rtion of envy, and
every misfortune was irretrievable.

In the meantime the wars in Gaul lifted Caesar to the first sphere of
greatness. The scene of action was at a great distance from Rome, and he
seemed to be wholly engaged with the Belgae, the Suevi, and the Britons;
but his genius all the while was privately at work among the people of
Rome, and he was undermining Pompey in his most essential interests. His
war with the barbarians was not his principal object. He exercised his
army, indeed, in those expeditions, as he would have done his own body,
in hunting and other diversions of the field, by which he prepared
them for higher conflicts, and rendered them not only formidable but
invincible.

The gold and silver, and other rich spoils which he took from the enemy
in great abundance, he sent to Rome; and by distributing them freely
among the aediles, praetors, consuls, and their wives, he gained a great
party. Consequently when he passed the Alps and wintered at Lucca, among
the crowd of men and women, who hastened to pay their respects to him,
there were two hundred senators, Pompey and Crassus of the number; and
there were no fewer than one hundred and twenty proconsuls and praetors,
whose faces were to be seen at the gates of Caesar. He made it his
business in general to give them hopes of great things, and his money
was at their devotion; but he entered into a treaty with Crassus
and Pompey, by which it was agreed that they should apply for the
consulship, and that Caesar should assist them, by sending a great
number of his soldiers to vote at the election. As soon as they were
chosen, they were to share the provinces, and take the command of
armies, according to their pleasure, only confirming Caesar in the
possession of what he had for five years more.

Crassus, upon the expiration of his consulship, repaired to his
province. Pompey remaining at Rome, opened his theatre; and to make the
dedication more magnificent, exhibited a variety of gymnastic games,
entertainments of music, and battles with wild beasts, in which
were killed 500 lions; but the battle of elephants afforded the most
astonishing spectacle. (Dio says the elephants fought with armed men.
There were no less than eighteen of them; and he adds, that some of them
seemed to appeal, with piteous cries to the people; who, in compassion,
saved their lives. If we may believe him, an oath had been taken before
they left Africa, that no injury should