freely. This measure
caused the soldier element to become somewhat more conciliatory, but that
very thing produced vexation again among the people. The two used to come
in conflict and there was continual fighting amongst them, so that many
were wounded and killed on both sides alike. The one party was superior
by being equipped with weapons and having experience in wars, and the
other by its numbers and the ability to pelt opponents from the roofs.
Owing to this a number of houses were burned down, and to those dwelling
in the city rent was entirely remitted to the extent of five hundred
denarii, while for those in the rest of Italy it was reduced a fourth for
one year. For they used to fight in all the cities alike, wherever they
fell in with each other.

[-10-] When this took place constantly and soldiers sent ahead by Caesar
into Spain made a kind of uprising at Placentia and did not come to
order until they received money from the people there, and they were
furthermore hindered from crossing the Alps by Calenus and Ventidius,
who held Farther Gaul, Caesar became afraid that he might meet with some
disaster and began to wish to be reconciled with Fulvia and the consul.
He could not accomplish anything by sending messages personally and with
only his own authorization, and so went to the veterans and through them
attempted to negotiate a settlement. Elated at this they took charge of
those who had lost their land, and Lucius went about in every direction
uniting them and detaching them from Caesar, while Fulvia occupied
Praeneste, had senators and knights for her associates, and was wont to
conduct all her deliberations with their help, even sending orders to
whatever points required it. Why should any one be surprised at this,
when she was girt with a sword, and used to pass the watchwords to the
soldiers, yes, often harangued them,--an additional means of giving
offence to Caesar? [-11-] The latter, however, had no way to overthrow
them, being far inferior to them not only in troops, but in good-will on
the part of the population; for he caused many distress, whereas they
filled every one with hope. He had often privately through friends
proposed reconciliation to them, and when he accomplished nothing, he
sent envoys from the number of the veterans to them. He expected by
this stroke pretty surely to obtain his request, to adjust present
difficulties, and to gain a strength equal to theirs for the future. And
eve