or to all
and sharing their anger with them. The people in the City, on learning
this, though frightened did not even so appoint him consul, for which he
was most anxious, but granted him the distinction of consular honors, so
that he might now record his vote along with the ex-consuls. When he took
no account of this, they voted that he should be made a praetor of the
first rank and subsequently also consul. In this way did they think they
had handled Caesar cleverly as if he were in reality a mere youth and
child, as they were always repeating. He, however, was exceedingly vexed
at their general behavior and especially at this very fact that he was
called child, and so made no further delay, but turned against their
camps and powers. With Antony he secretly arranged a truce, and he
assembled the men who had escaped from the battle, whom he himself had
conquered and the senate had voted to be enemies, and in their presence
made many accusations against both the senate and the people.

[-42-] The people in the City on hearing this for a time held him in
contempt, but when they heard that Antony and Lepidus had become of one
mind they began again to court his favor,--for they were in ignorance of
the propositions he had made to Antony,--and assigned to him charge of
the war against the two. Caesar was accordingly ready to accept even this
if he could be made consul for it. He was working in every way to be
elected, through Cicero among others, and so earnestly that he promised
to make him his colleague. When he was not even then chosen, he made
preparations, to be sure, to carry on war, as had been decreed, but
meanwhile arranged that his own soldiers (of their own motion, of course)
should suddenly take an oath not to fight against any legion that had
been Caesar's. This had a bearing on Lepidus and Antony, since the
majority of their adherents were of that class. So he waited and sent
as envoys to the senate on this business four hundred of the soldiers
themselves.

[-43-] This was the excuse that they had for an embassy, but in addition
they demanded the money that had been voted them and urged that Caesar be
appointed consul. While the senators were postponing their reply, which
required deliberation, as they said, they asked (naturally on the
instructions from Caesar) that amnesty be granted to some one who had
embraced Antony's cause. They were not really anxious to obtain it, but
wanted to test the senators and s