246 
The Republic. 
ROME. 
The Republic. 
V>y mutual oaths and promises to stand by each other, and 
suffer nothing to be undertaken or carried into execution 
without the unanimous consent of all the three. 
The association of the triumvirs was for a long time kept 
secret and nothing appeared to the people except the re¬ 
conciliation of Pompey and Crassus, for which the state 
reckoned itself indebted to Csesar. The first consequence 
of the triumvirate was the consulship of Julius Cfesar. But 
though this was obtained by the favour of Pompey and 
Crassus, he found himself disappointed in the colleague he 
wanted to associate with him in that office. He had pitched 
upon one whom he knew he could manage as he pleased, 
and distributed large sums among the people, in order to 
engage them to vote for-, him. The senate, however, and 
even Cato himself, resolved to defeat the triumvir at his own 
weapons; and having therefore set up another candidate, 
distributed such immense sums on the opposite side, that 
Caesar, notwithstanding the vast riches he had acquired, was 
forced to yield. This defeat proved of small consequence. 
Caesar set himself to engage the affections of the people ; 
and this he did, by an agrarian law, so effectually, that he 
was in a manner idolized. The law was in itself very rea¬ 
sonable and just; nevertheless, the senate, perceiving the 
design with which it was proposed, thought themselves 
bound to oppose it. Their opposition, however, proved 
fruitless ■, the consul Bibulus, who shewed himself most active 
in his endeavours against it, was driven out of the assembly 
with the greatest indignity, and from that day became of no 
consideration ; so that Caesar was reckoned the sole consul. 
The next step taken by Caesar was to secure the knights, 
as he had already done the people; and for this purpose he 
abated a third of the rents which they annually paid into the 
treasury; after which he governed Rome with an absolute 
sway during the time of his consulate. The reign of this 
triumvir, however, was ended by his expedition into Gaul, 
where his military exploits acquired him the highest reputa¬ 
tion.—Pompey and Crassus, in the mean time, became con¬ 
suls, and governed as despotically as Csesar himself had 
done. On the expiration of their first consulate, the re¬ 
public fell into a kind of anarchy, entirely owing to the dis¬ 
orders occasioned by the two late consuls. At last, however, 
this confusion was ended by raising Crassus and Pompey to 
the consulate a second time. This was no sooner done, than 
a new partition of the empire was proposed. Crassus was 
to have Syria and all the eastern provinces, Pompey was to 
govern Africa and Spain, and Caesar to be continued in Gaul, 
and all this for the space of five years. This law was passed 
by a great majority ; upon which Crassus undertook an ex¬ 
pedition against the'Parthians, whom he imagined he shoqld 
easily overcome, and then enrich himself with their spoils; 
Csesar applied with great assiduity to the completing of the 
conquest of Gaul; and Pompey having nothing to do in his 
province, staid at Rome to govern the republic alone. 
The affairs of the Romans were now hastening to a crisis. 
Crassus, having oppressed all the provinces of the east, was 
totally defeated and killed by the Parthians; after which the 
two great rivals, Csesar and Pompey, were leftalone, without 
any third person who could hold the balance between them, 
or prevent the deadly quarrels which were about to ensue. 
Matters, however, continued pretty quiet till Gaul was re¬ 
duced to a Roman province. The question then was, whe¬ 
ther Caesar or Pompey slrould first resign the command of 
their armies, and return to the rank of private persons. As 
both parties saw thatwhoever first laid down his amis mustof 
course submit to the other, both refused to disarm themselves. 
