and modest. In his
in Cicero's letters from his province. In his ex- villas no expense was spared. One he had near
treme anxiety to return at the expiration of his Bauli, described by Cicero Acad. Prior. ii. 3);
year, he continually expresses his fears that Hor- a second in the Ager Tusculanus ; but the most
tensius is playing him false, and working under splendid was that near Laurentum. Here he laid
fety of the state. Be
Sullane Dobihty, 201
ears as his rival We
nogether for C. Rabens
ndieted for the mander
the plebs in the 2:34
ued as counsel für L
bribery in anzung
picius and Cats ; 232
d as an accomplig
ons Hortensius ait ad
gifest admission of his
And that this was the
om the fact that I
ling over the seniz,
Hortensius only forti
Cicero, in a letza 1
, calling kim " Eater
ch Hortensius took in
es of the senzate in the
Clodios for his otosce
ng delay, he supported
Clodius should be tried
stead of before a cart
condemns his conduct
5; c£ 14), and see
ss of this amendment
acquittal [CLODIES
,
showed such selts
zt quarrels besser
5 being murdered by
Cic. pro Mies 14
ed victorious from the
he could no longer
17. He post side
OS which had been
ce in the Est-
nd the per popular
sus, who used leis
## p. 528 (#544) ############################################
628
HORTENSIUS.
HORUS
HUSITS
OʻSICS as
facris en
the tone ai
though it be
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o Corcube at
esca. I
Sazne appears
Labbe Conc
cora. 2
305, arà Cas
for A s. 340
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ertent, and it
бе.
