decree investing the Consuls with
dictatorial power. Antonius and Cassius, considering their lives no
longer safe, fled from the city in disguise to Caesar's army, and called
upon him to protect the inviolable persons of the Tribunes. This was the
crisis. The Senate intrusted the management of the war to Pompey,
determined that fresh levies of troops should be held, and voted a sum
of money from the public treasury to Pompey. Pompey all along had no
apprehensions as to the war; he thought it impossible that Caesar should
ever march against him; he was convinced that his great fame would cause
a multitude of troops to flock around him whenever he wished. In
addition to this, he had been deceived as to the disposition of Caesar's
troops: he had been led to believe that they were ready to desert their
general at the first opportunity. Consequently, when the war broke out,
Pompey had scarcely any troops except the two legions which he had
obtained from Caesar, and on the fidelity of which he could by no means
rely.

[Footnote 67: Cicero sent to Milo at Massilia the oration which he meant
to have delivered, the one which we still have. Milo, after reading it,
remarked, "I am glad it was not delivered, for I should then have been
acquitted, and never have known the delicate flavor of these Massilian
mullets."]

[Footnote 68: Caesar's government would expire at the end of B.C. 49, and
he had therefore determined to obtain the Consulship for B.C. 48, since
otherwise he would become a private person.]

[Illustration: Marcus Brutus.]

CHAPTER XXXV.

FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE SECOND CIVIL WAR TO CAESAR'S DEATH. B.C. 49-44.

As soon as Caesar learned at Ravenna the last resolution of the Senate,
he assembled his soldiers, informed them of the wrongs he had sustained,
and called upon them to support him. Finding them quite willing to
support him, he crossed the Rubicon,[69] which separated his province
from Italy, and occupied Ariminum, where he met with the Tribunes. He
commenced his enterprise with only one legion, consisting of 5000
foot-soldiers and 300 horse; but others had orders to follow him from
Transalpine Gaul, and he was well aware of the importance of expedition,
that the enemy might have no time to complete their preparations. Though
it was the middle of winter, he pushed on with the utmost rapidity, and
such was the popularity of his cause in Italy, that city after city
opened its gates to him, and his