Accordingly with the exception of Caesar they opposed the law;
but Caesar spoke in favour of it, though indeed he cared very little
for Pompeius, but from the beginning it was his plan to insinuate
himself into the popular favour and to gain over the people. But the
rest vehemently assailed Pompeius. One of the consuls who had observed
to him that if he emulated Romulus he would not escape the end of
Romulus, was near being killed by the people. When Catulus came
forward to speak against the law, the people out of respect were
silent for some time; but after he had spoken at length with
honourable mention of Pompeius and without any invidious remark, and
then advised the people to spare him and not to expose such a man to
repeated dangers and wars, "What other man," he continued, "will you
have, if you lose him?" when with one accord all the people replied,
"Yourself." Now as Catulus could produce no effect, he retired from
the Rostra; when Roscius[239] came forward, nobody listened, but he
made signs with his fingers that they should not appoint Pompeius to
the sole command, but should give him a colleague. At this it is said
that the people being irritated sent forth such a shout, that a
crow[240] which was flying over the Forum was stunned and fell down
into the crowd. Whence it appears, that birds which fall, do not
tumble into a great vacuum in the air caused by its rending and
separation, but that they are struck by the blow of the voice, which,
when it is carried along with great mass and strength, causes an
agitation and a wave in the air.
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