484 CIVIL CHARACTER OF JULIUS CAESAR. 



corrupting the courts of justice ; by renewing the 

 memory of Caius Marius, and his party ; for most 

 of the senators and nobility were of Sylla s faction : 

 by the laws of distributing the fields, amongst the 

 common people : by the sedition of the tribunes, 

 where he was the author : by the madness and fury 

 of Cataline, and the conspirators, unto which action 

 he secretly blew the coals ! By the banishment of 

 Cicero, which was the greatest blow to the autho 

 rity of the senate, as might be ; and several other 

 the like arts ; but most of all by the conjunction of 

 Crassus and Pompey, both betwixt themselves, and 

 with him ; which was the thing that finished the 

 work. 



Having accomplished this part, he betook him 

 self to the other ; which was to make use of, and to 

 enjoy his power. For being made proconsul of 

 France for five years ; and afterwards continuing it 

 for five years more ; he furnished himself with arms 

 and legions, and the power of a warlike and opulent 

 province ; and was formidable to Italy. 



Neither was he ignorant, that after he had 

 strengthened himself with arms, and a military 

 power, neither Crassus nor Pompey could ever be 

 able to bear up against him ; whereof the one 

 trusted to his great riches ; the other to his fame 

 and reputation ; the one decayed through age, the 

 other in power and authority : and neither of them 

 were grounded upon true and lasting foundations. 

 And the rather, for that he had obliged all the 

 senators and magistrates : and in a word all those 



