was during this rebellion that Caelius was killed. In Catullus Caelius may appear in the poetry of Catullus under his cognomen Rufus. Rufus in Carmen 69 and 77 as suggested by Riese to be Caelius, rejected by Robinson Ellis. Catullus writes about a former friend named Rufus who betrayed him in an unspecified way, perhaps referring to the affair with Clodia (usually identified with the loved then reviled "Lesbia" of Catullus's poetry), the alleged attempt of Caelius to poison her, or subsequent attacks on her through Cicero (see pro Caelio). Catullus lambastes this Rufus in an epigram that ends: You ripped it away, alas, alas cruel poison of our lifealas, alas destroyer of our friendship. In Caelius in 58, Catullus seems to expect a sympathetic ear as he bewails Lesbia's sexual profligacy; the former is an invective that taunts Rufus for bodily offensiveness that drives away women. In imperial historiography A flamboyant, witty, ambitious and quarrelsome character, Caelius attracted much attention from the minor historian Velleius Paterculus in the following century.<ref>S Usher, The Historians of Greece and Rome' (London 1969) p. 242</ref> In popular culture Marcus Caelius Rufus appears in multiple books in the Steven Saylor's Roma Sub Rosa series of historical novels set during the fall of the Roman Republic. Rufus features prominently in the Cicero novels by British novelist Robert Harris. Primary source Cic. Brut. 79.273 Quint. Inst. VI. 3.69 Quint. Inst. X. 1. 115 Quint. Inst. X.2.25 Tac. Dial. 18, 21, 25 Pliny, N.H 7.165 Bibliography Ancient Sources Clark, Albert Curtis (ed.) Oxford Classical Texts, M. Tulli Ciceronis Orationes vol. I (Oxford University Press, 1905) - pro Sex. Roscio Amerino (pp. 1–58) - de imperio Cn. Pompei ad Quirites (pp. 59–90) - pro A. Cluentio (pp. 91–184) - In L. Catilinam (orationes IV) (pp. 185–242) -- I. oratio qua L. Catilinam emisit, in Senatu habita-- II.oratio secunda, habita ad populum-- III.oratio tertia, habita ad populum-- IV. oratio quarta, habita in Senatu- pro L. Murenam (pp. 243–292) - pro M. Caelio (pp. 293–333) Modern works Boissier, G: Cicero and his friends : a study of Roman society in the time of Caesar (1897) Austin, R G: M. Tulli Ciceronis pro M. Caelio oratio, 3rd edition (Oxford University Press, 1960), - Introduction with bibliography (i-xxxii) - Latin text (1-39) - Commentary (40-143) - Appendices and Addenda (144-175) - Indices (176-180) Volponi, M: "M. Celio Rufo, ingeniose nequam", MIL 31.3