# Caesar's wife must be above suspicion

> English word · Proverb

## Definitions
1. Those in positions of authority should avoid even the implication of impropriety.

## Etymology
In 62 BC Publius Clodius Pulcher sneaked into the festival of the Bona Dea, hosted by Julius Caesar’s wife, Pompeia, with the intention of seducing her, leading to Publius’s arrest and trial. After the trial, Caesar divorced Pompeia, and when questioned said “my wife ought not even to be under suspicion,” as Pompeia was under suspicion of illicit behavior.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/caesar-s-wife-must-be-above-suspicion