were added by the Senate. The
following nine years (58-50) were occupied with the subjugation of
Gaul and the two invasions of Britain (55 and 54). At the conference
at Luca, in the winter of 57-56, it was agreed that Caesar should be
continued in office for a second period of five years, and be allowed
to increase the number of his legions to ten. In 50, realizing the
danger of his position if he returned to Rome as a private person, he
was anxious to be a candidate for the consulship _in absentia_; but
Pompey thwarted his plan. Caesar refused to disband his army at the
bidding of the Senate, and crossed the Rubicon early in 49. Italy soon
submitted; he defeated the Pompeians in Spain, captured Massilia, and
secured Sicily and Sardinia. Landing in Epirus in 48, he was defeated
at Dyrrhachium, and retreated to Thessaly, where he overthrew Pompey
at Pharsalus. Then followed his victories over the king of Egypt in
the Alexandrian war (48), Pharnaces in Asia Minor (47), the Pompeians
and Juba at Thapsus (46), and C. and Sex. Pompeius at Munda (45).

He had been created dictator in 49 and 48, with the tribunician power
in perpetuity; and on his return to Rome in 45 he was made consul for
ten years, dictator, and _praefectus morum_, with the title of
_imperator_ for life. In the intervals between his campaigns he
carried out numerous reforms, including the rectification of the
calendar, B.C. 46 (see p. 110). His assassination by Brutus and
Cassius and the other conspirators took place on 15th March, B.C. 44.

(2) WORKS.

1. _De Bello Gallico_, in seven Books. The title used by Caesar
himself was probably _Commentarii rerum suarum_ (as in Cic. _Brut._
262, and Sueton. _Iul._ 56; cf. Strabo, iv. 1, 1 +hypomnemata+),
although this does not appear in the best MSS., which give variously
_libri_, _historiae_, or _ephemeris rerum gestarum belli Gallici_.

The work describes Caesar's operations in Gaul, Germany, and Britain
during the years B.C. 58-52, the events of each year occupying a
separate Book. It was written and published as a whole, not in parts
at the end of each year's campaign. Otherwise it is difficult to see
why Cicero should not have heard of it from his brother Quintus or his
friend Trebatius, both of whom were with Caesar; or why Hirtius should
have spoken of the rapidity with which the work was composed (_B.G._
viii. praef. 6, 'Ceteri quam bene atque emendate, nos etiam quam
facile atque celeriter eos perfec