It was not difficult to perceive the tendency of this proposition ; but things were now in such a state, that it was equally dangerous to grant or to refuse the demands of Cxsar. Pompey could not decently oppose, in the case of his rival, a privilege which had been conferred on himself ; and Cicero, either to soothe the ambitious mind of Cxsar, or to prevent an immediate rupture, re commended compliance with his request. He repre sented the danger of a quarrel with Caesar; but did not consider, as has been well observed (Ferguson's Rom. Hist.), that he was then giving up without a quarrel, all that any quarrel could extort.
Caesar's power and general conduct now began to ex cite serious apprehensions. The continual augmentation of troops in his province, his great military reputation, his insinuation, his unbounded liberality, his assiduity in excluding from power every one who could oppose his interests, were viewed with general alarm. When, there fore, the regular election of consuls took place, Marcel lus, who had been elected along with Servius Sulpicius, made a motion in the senate, which hastened the crisis which every prudent man had long foreseen. In delibe rating on the appointments in the provincial governments, he moved that, the war in Gaul being finished, Cxsar should be recalled ; or if his friends insisted on his con tinuing in his command, that he should not be admitted on the list of candidates for the consulship, till he pre sented himself personally for this purpose.
This motion gave rise to long and violent debates. Many strong resolutions were carried in the senate, and as often defeated by the negative of the tribunes, who were always in the interests of Caesar. This aspiring adventurer had now this advantage on his side, that all the measures proposed in the senate against him, had the appearance of direct hostility and injustice, as they had for their object to reverse decrees which had lately been solemnly made in his favour, both by the senate and the people. Pompey perceiving this, affected to censure the violence with which it had been proposed to recal an officer legally appointed before the expiration of his term. -Shortly after, however, he sufficiently disclosed his sen timents and feelings on the subject, by saying in the se nate, that although he did not think that the proconsul of Gaul could be instantly recalled without injustice, yet that after the first of March, (this clay having been spe cified in the senate,) he should have no difficulties on the subject. " But what," says one of the senators, " if Cxsar still persist in demanding the consukihip while lie retains his province and his army ?"—" What," re plied Pompey, " if my own child should offer me vio lence ?" These proceedings sufficiently pointed out to Cxsar what part he was to act. After defeating the Gauls and
the Germans in every attompt to regain their freedom, he endeavoured to conciliate their affections, that his hands might be free for a more important enterprize. He established a chain of military posts from one end of his province to the other, that his troops might he ready to act in any emergency, or in any direction ; whilst he himself remained in the station most distant from Italy, with a view of increasing the hostility, and at the same time the security, of his enemies at Rome. He always af fected the greatest moderation ; and his friends at Rome were instructed to propose a compromise to the senate, sufficiently equitable in appearance : provided Pompey retired to his province, and Cxsar were allowed to retain Cisalpine Gaul with two legions, they proposed in his name to disband the remainder of his army, and to resign the other part of his provinces. " Observe the dutiful citizen and good subject," said Cato, " how ready he is to quit the northern parts of Gaul, if you only put him in possession of Italy and the city : and how ready to ac cept of your voluntary submission, rather than employ your own army against you to enforce it." The senate at last came to a vote on the following questions respecting the appointments of Cxsar and Pompey. On the first question, Whether Cxsar should disband his army ? the ?yes were general throughout the house. The same question being put respecting Pompey, the Noes greatly prevailed. Mark Antony in sisted that a third question should be put, viz. Whether both should dismiss their armies ? On this question, three hundred and seventy .Res appeared against twenty-two Noes.
Shortly after this, Cxsar received an order from the senate to detach a legion from his army to be employed in the Parthian war, in which Crassus had fallen, with the greater part of his army, some time before ; and likewise to restore the legion which he had borrowed from Pom pey : With both these requisitions he complied with seeming cheerfulness. In dismissing the soldiers of Pompey, he was, under pretence of gratitude for former services, most lavish in his caresses and his thanks ; and, as an earnest of future favours, gave each man a gratuity of about 51. of our money. Thus, whilst he parted with the men, he retained their affections ; and sent them as a very dubious accession of strength to his enemy.