he legislative authority. The most important resolutions of peace and
war were seriously debated in the senate, and solemnly ratified by
the people. But when the arms of the legions were carried to a great
distance from Italy, the general assumed the liberty of directing
them against whatever people, and in whatever manner, they judged most
advantageous for the public service. It was from the success, not from
the justice, of their enterprises, that they expected the honors of a
triumph. In the use of victory, especially after they were no longer
controlled by the commissioners of the senate, they exercised the most
unbounded despotism. When Pompey commanded in the East, he rewarded
his soldiers and allies, dethroned princes, divided kingdoms, founded
colonies, and distributed the treasures of Mithridates. On his return
to Rome, he obtained, by a single act of the senate and people, the
universal ratification of all his proceedings. [9] Such was the power
over the soldiers, and over the enemies of Rome, which was either
granted to, or assumed by, the generals of the republic. They were,
at the same time, the governors, or rather monarchs, of the conquered
provinces, united the civil with the military character, administered
justice as well as the finances, and exercised both the executive and
legislative power of the state.

[Footnote 7: Livy Epitom. l. xiv. [c. 27.] Valer. Maxim. vi. 3.]

[Footnote 8: See, in the viiith book of Livy, the conduct of Manlius
Torquatus and Papirius Cursor. They violated the laws of nature and
humanity, but they asserted those of military discipline; and the
people, who abhorred the action, was obliged to respect the principle.]

[Footnote 9: By the lavish but unconstrained suffrages of the people,
Pompey had obtained a military command scarcely inferior to that of
Augustus. Among the extraordinary acts of power executed by the former
we may remark the foundation of twenty-nine cities, and the distribution
of three or four millions sterling to his troops. The ratification of
his acts met with some opposition and delays in the senate See Plutarch,
Appian, Dion Cassius, and the first book of the epistles to Atticus.]

From what has already been observed in the first chapter of this work,
some notion may be formed of the armies and provinces thus intrusted
to the ruling hand of Augustus. But as it was impossible that he could
personally command the regions of so many distant frontiers, he w