Page:Roman Constitutional History, 753-44 B.C..djvu/248

234 Political Failure of Pompeius. — Pompeius found it advisable to request only that the senate should ratify his arrangements in the East as a whole, and that provision be made for his veterans. He avoided everything that might offend the oligarchy, and tried to ally himself with Cato, but was repelled. For a time his demands were not considered. In the beginning of 60 the senate, influenced by L. Lucullus and others, rejected the first demand and decided that each of his ordinances should be discussed and voted upon separately. This was likely to involve the modification, if not the repeal, of a number of them. Nor did the senate agree to a distribution of land to his veterans. Pompeius then turned to the people and caused a tribune to introduce an agrarian bill. But he lacked political skill and was too vacillating, and his agents were incompetent. The bill met with bitter opposition, and was abandoned.

Political Mistakes of the Oligarchy. — By their short-sightedness and untimely opposition the aristocrats humiliated and alienated the distinguished general, and in fact spurred him on to join their enemies. They also weakened their own position. Through the influence of Cato, the senate made an unsuccessful attempt to bring corrupt jurymen to justice. The thrifty knights highly resented this. Moreover, Crassus encouraged the farmers of certain Asiatic revenues to petition the senate to cancel their contracts because of their losses. But this was not granted. Thus disappeared the mercenary concord of the senate and the knights, on which senatorial supremacy and the existence of the republic depended.

The Rise of Caesar. — Caesar, the recognized leader of the democracy, quickly grasped the political situation and profited by it. He had soon been reinstated as praetor,