For the soldiers suddenly fell on the consul
Bibulus as he was going down to the Forum with Lucullus and Cato, and
broke the fasces; and some one bedaubed Bibulus by throwing a basket
of ordure over his head, and two of the tribunes who were conducting
him were wounded. By these means they cleared the Forum of their
opponents and then carried the law about the distribution of lands.
The people being taken with this bait were now become tame and ready
to support any project of theirs, giving no trouble at all, but
silently voting for what was proposed to them. Accordingly the
regulations of Pompeius as to which he was at variance with Lucullus
were confirmed, and Caesar received Gaul within and without the Alps
and the province of Illyricum for five years with four complete
legions; and it was settled that the consuls for the next year should
be Piso[310] the father-in-law of Caesar, and Gabinius, who was the
most extravagant of the flatterers of Pompeius. While this was going
on, Bibulus shut himself up in his house and never went out for eight
months, the remainder of the period of his consulship, but he sent out
counter-edicts full of abuse and charges against both: Cato as if
inspired and under divine influence foretold in the Senate what would
happen to the city and to Pompeius; and Lucullus[311] renouncing
public life kept quiet, on the ground that his age disqualified him
for political concerns, on which Pompeius observed that for an old man
luxury was more unsuitable to his age than to mingle in affairs of
state.
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