Colleen McCullough - 5. Caesar

Caesar took up residence on the Campus Martius (in Pompey's deserted villa) at the end of March, determined not to cross the pomerium into the city; it was no part of his plans to behave as if he admitted he had lost his imperium. Through Mark Antony and Quintus Cassius, his tribunes of the plebs, he convoked the Senate to meet in the temple of Apollo on the Kalends of April. After which he settled down to confer with Balbus and his nephew Balbus Minor, Gaius Oppius, his old friend Gaius Matius, and Atticus. "Who is where?" he asked, of anyone. "Manius Lepidus and his son returned to Rome after you pardoned them at Corfinium, and I gather are debating whether to take their seats in the Senate tomorrow," said Atticus. "Lentulus Spinther?" "Sulking at his villa near Puteoli. He may end in going to Pompeius across the water, but I doubt he'll raise fresh resistance against you in Italia," said Gaius Matius. "It seems two tastes of Ahenobarbus were enough for Lentulus Spinther first Corfinium, then Etruria. He's ended in preferring to go to earth." "And Ahenobarbus?" Balbus Minor answered. "He chose the Via Valeria back to Rome after Corfinium, skulked at Tibur for a few days, then went to Etruria. He's been recruiting there with considerable success. The man is inordinately wealthy, of course, and withdrew his funds from Rome before before you crossed the Rubicon," "In fact," said Caesar levelly, "one would have to say that the intemperate Ahenobarbus acted more prudently and logically than any of the others. Save for his decision to remain in Corfinium." "True," said Balbus Minor. "And what does he intend to do with his Etrurian recruits?" "He's gathered two small fleets, one in Cosa harbor and one on the island of Igilium. From which," said Balbus Minor, "it seems he intends to quit Italia. Probably to go to Spain. I've been traveling extensively in Etruria, and that's the rumor." "How is Rome?" Caesar asked Atticus. "Much calmer after the news of your clemency at Corfinium, Caesar. Also once everyone began to realize that you're not slaughtering soldiers in the field. As civil wars go, it's being said, this is a remarkably bloodless one." "Let us keep offering to the Gods that it remains bloodless." "The trouble is," said Gaius Matius, remembering days when two little boys played together in the courtyard of Aurelia's insula, "that your enemies don't have the same objectivity. I doubt any of them except Pompeius himself, perhaps cares how much blood is shed, provided you're brought down." "Oppius, tell me all about Cato." "He's gone to Sicily, Caesar." "Well, he was appointed its governor." "He was, but he's not well liked by the majority of those senators who stayed in Rome after you crossed the Rubicon. So they got around Cato's governorship by deciding to appoint a man specifically to secure the grain supply. They chose, of all people, Lucius Postumius. But Postumius declined the commission. Asked why, he expressed unease at supplanting Cato, still the titular governor. They begged him to go. Finally he said he would provided Cato came with him. Naturally Cato didn't want the job. He doesn't like being out of Italia, as we all know. However, Postumius stood firm, so in the end Cato agreed to go too. After which his Ape, Favonius, offered to accompany him." Caesar listened to this with a smile. "Lucius Postumius, eh? Ye Gods, they have an inspired ability to pick the wrong men! A more precious, pedantic and fiddling man I don't know." "You're absolutely right," said Atticus. "The moment he had the commission, he refused to leave for Sicily! Wouldn't budge until young Lucius Caesar and Lucius Roscius came back with your terms. After that he refused to sail until Publius Sestius returned with your answer to Pompeius's terms." "Dear, dear. So when did this wonderful little clutch of hens finally depart?" "Midway through February." "With any troops, since there's no legion in Sicily?" "Absolutely none. The understanding was that Pompeius would ship twelve cohorts of Ahenobarbus's troops to them, but you know what happened to that. Every man Pompeius possesses has gone to Dyrrachium." "They haven't thought very much about the welfare of Rome, have they?" Gaius Matius shrugged. "They didn't need to, Caesar. They know you won't see Rome or Italia starve." "Well, at least taking Sicily shouldn't present any great difficulties," said Caesar, acknowledging the truth of Matius's statement. He raised his brows to the older Balbus. "I find it hard to credit, but is it really true that no one emptied the Treasury?" he asked. "Absolutely true, Caesar. It's stuffed with bullion." "I hope it's stuffed with coin too." "You'll garnish the Treasury?" asked Gaius Matius. "I have to, oldest friend. Wars cost money, staggering amounts of it, and civil wars don't bring booty in their train." "But surely," said Balbus Minor, frowning, "you don't mean to drag thousands of wagons of gold, silver and coins with you wherever you go?" "Ah, you're thinking that I don't dare to leave it in Rome," said Caesar, very relaxed. "However, that's exactly what I'll do. Why should I not? Pompeius has to climb over the top of me before he can enter Rome he abandoned her. All I'll remove is what I need for the moment. About a thousand talents in coin, if there's that much there. I'll have to fund a war in Sicily and Africa as well as my own campaign in the West. But one thing you can count on, Minor I won't relinquish control of the Treasury once it's mine. And by mine, I mean establishing myself and those senators still in Rome as the legitimate government." "Do you think you can do that?" asked Atticus. "I sincerely hope so," said Caesar.

