Bestia

• I The consul L. Calpurnius Bestia, Sall. J. 27, 4 al.; Flor. 3, 1, 7.—
• II The tribune of the people L. Bestia, Cic. Brut. 34, 128; id. de Or. 2, 70, 283.—
• III Another tribune of the people, L. Bestia, a confederate of Catiline, Sall. C. 17, 3; 43, 1.

the name of a family of plebeian Calpurnia gens.

1. L. Calpurnius Bestia, tribune of the plebs, B. C. 121, obtained in his tribuneship the recall of P. Popillius Laenas, who had been banished through the efforts of C. Gracchus in 123. (Cic. Brut. 34; comp. Veil. Pat. 2.7; Plut. C. Gracch. 4.) This made him popular with the aristocratical party, who then had the chief power in the state; and it was through their influence doubtless that he obtained the consulship in 111. The war against Jugurtha was assigned to him. He prosecuted it at first with the greatest vigour; but when Jugurtha offered him and his legate, M. Scaurus, large sums of money, he concluded a peace with the Numidian without consulting the senate, and returned to Rome to hold the comitia. His conduct excited the greatest indignation at Rome, and the aristocracy was obliged to yield to the wishes of the people, and allow an investigation into the whole matter. A bill was introduced for the purpose by C. Mamilius Limetanus, and three commissioners or judges (quaesitores) appointed, one of whom Scaurus contrived to be chosen. Manymen of high rank were condemned, and Bestia among the rest, B. C. 110. The nature of Bestia's punishment is not mentioned; but he was living at Rome in B. C. 90, in which year he went voluntarily into exile, after the passing of the Varia lex, by which all were to be brought to trial who had been engaged in exciting the Italians to revolt.

Bestia possessed many good qualities; he was prudent, active, and capable of enduring fatigue, not ignorant of warfare, and undismayed by danger; but his greediness of gain spoilt all. (Cic. l.c.; Sal. Jug. 27_29, 40, 65; Appian, App. BC 1.37; V. Max. 8.6.4.)

2. L. Calpurnius Bestia, probably a grandson of the preceding, was one of the Catilinarian conspirators, and is mentioned by Sallust as tribune of the plebs in the year in which the conspiracy was detected, B. C. 63. It appears, however, that he was then only tribune designatus; and that he held the office in the following year, B. C. 62, though he entered upon it, as usual, on the 10th of December, 63. It was agreed among the conspirators, that Bestia should make an attack upon Cicero in the popular assembly, and that this should be the signal for their rising in the following night. The vigilance of Cicero, however, as is well known, prevented this. (Sal. Cat. 17, 43; Appian, App. BC 2.3; Plut. Cic. 23; Schol. Bob. pro Sest. p. 294, pro Sull. p. 366, ed Orelli.)

Bestia was aedile in B. C. 59, and was an unsuccessful candidate for the praetorship in 57, notwithstanding his bribery, for which he was brought to trial in the following year and condemned. He was defended by his former enemy, Cicero, who had now become reconciled to him, and speaks of him as his intimate friend in his oration for Caelius. (100.11.) After Caesar's death, Bestia attached himself to Antony, whom he accompanied to Mutina in B. C. 43, in hopes of obtaining the consulship in the place of M. Brutus, although he had not been praetor. (Cic. Phil. 13.12, ad Qu. Fr. 2.3, Phil. 11.5, 12.8, 13.2.)