Servius Galba, who was
favorable to Caesar, had stood for the consulship for 49, and had received
a majority of votes. The election was set aside. Two patricians, Lentulus
and Caius Marcellus, were declared chosen, and their avowed purpose was to
strip the conqueror of Gaul of his honors and rewards.[8] The people of
his own Cisalpine Province desired to show that they at least had no
sympathy with such envenomed animosities. In the colonies in Lombardy and
Venetia Caesar was received with the most passionate demonstrations of
affection. The towns were dressed out with flags and flowers. The
inhabitants crowded into the streets with their wives and children to look
at him as he passed. The altars smoked with offerings; the temples were
thronged with worshippers praying the immortal gods to bless the greatest
of the Romans. He had yet one more year to govern. After a brief stay he
rejoined his army. He spent the summer in organizing the administration of
the different districts and assigning his officers their various commands.
That he did not at this time contemplate any violent interference with the
Constitution may be proved by the distribution of his legions, which
remained stationed far away in Belgium and on the Loire.
[1] Above Orleans, on the Loire.
[2] Four miles from Clermont, on the Allier, in the Puy-de-Dome.
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