But when the Senate met on the first day of April in the temple of Apollo, it was so thinly attended that it didn't constitute a quorum. A terrific blow to Caesar. Of the consulars, only Lucius Volcatius Tullus and Servius Sulpicius Rufus came, and Servius was unsympathetic. Nor had every boni tribune of the plebs departed, a contingency which Caesar hadn't counted on. There beside Mark Antony and Quintus Cassius on the tribunician bench was Lucius Caecilius Metellus, very boni indeed. A worse blow to Caesar, who had made his reason for crossing the Rubicon the injuries done to his tribunes of the plebs. Which meant that now he couldn't react with force or intimidation if any of his motions were to be vetoed by Lucius Metellus. Despite the fact that there were not enough senators present to pass any decrees, Caesar spoke at length on the perfidies of the boni and his own perfectly justified march into Italia. The lack of bloodshed was dwelled upon. The clemency at Corfinium was dwelled upon. "What must be done immediately," he said in conclusion, "is for this House to send a deputation to Gnaeus Pompeius in Epirus. The deputation will be formally charged with the duty of negotiating a peace. I do not want to fight a civil war, be that civil war in Italia or elsewhere." The ninety-odd men shuffled, looked desperately unhappy. "Very well, then, Caesar," said Servius Sulpicius. "If you think a deputation will help, we will send it." "May I have the names of ten men, please?" But no one would volunteer. Tight-lipped, Caesar looked at the urban praetor, Marcus Aemilius Lepidus; he was the most senior man left among the elected government. The youngest son of a man who had rebelled against the State and died for it some said of pneumonia, others of a broken heart Lepidus was determined to reinstate his patrician family among the most powerful people in Rome. A handsome man who bore a sword scar across his nose, Lepidus had realized some time ago that the boni would never trust him (or his elder brother, Lucius Aemilius Lepidus Paullus); Caesar's advent had come as a salvation. Thus he got to his feet eager to do as he had been asked before the meeting commenced. "Conscript Fathers, the proconsul Gaius Caesar has requested that he be granted free access to the funds of the Treasury. I hereby move that permission to advance Gaius Caesar whatever he needs from the Treasury be granted. Not without profit for the Treasury. Gaius Caesar has offered to take what he needs on loan at ten percent simple interest." "I veto that motion, Marcus Lepidus," said Lucius Metellus. "Lucius Metellus, it's a good deal for Rome!" cried Lepidus. "Rubbish!" said Lucius Metellus scornfully. "First of all, you can't pass a motion in a House which does not constitute a quorum. And, more importantly by far, what Caesar is actually asking is to be formally invested with the legitimate cause in this present difference of opinion between himself and the true government of Rome. I veto his being granted loans from the Treasury, and I will go on vetoing! If Caesar can't find money, he'll have to desist in his aggression. Therefore I veto." An able enough man, Lepidus countered. "There is a Senatus Consultum Ultimum in effect forbidding the tribunician veto, Lucius Metellus." "Ah," said Lucius Metellus, smiling brilliantly, "but that was the old government! Caesar marched to protect the rights and persons of the tribunes of the plebs, and this is his Senate, his government. One must presume that its cornerstone is the right of a tribune of the plebs to interpose his veto." "Thank you," said Caesar, "for refreshing my memory, Lucius Metellus." Dismissing the Senate, Caesar called the People into a formal assembly in the Circus Flaminius. This meeting was far better attended and by those who had no love for the boni. The crowd listened receptively to the same speech Caesar had delivered to the Senate, prepared to believe in Caesar's clemency and anxious to help in whatever way possible. Especially after Caesar told the People that he would continue Clodius's free grain dole and give three hundred sesterces to every Roman man. "But," said Caesar, "I do not want to look like a dictator! I am in the midst of pleading with the Senate to govern, and I will continue until I have persuaded it to govern. For which reason, I do not ask you at this moment to pass any laws." Which proved to be a mistake; the impasse in the Senate went on. Servius Sulpicius harped constantly on peace at any price, no one would volunteer to be a part of the deputation to Pompey, and Lucius Metellus kept interposing his veto every time Caesar asked for money.