Page:Works of Heinrich Heine 01.djvu/312

296 this drama the strictest impartiality. The aristocrat is here quite in the right when he despises his plebeian masters of votes, for he feels that he was braver in war—such bravery being among the Romans the greatest virtue. Yet the poor electors, the people, are withal quite right in opposing him, despite this virtue, for he distinctly declared that as consul he would oppose giving bread to the people, although bread is the people's first right.

THE chief basis of Caesar's popularity was the magnanimity with which he treated the people, and his generosity. The multitude felt that in him might be the founder of those better days which they were to know under his descendants the Emperors; for these secured to the people its just right—they gave them their daily bread. We willingly forgive the Cæsars the bloodiest caprices by which they arbitrarily disposed of hundreds of patrician families and mocked their