Page:Roman Constitutional History, 753-44 B.C..djvu/263

Rh 18, Milo and Clodius happened to meet on the Appian Way, and the gladiators of the former killed Clodius. A mob burnt the corpse in the senate house at Rome (curia Hostilia), and both this building and the neighboring courthouse of Cato the censor (basilica Porcia) were reduced to ashes.

Pompeius Elected Sole Consul. — Then at last an interrex was chosen, and some days afterward the senate passed a final decree and authorized Pompeius to draft troops throughout Italy. He quickly completed the levy, but made no great haste to have consuls elected, as he was opposed to Milo and considered this a good opportunity to secure the reins of government Finally the senate, with the approval of Cato, decreed that Pompeius was to be elected sole consul (consul sine collega), on condition that later, but not before the expiration of two months, he should cause a colleague to be chosen. He was elected and entered on his third consulship.

He now had, as commissioner of the grain supply, proconsular powers throughout the Roman state, was governor of two provinces, and sole consul — an accumulation of powers incompatible with the republican constitution and indicative of the rapid approach of monarchy.

Third Consulship of Pompeius. — Pompeius at once went to work to end the disorder caused by political intrigues and corruption. His law concerning electoral corruption (lex Pompeia de ambitu) prescribed more severe punishments, lessened the privileges of a defendant, and limited the trial to a period of five days; the speeches of the lawyers were limited also by Caesar's law on extortion. It was to be retroactive, and applicable to all cases of electoral corruption since 70, and seemed to be aimed at Caesar. It authorized Pompeius to select the first panel of jurymen.