certain Tiridates had risen against
Phraates; as long as Antony's opposition lasted, even after the naval
battle, Caesar had not only not attached himself to either side, though
they sought his alliance, but made no other answer than that he would
think it over. His excuse was that he was busy with Egypt, but in reality
he wanted them meantime to exhaust themselves by fighting against each
other. Now that Antony was dead and of the two combatants Tiridates,
defeated, had taken refuge in Syria, and Phraates, victorious, had sent
envoys, he negotiated with the latter in a friendly manner: and without
promising to aid Tiridates, he allowed him to live in Syria. He received
a son of Phraates as a mark of friendliness, and took the youth to Rome,
where he kept him as a hostage.

[-19-] Meanwhile, and still earlier, the Romans at home had passed many
resolutions respecting the victory at sea. They granted Caesar a triumph
(over Cleopatra) and granted him an arch bearing a trophy at Brundusium,
and another one in the Roman Forum. Moreover, the lower part of the
Julian hero-shrine was to be adorned with the beaks of the captive ships
and a festival every five years to be celebrated in his honor. There
should be a thanksgiving on his birthday and on the anniversary of the
announcement of the victory: when he entered the city the (vestal virgin)
priestesses, the senate and the people, with their wives and children,
were to meet him. It is quite superfluous to mention the prayers, the
images, the privileges of front seats, and everything else of the sort.
At the very first they both voted him these honors, and either tore down
or erased the memorials that had lent Antony distinction. They declared
the day on which the latter had been born accursed and forbade the
employment of the surname Marcus by any one of his kin. His death was
announced during a part of the year when Cicero, the son of Cicero, was
consul; and on ascertaining this some believed it had come to pass not
without divine direction, since the consul's father had owed his death
chiefly to Antony. Then they voted to Caesar additional crowns and many
thanksgivings, and granted him among other rights authority to conduct a
triumph over the Egyptians also. For neither previously nor at that time
did they mention by name Antony and the rest of the Romans who had
been vanquished with him, and so imply that it was proper to hold a
celebration over them. The day on which Ale