50 Frederick Warren Sanford 



upon the Capital with his army. The march of the four legions 

 to winter quarters in the Aeduan country, if known in Cisalpine 

 Gaul, may have contributed to the rumor. A meeting of the 

 senate was called immediately, in which Marcellus proposed to 

 take active measures to oppose Caesar. Failing in this and also 

 in the attempt to subject Curio, who had prevented a vote on 

 Marcellus's proposal, to a vote of censure, the consul proceeded 

 to the suburbs of the city and authorized Pompeius to assume 

 command of the two legions quartered at Capua and to defend 

 the commonwealth. Pompeius signified his intention of accepting 

 the duty imposed upon him, but with the qualifying condition, 

 " unless something better be found." 



A messenger was despatched to Caesar to inform him of the 

 new turn that events had taken. Caesar had meanwhile journeyed 

 farther down in his province. The messenger met him about 

 December i, at Mutina or Bononia. The political confusion had 

 not yet reached such a degree as to render war certain, but it was 

 the part of military prudence to prepare for the worst. Caesar 

 therefore sent a courier to the eighth and twelfth legions with 

 orders to march into Italy and directed the detachments of the 

 thirteenth legion -to assemble at Ravenna, The twelfth legion 

 broke camp near the middle of December. Caesar also sent 

 Hirtius to Rome to obtain a full report upon the situation. 

 Hirtius found upon his arrival in the city the evening of December 

 6 that Pompeius was to depart for Capua the following day. 

 Although Balbus was to confer with Scipio, Pompeius's father-in- 

 law, before daylight oi) the morning of the 7th, Hirtius did 

 not await the result of the conference, but started back to rejoin 

 Caesar the night of the 6th. It is probable that Caesar had in 

 the meantime gone on to Ravenna. Curio left Rome December 

 10 and joined Caesar at Ravenna on or before December 14. 



342 



