When the blow came, it crushed him for the time.

But he retricked his beams and struggled on to the end, as we shall see if we follow his life to the close.
Such was the intended purpose of the degradation of Clodius.

This, however, was not at once declared.

It was said that Clodius as Tribune intended rather to oppose Caesar than to assist him.

He at any rate chose that Cicero should so believe and sent Curio, a young man to whom Cicero was attached, to visit the orator at his villa at Antium and to declare these friendly purposes.