rest object of your affection, I will
also write about myself, and tell you what I think you will not be
indisposed to know. Well then, in public affairs for the moment the
chief subject of interest is the disturbance in Gaul. For the AEdui--"our
brethren"[123]--have recently fought a losing battle, and the Helvetii
are undoubtedly in arms and making raids upon our province.[124] The
senate has decreed that the two consuls should draw lots for the Gauls,
that a levy should be held, all exemptions from service be suspended,
and legates with full powers be sent to visit the states in Gaul, and
see that they do not join the Helvetii. The legates are Quintus Metellus
Creticus,[125] L. Flaccus,[126] and lastly--a case of "rich unguent on
lentils"--Lentulus, son of Clodianus.[127] And while on this subject I
cannot omit mentioning that when among the consulars my name was the
first to come up in the ballot, a full meeting of the senate declared
with one voice that I must be kept in the city. The same occurred to
Pompey after me; so that we two appeared to be kept at home as pledges
of the safety of the Republic. Why should I look for the "bravos" of
others when I get these compliments at home? Well, the state of affairs
in the city is as follows. The agrarian law is being vehemently pushed
by the tribune Flavius, with the support of Pompey, but it has nothing
popular about it except its supporter. From this law I, with the full
assent of a public meeting, proposed to omit all clauses which adversely
affected private rights. I proposed to except from its operation such
public land as had been so in the consulship of P. Mucius and L.
Calpurnius.[128] I proposed to confirm the titles of holders of those to
whom Sulla had actually assigned lands. I proposed to retain the men of
Volaterrae and Arretium--whose lands Sulla had declared forfeited but
had not allotted--in their holdings. There was only one section in the
bill that I did not propose to omit, namely, that land should be
purchased with this money from abroad, the proceeds of the new revenues
for the next five years.[129] But to this whole agrarian scheme the
senate was opposed, suspecting that some novel power for Pompey was
aimed at. Pompey, indeed, had set his heart on getting the law passed.
I, however, with the full approval of the applicants for land,
maintained the holdings of all private owners--for, as you know, the
landed gentry form the bulk of our party's forces