PISO, Caius Calpurnius, a Roman consul in the year 67 before Christ, was author of the law which forbade canvassing for public offices, intitled Lex Calpurnia de ambitu. He displayed all the firmness worthy of a consul in one of the most stormy periods of the republic. The Roman people, deceived by the flattery of Marcus Palicanus, a turbulent and seditious fellow, were on the eve of loading themselves with the greatest disgrace, by putting the supreme authority into the hands of this man, who deserved punishment rather than honours. The tribunes of the people, by their harangues, inflamed the blind fury of the multitude, already sufficiently mutinous of themselves. In this situation, Piso mounted the rostrum, and being asked if he would declare Palicanus consul, in case the suffrages of the people should concur in the nomination, he instantly replied, that "he did not think the republic was yet involved in such darkness and despair as to be capable of committing so infamous an action." Being afterwards strongly and repeatedly called upon to say, "what he would do, if the thing should happen?" his answer was, "No, I would not name him." By this firm and laconic answer he deprived Palicanus of the dignity to which he aspired. Piso, according to Cicero, was not possessed of a quick conception, but he thought maturely, and with judgment, and, by a proper firmness, he appeared to be an abler man than he really was.