Narrative in Eighth Book of the " Gallic War" 9 



Ephesus is not likely to have been less than thirty-five days.*" 

 This merely establishes August 24 as a terminus ante quern for 

 the three elections mentioned. Granted that Marcellus presided 

 at the consular election, it does not follow that the election was 

 held in an even month ; the available evidence stands against the 

 theory that consular collegiate duties were divided in accordance 

 with a monthly alternation of the fasces at this period, especially 

 in respect to the presidency of the coniitia and senate.*^ Mar- 

 cellus may as well have presided over the consular election in an 

 odd month. It is to be observed that after the first month or two 

 of the debates concerning the Gallic provinces we hear almost 

 nothing of the older consul, Paulus, during the remainder of the 

 year. In regard to the relative order of civil and sacerdotal elec- 

 tions in 50, B. G., VIII, 50, 4, proves only that at the time when 

 Caesar first knew the result of the augural election he knew also 

 the result of the consular election, without enabling us to deter- 

 mine which of the two elections occurred first or how much time 

 separated them. They may, so far as this passage indicates, have 

 been held in quick succession, one courier bringing the first news 

 of both. From evidence to be presented later it will be found that 

 the consular election did precede the augural. 



Fani. VIII, 12, was undoubtedly written in September. Since 

 Caelius was probably kept busy during the games, and by his own 

 confession was ad litteras scribendas pigerrimus/^ the earliest 

 probable date of the letter is September 19, the games ending on 

 the i8th.*^ The conjectural emendation of Scis Domitio, etc., 

 Farn. VIII., 12, 4, is eminently satisfactory from a paleographical 

 point of view, but it is nowise decisive. 



*°Acastus arrived at the Piraeus from Rome on the 21st day (note 2y). 

 Cicero made the voyage between the Piraeus and Ephesus in thirteen days 

 going, fourteen returning. The Aegean could be crossed in less time. 

 But to judge from the evidence furnished by Cicero's letters from Cilicia, 

 thirty-five days under ordinary conditions were quick time from Rome 

 to Ephesus. 



*^Mommsen, Staatsr., V, p. 41 ff. ; Madvig, Verf. und Verw., I, p. 374; 

 Lange, Rom. Alt., V, p. 72Z', Willems, Le Senat, II, pp. 126-28. 



*-Fam. VIII, I, I. 



** Wissowa, Religion und Kullus der Romer, pp. 385-86. 



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