178 EOMAN HISTOKY: 



foreigners into this body, while it seemed to repair the 

 breaches made by the civil wars, and flattered the new citizens 

 from the provinces, was virtually an annihilation of this part 

 of the old Eoman government, already debased by luxury 

 and intrigue, and incapable of fulfilling its ancient functions. 

 With this same view probably, he shortened the term of the 

 Consulate ; an office which was now sought for by turbulence 

 and bribery, and exercised only for party purposes. The 

 consular and praetorian provincial governments were also 

 abridged in duration ; for the wise purpose of checking the 

 gross speculations and abuses which had grown up in this 

 part of the Eoman administration. Larger admission was 

 given to all public offices, with less limitation as to rank and 

 age ; a measure which tended to destroy the influence of 

 those great families (prceclaro nomine tantum insignes) 

 who made their ancestral fame an avenue to public functions, 

 which they dishonoured by their acts. As Censor, Caesar 

 enacted certain sumptuary laws which, had he lived, he 

 would doubtless have enforced ; and began various improve- 

 ments in the judicial system, and especially in criminal law. 

 He established colonies of veteran soldiers on a plan which 

 procured exemption from many of the disorders consequent 

 on long civil war. He appointed a commission, and furnished 

 a scheme for a land-survey and map of the whole Eoman 

 dominion; and with the same zeal for practical good and 

 knowledge of the resources of science, he accomplished that 

 reform of the Calendar which alone would have preserved 

 his name to posterity. 



While thus indicating the general principles upon which 

 Caesar guided his government, there remains the curious 

 enquiry What would have been his own future course and 

 position in it, had his life been prolonged ? Master of the 

 Eoman world he was : Master he must have continued, under 

 one title or other. No conspiracy by open arms could have sue- 