As Caesar, however, had amassed immense riches in Gaul, he 
was now in a condition not only to maintain an army ca¬ 
pable of vying with Pompey, but even to buy over the lead¬ 
ing men in Rome to his interest. One of the consuls, named 
/Emilius Paulus, cost him no less than 1500 talents, or 
310,625/. sterling; but the other, named Marcellos, could 
not be gained at any price. Pompey had put at the head 
of the tribunes, one Scribonius Curio, a young patrician of 
great abilities, but so exceedingly debauched and extrava¬ 
gant, that he owed upwards of four millions and a half of 
our money. Csesar, by enabling him to satisfy his creditors-, 
and supplying him with money to pursue his debaucheries, 
secured him in his interest; and Curio, without seeming to 
be in Csesar’s interest, found means to do him the most es¬ 
sential service. He proposed that both generals should be 
recalled ; being well assured that Pompey would never con¬ 
sent to part with his army, or lay down the government of 
Spain with which he had been mvested,--so that Caesar might 
draw from Pompey’s refusal a pretence for continuing him¬ 
self in his province at the head of his troops. This proposal 
threw the opposite party into great embarrassments; and 
while both professed their pacific intentions, both continued 
in readiness for the most obstinate and bloody war.—Cicero 
took upon himself the office of mediator; but Pompey 
would hearken to no terms of accommodation. The orator, 
surprised to find him so obstinate, at the same time that he 
neglected to strengthen his army, asked him with what forces 
he designed to make head against Caesar ? To which the 
other answered, that he needed but stamp with his foot, and 
an army would start up out of the ground. This confidence 
he assumed, because he persuaded himself that Caesar’s men 
would abandon him if matters came to extremities. Caesar, 
however, though he affected great moderation, yet kept 
himself in readiness for the worst; and, therefore, when the 
senate passed the fatal decree for a civil war, he was not in 
the least alarmed. This decree was issued in the year 49 
B. C. and was expressed in the following words: “ Let the 
consuls for the year, the proconsul Pompey, the praetors, and 
all those in or near Rome who have been consuls, provide for 
the public safety by the most proper means.” This decree 
was no sooner passed, than the consul Marcellus went, with 
his colleague Lentulus, to a house at a small distance from 
the town, where Pompey then was; and presenting him wi:h 
a sword, “ We requite you (said he) to take upon you with 
this, the defence of the republic, and the command of her 
troops.” Pompey obeyed; and Csesar was by the same 
decree divested of his office, and one Lucius Domitius ap¬ 
pointed to succeed him, the new governor being empowered 
to raise 4000 men in order to take possession of his province. 
Three of the tribunes who had been Caesar’s friends were driven 
out of Rome. They arrived in his camp disguised like 
slaves: he showed them to his army in this ignominious 
habit; and, setting forth the iniquity of the senate and pa- 
tricians, exhorted his men to stand by their general under 
whom they had served so long with success; and finding by 
their acclamations that he could depend on them, he resolved 
to begin hostilities immediately. 
The first design of Caesar was to make himself master of 
Arimiaum, a city bordering upon Cisalpine Gaul, and con¬ 
sequently a part of his province; but as this would be looked 
upon as a declaration of war, he resolved to keep his design 
as private as possible. At that time he himself was at Ra¬ 
venna, from whence he sent a detachment towards the 
Rubicon, desiring the officer who commanded it to wait for 
him on the banks of that river. The next day he assisted at 
a show of gladiators, and made a great entertainment. To¬ 
wards the close of the day he rose from table, desiring his 
guests to stay till he came back, which he said would be very 
soon ; but, instead of returning to the company, he immedi¬ 
ately set out for the Rubicon, having left orders to some of 
his most intimate friends to follow him through different 
roads, to avoid being observed.' Having arrived at the 
Rubicon, which parted Cisalpine Gaul from Italy, the 
succeeding misfortunes of the empire occurred to his mind, 
and made him hesitate. Turning then to Asinius Pollio, 
“ If I do not cross the river (said he), I am undone; and if 
I do cross it, how many calamities shall I by this means 
bring upon Rome!” Having thus spoken, he mused a few 
minutes; and then crying out, “The die is cast,” he threw 
himself into the river, and crossing it, marched with all 
possible speed to Ariminum, which he reached and surprised 
before daybreak. From thence, as he had but one legion 
with him, he dispatched orders to the formidable army he 
had left in Gaul to cross the mountains and join him. 
The activity of Csesar struck the opposite party with the 
greatest 
