Unfortunately, each step that he took was a fresh crime in
the eyes of men whose pleasant monopoly of power he had overthrown. But
this was a necessity of the revolution. They had fought for their
supremacy, and had lost the day.
He increased the number of the Senate to nine hundred, filling its ranks
from eminent provincials; introducing even barbarian Gauls, and, still
worse, libertini, the sons of liberated slaves, who had risen to
distinction by their own merit. The new members came in slowly, and it is
needless to say were unwillingly received; a private handbill was sent
round, recommending the coldest of greetings to them.[3]
The inferior magistrates were now responsible to himself as Dictator. He
added to their numbers also, and to check the mischiefs of the annual
elections, he ordered that they should be chosen for three years. He cut
short the corn grants, which nursed the city mob in idleness; and from
among the impoverished citizens he furnished out masses of colonists to
repair the decay of ancient cities. Corinth rose from its ashes under
Caesar's care. Eighty thousand Italians were settled down on the site of
Carthage. As inspector of morals, Caesar inherited in an invigorated form
the power of the censors. Senators and officials who had discredited
themselves by dishonesty were ruthlessly degraded.
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