ABSTRACT
Julius Ctesar to them all) did greatly alter and chaunge the state of the common wealth. For it was not the private discord betwene Pompey and Cresar, as many men thought, that caused the civill warre: but rather it was their agreement ogether, who joyned all their powers first to overthrowe the state of the Senate and nobilitie, and afterwardes they fell at jarre one with an other. But Cato, that then foresaw and prophecied many times what woulde followe, was taken but for a vaine manl : but afterwardes they found him a wiser man, then hap pie in his counsell. Thus Cresar being brought unto the assemblie of the election, in the middest of these two noble persons, whom he had before reconciled together: he was there chosen Consull, with Calphurnius Bibulus, without gaine saying or contradiction of any man. 2 Now when he was entred into his office, he beganne to put foorth lawes meeter for a seditious Tribune of the people, than for a Consull: bicause by them he preferred the division of landes,3 and distributing of corne to everie citizen, Gratis, to please them withall. But when the noble men of the Senate were against his devise, he desiring no better occasion, beganne to crie out, and to protest, that by the overhardnesse and austeritie of the Senate, they drave him against his will to leane unto the people: and thereupon having Crassus on thone side of him, and Pompey on thother, he asked them openly in thassemblie, if they did geve their consent unto the lawes which he had put forth. They both aunswered, they did. Then he prayed them to stande by him against those that threatned him with force of sworde to let him. Crassus gave him his worde, he would. Pompey also did the like, and added thereunto, that he would come with his sword and target both, against them that would withstand him with their swords. These wordes offended much the Senate, being farre unmeete for his gravetie, and undecent for the majestie and honor he caried, and most of all uncomely for the presence of the Senate whome he should have reverenced: and were speaches fitter for a rash light headed youth, than for his person. Howbeit the common people on thother side, they rejoyced. Then Cresar bicause he would be more assured of Pompeis power and frendshippe, he gave him his daughter Julia in mariage,4 which was made sure before unto Servilius Crepio, and promised him in exchaunge Pompeis wife, the which was sure also unto Faustus the sonne of Sylla. And shortly after also, Cresar selfe did marie Calphurnia the daughter of Piso, whom he caused to be
made Consul, to succeede him the next yeare following.! Cato then cried out with open mouth, and called the gods to witnes, that it was a shamefull matter, and not to be suffered, that they should in that sorte make havoke of the Empire of Rome, by such horrible bawdie matches, distributing among them selves through those wicked mariages, the governments of the provinces, and of great armies. [Ca::sar lost much esteem by trying to send Cato to prison.] But after he had played this parte, there were few Senators that would be President of the Senate under him, but left the citie, bicause they could not away with his doinges ... The shamefullest parte that Ca::sar played while he was Consul, seemeth to be this: when he chose P. Clodius Tribune of the people, that had offred his wife such dishonor, and profaned the holy auncient misteries of the women, which were celebrated in his owne house. Clodius sued to be Tribune to no other end, but to destroy Cicero: and Ca::sar selfe also departed not from Rome to his army, before he had set them together by the eares, and driven Cicero out of Italy.2 All these things they say he did, before the WaiTeS with the Gaules. But the time of the great armies and conquests he made afterwards, and of the warre in the which he subdued al the Gaules: (entring into an other course of life farre contrarie unto the first) made him to be knowen for as valliant a souldier and as excellent a Captaine to lead men, as those that afore him had bene counted the wisest and most valliantest Generalles that ever were, and that by their valliant deedes had atchieved great honor.3 For whosoever would compare the house of the Fabians, of the Scipioes, of the Mctellians, yea those also of his owne time, or long before him, as Sylla, Marius, the two Lucullians, and Pompey selfe,
Whose fame ascendeth up unto the heavens: it will appeare that Ca::sars prowes and deedes of armes, did excell them all together. The one, in the hard con tries where he made warres: an other, in enlarging the realmes and contries which he joy ned unto the Empire of Rome: an other, in the multitude and power of his enemies whome he overcame: an other, in the rudenesse and austere nature of men with whom he had to doe, whose maners afterwardes he soft ned and made civill: an other, in curtesie and clemencie which he used unto them whome he had conquered: an other in great bountie and liberality bestowed upon them that served under him in those wanes: and in fine, he excelled them all
