Bibulus, Caesar's colleague, found it useless to oppose Caesar's
measures, and he and Cato several times narrowly escaped with their
lives in the Forum, whereupon Bibulus shut himself up at home for the
remainder of his consulship. Immediately after his marriage Pompeius
filled the Forum with armed men, and supported the people in passing
Caesar's laws and in giving him for five years Gaul on both sides of
the Alps with the addition of Illyricum and four legions. Upon Cato's
venturing to speak against these measures, Caesar ordered him to be
carried off to prison, thinking that he would appeal to the tribunes.
But Cato went off without speaking a word; and Caesar observing that
the nobles were much annoyed at this, and the people also through
respect for Cato's virtue were following him in silence and with
downcast eyes, secretly asked one of the tribunes to release Cato.
Very few of the senators used to accompany Caesar to the Senate, but
the majority not liking his measures stayed away. Considius,[476] who
was a very old man, observed that the senators did not come because
they were afraid of the arms and the soldiers. "Why don't you then
stay at home for the same reason?" replied Caesar, to which Considius
rejoined, "My age makes me fearless, for the little of life that
remains for me is not worth much thought." The most scandalous public
measure in Caesar's consulship was the election as tribune of that[477]
Clodius who had dishonoured Caesar's wife and violated the mysterious
nocturnal rites.
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