Page:Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology (1870) - Volume 1.djvu/560

Rh 542 CAESAR. For though he v/ould probably have had little scruple as to the means he employed to obtain his ends, he was still no rash, reckless adventurer, who could only hope to rise in a general scramble for power: he now possessed unbounded influence with the people, and was sure of obtaining the consulship ; and if his ambition had already formed loftier plans, he would have had greater reason to fear a loss than an increase of his power in uni- versal anarchy. In the debate in the senate on the 5th of December respecting the punishment of the conspirators, Caesar, though he admitted their guilt, opposed their execution, and contended, in a very able speech, that it was contrary to the principles of the Roman constitution for the senate to put Roman citizens to death, and recommended that they should be kept in custody in the free towns of Italy. This speech made a great im- pression upon the senate, and many who had already given their opinion in favour of death began to hesitate ; but the speech of M. Cato confirmed the wavering, and carried the question in favour of death. Cato openly charged Caesar as a party to the conspiracy, and as he left the senate-house his life was in danger from the Roman knights who guarded Cicero's person. The next year, B. c. 62, Caesar was praetor. On the very day that he entered upon his office, he brought a proposition before the people for de- priving Q. Catulus of the honour of completing the restoration of the Capitol, which had been burnt down in b. c. 83, and for assigning this office to Pompey. This proposal was probably made more for the sake of gratifying Pompey's vanity, and humbling the aristocracy, thiin from any desire of taking vengeance upon his private enemy. As however it was most violently opposed by the aristocracy, Caesar did not think it advis- able to press the motion. This, however, was a trifling matter ; the state was soon almost torn asunder by the proceedings of the tribune Q. Metel- lus Nepos, the friend of Pompey. Metellus openly accused Cicero of having put Roman citizens to death without trial, and at length gave notice of a rogation for recalling Pompey to Rome with his army, that Roman citizens might be protected from being illegally put to death. Metellus was supported by the eloquence and influence of Caesar, but met with a most determined opposition from one of his colleagues, M. Cato, who was tribune this year. Cato put his veto upon the rogation ; and when Metellus attempted to read it to the people, Cato tore it out of his hands ; the whole forum was in an uproar; the two parties came to blows, but Cato eventually remained master of the field. The senate took upon themselves to suspend both Metellus and Caesar from their offices. Metellus fled to Porapey's camp ; Caesar continued to administer justice, till the senate sent armed troops to drag him from his tribunal. Then he dismissed his lictors, threw away his praetexta, and hurried home. The senate, however, soon saw that they had gone too far. Two days after the people thronged in crowds to the house of Cae- sar, and ofi"ered to restore him to his dignity. He assuaged the tumult ; the senate was summoned in haste, and felt it necessary to make concessions to its hated enemy. Some of the chief senators were sent to Caesar to thank him for his conduct on the occasion ; he was invited to take his seat in the senate, loaded with praises, and restored to his CAESAR. office. It was a complete defeat of the aristocracy. But, not disheartened by this failure, they resoiv.id to aim another blow at Caesar. Proceedings against the accomplices in Catiline's conspiracy were still going on, and the aristocracy got L. Vettius and Q. Curius, who had been two of the chief informers against the conspirators, to accuse Caesar of having been privy to it. But this attempt equally failed. Caesar called upon Cicero to testify that he had of his own accord given him evidence respecting the conspiracy, and so complete was his triumph, that Curius was deprived of the rewards which had been voted him for having been the first to reveal the conspiracy, and Vettius was cast into prison. Towards the end of Caesar's praetorship, a cir- cumstance occurred which created a great stir at the time. Clodius had an intrigue with Pompeia, Caesar's wife, and had entered Caesar's house in disguise at the festival of the Bona Dea, at which men were not allowed to be present, and which was always celebrated at the house of one of the higher magistrates. He was detected and brought to trial ; but though Caesar divorced his wife, he would not appear against Clodius, for the latter was a favourite with the people, and was closely connected with Caesar's party. In this year Pom- pey returned to Rome from the Mithridatic war, and quietly disbanded his ami}-. At the expiration of his praetorship Caesar ob- tained the province of Further Spain, B. c. 61. But his debts had now become so great, and his credi- tors so clamorous for payment, that he was obligc^d to apply to Crassus for assistance before leaving Rome. This he readily obtained ; Crassus became surety for him, as did also others of his friends ; but these and other circumstances detained him so long that he did not reach his province till the summer. Hitherto Caesar's public career had been confined almost exclusively to political life ; and he had had scarcely any opportunity of displaying that genius for war whiqh has enrolled his name among the greatest generals of the world. He was now for the first time at the head of a regular army, and soon shewed that he knew how to make use of it Pie commenced his campaign by sub- duing the mountainous tribes of Lusitania, which had plundered the country, took the town of Bri- gantium in the country of the Gallaeci, and gained many other advantages over the enemy. His troops saluted him as imperator, and the senate honoured him by a public thanksgiving. His civil repuUition procured him equal renown, and he left the province with great reputation, after enriching both himself and his army. Caesar returned to Rome in the summer of the following year, b. c. 60, a little before the consular elections, without waiting for his succes- sor. He laid claim to a triiunph, and at the same time wished to become a candidate for the consul- ship. For the latter purpose, his presence in the city was necessarj'; but as he could not enter the city without relinquishing his triumph, lie applied to the senate to be exempted from the usual law, and to become a candidate in his a1> sence. As this, however, was strongly opposed by the opposite party, Caesar at once relinquished his triumph, entered the city, and became a candi- date for the consulship. The other competitors were L. Lucceius and M. Calpurnius Bibulus : the former belonged to the popular party, but the