A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

CAESAR..CAESAR. 543

latter, who had been Caesar's colleague in the
aedileship and praetorship, was a warm supporter
of the aristocracy. Caesar's great popularity combined with Pompey's interest rendered his election
certain; but that he might have a colleague of the
opposite party, the aristocracy used immense exertions, and contributed large sums of money in order
to carry the election of Bibulus. And they succeeded. Caesar and Bibulus were elected consuls.
But to prevent Caesar from obtaining a province in
which he might distinguish himself, the senate
assigned as the provinces of the consuls-elect the
care of the woods and of the public pastures. It was
apparently after his election, and not previously as
some writers state, that he entered into that coalition with Pompey and M. Crassus, usually known
by the name of the first triumvirate. Caesar on
his return to Rome had found Pompey more
estranged than ever from the aristocracy. The
senate had most unwisely opposed the ratification
of Pompey's acts in Asia and an assignment of lands
which he had promised to his veterans. For the
conqueror of the east and the greatest man in Rome
to be thus thwarted in his purpose, and not to
have the power of fulfilling the promises which he
had made to his Asiatic clients and his veteran
troops, were insults which he would not brook; and
all the less, because he might have entered Rome,
as many of his enemies feared he intended, at the
head of his army, and have carried all his measures
by the sword. He was therefore quite ready to
desert the aristocracy altogether, and to join Caesar, who promised to obtain the confirmation of his
acts. Caesar, however, represented that they
should have great difficulty in carrying their point
unless they detached M. Crassus from the aristocracy, who by his position, connexions, and still
more by his immense wealth, had great influence
at Rome. Pompey and Crassus had for a long
time past been deadly enemies; but they were reconciled by means of Caesar, and the three entered
into an agreement to support one another, and to
divide the power between themselves. This first
triumvirate, as it is called, was therefore merely a
private agreement between the three most powerful men at Rome; it was not a magistracy like
the second; and the agreement itself remained a
secret, till the proceedings of Caesar in his consulship shewed, that he was supported by a power
against which it was in vain for his enemies to
struggle.
In B. c. 59, Caesar entered upon the consulship
with M. Bibulus. His first proceeding was to
render the senate more amenable to public opinion,
by causing all its proceedings to be taken down
and published daily. His next was to bring forward an agrarian law, which had been long demanded by the people, but which the senate had
hitherto prevented from being carried. We have
seen that the agrarian law of Rullus, introduced in
B. c. 63, was dropped by its proposer; and the
agrarian law of Flavius, which had been proposed
in the preceding year (B. c. 60), had been successfully opposed by the aristocracy, although it was
supported by the whole power of Pompey. The
provisions of Caesar's agrarian law are not explicitly stated by the ancient writers, but its main
object was to divide the rich Campanian land
which was the property of the state among the
poorest citizens, especially among those who had
three or more children; and if the domain land

was not sufficient for the object, more was to be
purchased. The execution of the law was to be
entrusted to a board of twenty commissioners.
The opposition of the aristocratical party was in
vain. Bibulus, indeed, declared before the people,
that the law should never pass while he was consul; but Pompey and Crassus spoke in its favour,
and the former declared, that he would bring both
sword and buckler against those who used the
sword. On the day on which the law was put to
the vote, Bibulus, the three tribunes who opposed
it, and all the other members of the aristocracy
were driven out of the forum by force of arms: the
law was carried, the commissioners appointed, and
about 20,000 citizens, comprising of course a great
number of Pompey's veterans, received allotments
subsequently. On the day after Bibulus had been
driven out of the forum, he summoned the senate,
narrated to them the violence which had been
employed against him, and called upon them to
support him, and declare the law invalid; but the
aristocracy was thoroughly frightened; not a word
was said in reply; and Bibulus, despairing of being
able to offer any further resistance to Caesar, shut
himself up in his own house, and did not appear
again in public till the expiration of his consulship.
In his retirement he published "Edicts" against
Caesar, in which he protested against the legality
of his measures, and bitterly attacked his private
and political character.
It was about this time, and before the agrarian
law had been passed, that Caesar united himself
still more closely to Pompey by giving him his
daughter Julia in marriage, although she had been
already betrothed to Servilius Caepio. Caesar
himself, at the same time, married Calpurnia, the
daughter of L. Piso, who was consul in the following year.
By his agrarian law Caesar had secured to himself more strongly than ever the favour of the people; his next step was to gain over the equites,
who had rendered efficient service to Cicero in his
consulship, and had hitherto supported the aristocratical party. An excellent opportunity now occurred for accomplishing this object. In their
eagerness to obtain the farming of the public taxes
in Asia, the equites, who had obtained the contract,
had agreed to pay too large a sum, and had accordingly petitioned the senate in B. c. 61 for more
favourable terms. This, however, had been opposed by Metellus Celer, Cato, and others of the
aristocracy; and Caesar therefore now brought
forward a bill in the comitia to relieve the equites
from one-third of the sum which they had agreed
to pay. This measure, which was also supported
by Pompey, was carried. Caesar next obtained
the confirmation of Pompey's acts; and having
thus gratified the people, the equites, and Pompey,
he was easily able to obtain for himself the provinces
which he wished. The senate, as we have seen, had
previously assigned him the care of the woods and
the public pastures as his province, and he therefore got the tribune Vatinius to propose a bill to
the people, granting to him the provinces of Cisalpine Gaul and Illyricum with three legions for five
years. This was of course passed; and the senate
added to his government the province of Transalpine Gaul, with another legion, for five years also,
as they plainly saw that a bill would be proposed
to the people for that purpose, if they did not
grant the province themselves.