der him willy-nilly
their slave. As they gained nothing this way, they demanded with much
heat and deafening shouts to be relieved at least from further service,
saying they were worn out. This was not because they really wished to be
free from it, for most of them were in their prime, but because they had
an inkling of the coming conflict between Caesar and Antony and for that
reason set a high value upon themselves. And what they could not obtain
by requests they expected they could secure by threatening to abandon
him. Not even this, however, served their purpose. Caesar would not yield
to them, even if he knew for an absolute certainty that the war was going
to occur and clearly understood their wishes. He did not think it proper
for a commander to do anything against his will under compulsion from
the soldiers, because they would be sure, if he did, to want to get the
advantage of him again in some other matter. [-14-] So he pretended that
their request was a fair one and their desire only human and dismissed
first those that had accompanied him in the campaign against Antony at
Mutina, and next, since the rest were troublesome, all of them who had
been ten years in the service. And in order to restrain the remainder he
gave further notice that he would no longer employ any one of them, no
matter how much such a person might wish it. On hearing this they uttered
not another word, but began to exhibit great devotion toward him because
he announced that he would give to the men that had been released,--not
to all, save to the first of them, but to the worthiest,--everything that
he had promised, and would assign them land. They were also influenced by
the fact that he gave to all of them five hundred denarii and to those
who had been victors in the sea-fight a crown of olive besides. After
this he inspired them all personally with great hopes and the centurions
with the idea that he would appoint them to the senatorial bodies in
their native lands. Upon his lieutenants he bestowed various gifts and
upon Agrippa a golden crown adorned with beaks of ships,--a decoration
given to nobody before or since. And it was later ratified by a decree
that as often as any persons celebrated a triumph, wearing[49] the laurel
crown, Agrippa should always wear this trophy of the naval encounter. In
this way Caesar calmed the soldiers temporarily. The money he gave them at
once and the land not much later. And since what was still held b