Page:Roman Constitutional History, 753-44 B.C..djvu/256

242 but were significant of the partial recovery of the oligarchy after the intimidation by Caesar, and the revival of the republican spirit in Italy.

The Victories of Caesar. — Pompeius could control neither the oligarchy nor Clodius. While he thus proved incompetent to perform his part and was placed in a painful and ridiculous position by a turbulent demagogue, Caesar had turned out to be a genius in war as well as in politics. In violation of constitutional principles and his own law on extortion (p. 238), he had waged war on his own responsibility and carried the Roman eagles within two years to the Rhine and the English Channel. He had conquered the Gauls, the enemies of Rome from time immemorial, and had defeated a host of Germans, the terror of Rome in the recent time of the Teutons and Cimbri. He was the hero of the hour, and the commander of eight legions — the most powerful army in the Roman state. In view of his victories a thanksgiving festival of the unprecedented length of fifteen days was voted in his honor soon after the return of Cicero.

Pompeius Seeks an Extraordinary Command. — Pompeius and Caesar had practically exchanged positions, and the former adopted the tactics of the latter in the sixties. He sought an extraordinary command in order to balance the military power of his rival and possible adversary. An excellent opportunity presented itself now, just as had been the case before the enactment of the Gabinian law. The price of grain was high, the people demanded relief, and public opinion pointed to Pompeius as the proper man to obtain it. Accordingly a tribunician bill (rogatio Messia), framed in accordance with his wishes, proposed to grant to Pompeius for five years not only the superintendence of the grain supply (cura annonae) throughout the state, but also