Public opinion no more than mob rule; Washington now stage for bizarre goings-on We hear a lot about the brouhaha between President Clinton and special prosecutor Ken Starr. But did you know that the special prosecutor concept originated during the days of the Roman Empire? When Julius Caesar met his death in the Roman senate, the senators appointed an underemployed lawyer, Publius Non Gratius, as the special prosecutor. Immediately, Brutus and Cassius held a news conference declaring Caesar's death an obvious suicide, despite multiple knife wounds. Rumors soon spread of Caesar's sexual misconduct; Publius rushed off to Egypt to investigate a famous bimbo, Cleopatra. While in Alexandria, Publius succumbed to snake bite, and the investigation was dropped. When Emperor Caligula, a real mental case, named his horse a Roman consul, the senate at once named Equus, a committee staff veterinarian, as prosecutor. He soon determined that Caligula's horse had no special qualifications for public administration. Caligula was outraged. Equus was later found buried in horse manure. The next prosecutor was appointed during the glorious reign of Nero. The senate acted on the public outrage over the great fire that burned Rome; Flavius Torchus, an arson specialist and music critic, investigated. His preliminary report cleared Nero of setting the fire, but he charged Nero with an incredibly bad musical performance. Nero responded by making Flavius an honorary Christian. We know what happened to the Christians in the Arena. And so ends this little satire about old Rome. But, I ask you, are these made-up events more bizarre than the goings-on in Washington today? Gordon Marshall Milwaukee