Metellus went on,
speaking from memory Cato's friends shut his mouth by force. The
patricians present drew their swords and cleared the Forum; and the
Senate, in the exercise of another right to which they pretended, declared
Caesar and Metullus degraded from their offices. Metullus, probably at
Caesar's advice, withdrew and went off to Asia, to describe what had
passed to Pompey. Caesar remained, and, quietly disregarding the Senate's
sentence, continued to sit and hear cases as praetor. His court was
forcibly closed. He yielded to violence and retired under protest, being
escorted to the door of his house by an enormous multitude. There he
dismissed his lictors and laid aside his official dress, that he might
furnish no excuse for a charge against him of resisting the established
authorities. The mob refused to be comforted. They gathered day after day.
They clustered about the pontifical palace. They cried to Caesar to place
himself at their head, that they might tear down the senate-house, and
turn the caitiffs into the street. Caesar neither then nor ever lent
himself to popular excesses. He reminded the citizens that if others broke
the law, they must themselves set an example of obeying it, and he bade
them return to their homes.
Terrified at the state of the city, and penitent for their injustice to
Caesar, the Senate hurriedly revoked their decree of deposition, sent a
deputation to him to apologize, and invited him to resume his place among
them.
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