This was one of the greatest strokes of statecraft ever devised. It made
peace at home--averted civil war--cemented rival factions.

When three men join forces, make no mistake--power is never equally
divided.

Before the piping times of peace could pall, a foreign war diverted
attention from approaching difficulties at home.

The Gauls were threatening--they were always threatening--war could be
had with them any time by just pushing out upon them. To the south,
Sicily, Greece, Persia and Egypt had been exploited--fame and empire lay
in the dim and unknown North.

Only a Caesar could have known this. He had his colleagues make him
governor of Gaul. Gaul was a troublesome place to be, and they were
quite willing he should go there. For a priest to go among the fighting
Gauls--they smiled and stroked their chins! Gaul had definite boundaries
on the south--the Rubicon marked the line--but on the north it was
without limit. Real-estate owners own as high in the air and as deep in
the earth as they wish to go. Caesar alone guessed the greatness of Gaul.

Under pretense of protecting Rome from a threatened invasion he secured
the strongest legions of Pompey and Crassus. Combining them into one
army he led them northward to such conquest and victory as the world
had never before seen.

It is not for me to tell the history of Caesar's Gallic wars. Suffice it
to say that in eight years he had penetrated what is now Switzerland,
France, Germany and England. Everywhere he left monuments of his
greatness in the way of splendid highways, baths, aqueducts and temples.
Colonies of settlers from the packed population of Rome followed the
victors.

An army left to itself after conquest will settle down to riot and mad
surfeit, but this man kept his forces strong by keeping them at
work--discipline was never relaxed, yet there was such kindness and care
for his men that no mutiny ever made head.

Caesar became immensely rich--his debts were now all paid--the treasure
returned to Rome did the general coffers fill, his name and fame were
blazoned on the Roman streets.

When he returned he knew, and had always known, it would be as a
conquering hero. Pompey and Crassus did not wish Caesar to return. He was
still governor of Gaul and should stay there. They made him governor--he
must do as they required--they sent him his orders. "The die is cast,"
said Caesar on reading the message. Immediately he crossed the Rubicon.

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