Retrospect of French Siete teas 
Accordingly he did not fil to repair to 
the Circus, that he might have oceasion 
to exhibit his gorgeous apparel; yet he 
shewed himself there but once,’and that, 
undoubtedly, merely because his pride 
became a subject of ridicule. 
“Hither from servility, or the fear to 
displease, he preserved a timid silence 
relative to public affairs. Nothing of 
that elevation which his renown bespoke, 
was visible; and it was by means of an 
hypocritical humility that he endeavour- 
ed to captivate the good will of the peott 
ple. . 
“Crassus, who appeared afraid to 
multiply his enemies, was also silent ve- 
lative to the great interests of the state, 
Cato alone, the friend of liberty, and al-. 
ways sincere, was also always ready to 
give his advice with boldness; but he 
spokes if he had been talking 3 in the 
imaginary republic of Plato: and pos- 
Sessing more constancy and integrity than 
spirit and prudence, he not unfrequently 
did injury to his country, while endea- 
vouring to serve her. Cicero had good 
intentions, but was wavering and timid, 
He at that period courted the friendship 
‘of Poinpey, not, as he told Atticus, with 
his usual presumption, in order to oben 
Ais support, but ‘to render him better, 
and teach him not to flatter the caprices 
of the multitude. The inactive and mild 
_Lucullus was reckoned among the adver- 
saries of Pompey, as well as the consul 
Metellus, hitherto his friend, and who, 
indeed, was indebted to him for the con- 
sulship, but who never had pardoned bim 
for the repudiation of Mutia, his sister. 
Fnvy made Crassus a still more dange- 
rous enemy; and as for the senate itself, 
it had fallen into debasement.” 
The thirteenth, and Jast period, com- 
-prehends an aecount of the Roman go- 
vernment, from the death of Cesar to 
‘the bartleof Actiam. M. Levesque com- 
~mences this epoch in the following man- 
ner :— 
While the people, expecting nothing 
but massacre and pillave, fled before 
those men covered with blood, who in- 
veked thei in the name of liberty, the 
murderers of Casar were themselves 
atraid of that timid maltitade whom they 
had struck with astonishment, and re- 
tired to the capitol, under the protection 
of a vile troop of gladiators, The rite 
tate Antonius, the colleague of Ce 
» being fan iated by Gyose conspi- 
eu who had concealed themsely es, 
laid down the ornaments of the magis- 
trasy, assumed the habit of a slave, 
Montury Mac., No. 173. 
hia « 
01 
1s 609 
and thas concealed himself from those 
very men whom he hnnself filled with 
terror, Dolabella, the~ son-in-law of 
Cicero, a young ian of only twenty-five 
years of age, for whom Casar had ob= 
tained the consulship, by giving him 
a dispensation on the score of youth, 
shewed, through fear alone, a certain 
degree of courage. 
© He bad not as yet taken possession 
ofits uew dignity; but he now as 
the consular robe, for the first ume, Lire 
order to make his court to the couspira= 
tors. It was at first imagined that he in- 
tended to have provoked, the vengeance 
of the people avainst the assassins of his 
benelactor; but ungrateful from timie 
dity, he’ became their flatterer, declared 
that he envied their glory, and demand= 
ed that the Ides of. “March, hitherto re- 
garded as the epoch uf the second foun- 
dation of Rome, should for ever be cele 
brated by festivals. 
“Lepidus, t who. had a legion aude his 
orders, in an island of the Tiber, put the 
conspirators in fear, whilst he himself 
was in mortal dead lest Decimus Brutus 
should cause to advance the three legions 
be commanded in Cisalpine Gaul, for the 
government of which province ‘He was 
indebted to Car. All were afraid of 
the veterans, attached alike by love and 
by interest to the general who had so 
long Jed them to victory, and who had 
held out a rich recoimpence | as their re- 
ward. 
S Notwithstanding this, every thing 
was tranquil; but the tranquillity pro- 
ceeded from stupor, rather than senti- 
Ment, Such ¢ profound calm embolid- 
ened some persons. The conspirators 
Spent the night in the capitol ; and per- 
ceiving that no one attempted to force 
it, they already began to think that they 
had unposed on the multitude, and that 
their cause would prove victorious, 
* Both senators and plebelans were 
‘€ager to pay their court, to telicitate 
them on their heroism, and to declare 
themselves their admirers: They were 
believed to be strong, merely: because 
they had been rash; and it was through 
mere pasillanimity that so many had 
ined their party. They themselves also 
ca their confidence, because they 
exavgerated the number of those who fa-- 
vouaagliem ; and they at leneth were. 
persuaded to leave their strong bold, 
Brutus now ascended the tribune, and 
the people, accustomed to respect bis - 
vcice, heard him with a deyree of trai- 
guiluty which resembled goud will, Cir- 
ah ha, 
