The
fire would not kindle. Lepidus came in with troops, and occupied the
Forum. The conspirators withdrew into the Capitol, where Cicero and others
joined them, and the night was passed in earnest discussion what next was
to be done. They had intended to declare that Caesar had been a tyrant, to
throw his body into the Tiber, and to confiscate his property to the
State. They discovered to their consternation that, if Caesar was a
tyrant, all his acts would be invalidated. The praetors and tribunes held
their offices, the governors their provinces, under Caesar's nomination.
If Caesar's acts were set aside, Decimus Brutus was not governor of North
Italy, nor Marcus Brutus of Macedonia; nor was Dolabella consul, as he had
instantly claimed to be on Caesar's death. Their names, and the names of
many more whom Caesar had promoted, would have to be laid before the
Comitia, and in the doubtful humor of the people they little liked the
risk. That the dilemma should have been totally unforeseen was
characteristic of the men and their capacity.
Nor was this the worst. Lands had been allotted to Caesar's troops. Many
thousands of colonists were waiting to depart for Carthage and Corinth and
other places where settlements had been provided for them. These
arrangements would equally fall through, and it was easy to know what
would follow.
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