had now returned inflated
with such pride that Brutus, and Cassius, and Casca could no longer
endure him. He came back, and triumphed over the five lands in which he
had conquered not the enemies of Rome, but Rome itself. He triumphed
nominally over the Gauls, the Egyptians, the Asiatics of Pontus, over
the Africans, and the Spaniards; but his triumph was, in truth, over the
Republic. There appears from Suetonius to have been five separate
triumphal processions, each at the interval of a few days.[159] Amid the
glory of the first Vercingetorix was strangled. To the glory of the
third was added--as Suetonius tells us--these words, "Veni, vidi, vici,"
displayed on a banner. This I think more likely than that he had written
them on an official despatch. We are told that the people of Rome
refused to show any pleasure, and that even his own soldiers had enough
in them of the Roman spirit to feel resentment at his assumption of the
attributes of a king. Cicero makes but little mention of these gala
doings in his letters. He did not see them, but wrote back word to
Atticus, who had described it all. "An absurd pomp," he says, alluding
to the carriage of the image of Caesar together with that of the gods;
and he applauds the people who would not clap their hands, even in
approval of the Goddess of Victory, because she had shown herself in
such bad company.[160] There are, however, but three lines on the
subject, showing how little there is in that statement of Cornelius
Nepos that he who had read Cicero's letters carefully wanted but little
more to be well informed of the history of the day.

Caesar was not a man likely to be turned away from his purpose of ruling
well by personal pride--less likely, we should say, than any self-made
despot dealt with in history. He did make efforts to be as he was
before. He endeavored to live on terms of friendship with his old
friends; but the spirit of pride which had taken hold of him was too
much for him. Power had got possession of him, and he could not stand
against it. It was sad to see the way in which it compelled him to make
himself a prey to the conspirators, were it not that we learn from
history how impossible it is that a man should raise himself above the
control of his fellow-men without suffering.

[Sidenote: B.C. 45, aetat. 62.]

During these days Cicero kept himself in the country, giving himself up
to his philosophical writings, and indulging in grief for Tullia.
Effor