t his soldiers to vote in the
elections, but by private pecuniary applications, corrupted many of
the magistrates. Paulus the consul was of the number, and he had one
thousand five hundred talents for changing sides. So also was Curio, one
of the tribunes of the people, for whom he paid off an immense debt, and
Mark Antony, who, out of friendship for Curio, had stood engaged with
him for the debt.

It is said, that when one of Caesar's officers, who stood before the
senate-house, waiting the issue of the debates, was informed that they
would not give Caesar a longer term in his command, he laid his hand
on his sword, and said, "But this shall give it." Indeed, all the
preparations of his general tended that way; though Curio's demands in
behalf of Caesar seemed more plausible. He proposed, that either Pompey
should likewise be obliged to dismiss his forces, or Caesar suffered
to keep his. "If they are both reduced to a private station," said
he, "they will agree upon reasonable terms; or, if each retains his
respective power, they will be satisfied. But he who weakens the one,
without doing the same by the other, must double that force which he
fears will subvert the government."

But now news was brought that Caesar was marching directly towards Rome
with all his forces. The last circumstance, indeed, was not true. He
advanced with only three hundred horse and five thousand foot; the rest
of his forces were on the other side of the Alps, and he would not
wait for them, choosing rather to put his adversaries in confusion by a
sudden and unexpected attack, than to fight them when better prepared.
When he came to the river Rubicon, which was the boundary of his
province, he stood silent a long time, weighing with himself the
greatness of his enterprise. At last, like one who plunges down from the
top of a precipice into a gulf of immense depth, he silenced his reason,
and shut his eyes against the danger; and crying out in the Greek
language, "The die is cast," he marched over with his army.

Upon the first report of this at Rome, the city was in greater disorder
and astonishment than had ever been known.

All Italy was in motion, with the stir of the coming storm. Those who
lived out of Rome fled to it from all quarters, and those who lived
in it abandoned it as fast. These saw, that in such a tempestuous and
disorderly state of affairs, the well disposed part of the city wanted
strength, and that the ill disposed we