The commentaries of C. Julius Cæsar of his warres in Gallia, and the civil warres betwixt him and Pompey / translated into English with many excellent and judicious observations thereupon ; as also The art of our modern training, or, Tactick practise, by Clement Edmonds Esquire, ... ; where unto is adjoyned the eighth commentary of the warres in Gallia, with some short observations upon it ; together with the life of Cæsar, and an account of his medalls ; revised, corrected, and enlarged.

THE SECOND OBSERVATION.

COncerning the opposition of the Tribunes,* 1.1 it is to be understood, that the people eaten up with usurie and other grievous exactions, forsook both the City and the Camp, when the State had war with the Volsci and the Aequi; and taking themselves to a Mountain near unto Rome, would not return from thence, untill the Senate had gi∣ven order for their grievances. In which trans∣action it was agreed, that there should be Ma∣gistrates chosen out of the body of the people, to counterpoise the power of the Senate, and to re∣strain the boundlesse authority of the Consuls: which office was reckoned in the number of their holiest things, never to be violated either in word or deed, but the offender should redeem it with the losse of his life. Their whole power con∣sisted in letting and hindering. As when ei∣ther the Senate, or any one Senatour, went about a matter which might be prejudiciall to the people in generall, or to any one of the commonalty in particular; then did the Tribunes interpose their authority, to frustrate and avert the same: which was availeable, albeit the matter was gain-said but by one Tribune only. By which intervention they kept the Senate in awfull moderation, and were alwayes profitable to the State, but when they

happened upon factious and turbulent persons; howbeit, their power was bounded with the walls of Rome, and extended no further then the gates of the City. Their doors were never shut, but stood open night and day, for a refuge to such as should fly to them for succour: neither was it lawfull for them to be absent from Rome a whole day together. The robes of their Magistracy were of Purple; as Cicero intimateth in his ora∣tion Pro Cluentio. This Tribunitian power began about the year of Rome 260; was supprest by Sylla; restored by Pompey; and utterly ta∣ken away by the Emperour Constantine.

If it be demanded what kind of Common∣wealth this Roman government was;* 1.2 it is to be understood, that upon the expulsion of their Kings, the sovereignty rested in their Consuls. For, asa 1.3 Livie saith, there was nothing dimini∣shed of kingly government, save only for the better establishing of liberty, that the Consular dignity was made Annuall. But that held not long, for Publicola imparted this sovereignty to the Communalty, making it lawfull to appeale from the Consuls to the people. Wherebyb 1.4 the Consular sovereignty was dissolved, and the peo∣ple took occasion to oppose themselves against the Fathers. Hence grew the reciprocall in∣vectives between the Senate and the Tribunes; and when the Consul sent ac 1.5 Serjeant to the Tri∣bune, the Tribune would send ad 1.6 Pursevant to the Consul. And so the Commonwealth halted between an Aristocracy and a Democracy, untill at length the vogue of the Communalty drew it to a perfect Democracy, and made their Acts of Senate of no value, unlesse they were ra∣tified by the people. Howbeit, the Senate af∣forded alwayes many famous and eminent men, such as having inlarged the bounds of their Em∣pire, and kept on foot their ancient valour, and were the flower of that people,* 1.7 which Cyneas called a town of kings, were consequently so en∣gaged in the businesses of the State, that matters were for the most part carried as they stood af∣fected; as appeareth by this passage of Caesar.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The Tri∣bunes of the people.
• * 1.2

  What kind of Com∣monwealth was this of Rome.
• a 1.3

  Libe••tatis originem in∣de magis, quia annuum consulare Imperium factum est, quam quod diminutum q••icquam sit e••••egia po∣testate, nu∣mores. Liv. lib. 2.
• b 1.4

  His legi∣bus dissolu∣tum est im∣perium consulare. &c. Liv. lib. 4.
• c 1.5

  Lictor.
• d 1.6

  Vi••tor.
• * 1.7

  Cyneas in∣terrogatus à Pyr••ho qualis Roma asset; Re∣spondit, Regum ur∣bem sibi vi∣deri. Just. lib. 8.