36 HISTORY AND ETHNOLOGY. 



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the youthful but ambitious Pompey, joined him. After a brief struggle 



with the adherents of Marius, he conquered Rome, 82 B.C, had himself 

 elected dictator for life, and began a deliberate retribution. He banished 

 his enemies, and confiscated their goods ; doomed conspicuous ofienders to 

 massacre ; and strove to crush the last remnant of democratic power. 

 AYhen all this was accomplished, he voluntarily resigned the dictatorship, 

 79 B.C. ; and retiring to Cumse, lived only for his pleasure, and died the year 

 after his abdication, of the consequences of his debauchery, 78 B.C. 



Whilst the republic was increasing in extent and power in foreign lands, 

 a conspiracy broke out at home, 63 B.C., which threatened the very 

 existence of the republic. Lucius Sergius Catilina formed the design 

 of murdering the consuls, and spreading revolution throughout Italy. He 

 succeeded in gaining for his schemes great numbers of the people, and even 

 a large body of the noblest and most distinguished men. Cicero, then 

 consul, discovered the conspiracy, and by his eloquence and authority in the 

 senate, caused Catilina to be convicted of treason, and obtained against him 

 the sentence of death. But Catilina fled from the city, and after a short 

 time, fell in the battle against the consular legate, Petreius, at Pistoia, 

 62. Cicero obtained the honorable title of Father of his country. 



Pompey, returning from Asia, met with an enthusiastic reception 

 from the people at his triumphal procession ; but the senate refused to 

 confirm the grants of land in Asia which he had promised to his 

 soldiers. This opposition induced him to cast himself upon the popular 

 favor. 



At this period, the praetor, Julius Caesar, returned from his province of 

 Spain, where he had subjugated all the tribes as far as the Atlantic Ocean. 

 His influence prevailed in reconciling Pompey and his rival, Crassus ; and 

 uniting them with himself in the administration of the government, lie 

 formed a Triumvirate. In the distribution of oflSces, Caesar obtained the 

 provinces of Cis- and Trans- Alpine Gallia, with the command of four 

 legions for five years. He immediately set out to his station, with the 

 design of subduing other countries ; encountered the Helvetians, Belgians, 

 and Aquitanians ; crossed the Phine, and fought with the German hordes 

 under Ariovistus ; penetrated into Germania and Britain, and laid the 

 foundation of its future subjugation; and, during these exploits, organized 

 an army which might one day, if required, be employed against Rome 

 itself. 



In the course of these wars, he obtained, through the friendship of 

 Pompey and Crassus, an extension of his proconsulship in Gallia for ^yq 

 years. Pompey was appointed to Spain and Africa, while the rich and 

 grasping Crassus received Syria. The latter began a war against the 

 Parthians, in which he fell, with 30,000 men, near Carrae, 53 B.C. 



Pompey, now too late, became aware of the growing ascendency of Caesar. 

 As a check upon his rival, he managed to have himself elected consul 

 without colleagues (52). He acted as in possession of individual power; 

 secured, the next year, the election of the consuls from among his friends ; 

 and, while he himself was consul in Pome, governed Spain as a province. 

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