Page:Roman Constitutional History, 753-44 B.C..djvu/250

236 The Agrarian Law of Caesar. — Caesar expected opposition, and provided for the official publication of the proceedings of the senate and the popular assemblies. In this way he could to a large extent prevent the diffusion of reports prejudicial to him, and subject the oligarchy to the pressure of public opinion. At first he was very considerate and moderate, and succeeded in placing his opponents in an unfavorable position.

He first laid an agrarian bill before the senate. The public domain in Italy, with the exception chiefly of the Campanian fields, was to be distributed among the poor citizens, including naturally the veterans of Pompeius. As this land was wholly insufficient for the purpose, other lands were, with the consent of the owners or possessors, to be bought at their assessed value. A commission of twenty, of which Caesar did not wish to be a member, was to execute the law.

Passage and Execution of the Law. — When Caesar did not succeed in obtaining the consent of the senate, who suspected his purpose, he declared that he would appeal to the decision of the people. During the rest of his consulship he ignored the senate in legislative affairs. He caused Pompeius and Crassus to declare publicly their approval of the bill. Pompeius even affirmed that, if necessary, he would protect it by force of arms. But the oligarchy did not desist from its opposition. Bibulus and some tribunes observed the heavens every day, reported unfavorable omens, and thus delayed the enactment of the bill (cf. p. 141). When on the final day of voting Bibulus came to intercede, he was thrown down, his fasces were broken to pieces, and the tribunes who accompanied him were also maltreated. They were then removed from the assembly, and the bill was passed. It was probably the first consular law ever enacted without the consent of the