Their deliberations resulted in this: it was agreed that
Pompeius and Crassus should be made consuls, and that Caesar should
have an allowance of money and five additional years in his province,
which to all reflecting people seemed the most extravagant thing of
all. For those who were receiving so much from Caesar, urged the Senate
to grant him money as if he had none, or rather compelled the Senate
to do it, groaning as it were over its own decrees. Cato, indeed, was
not present, for he had been purposely sent out of the way on a
mission to Cyprus; and Favonius, who affected to imitate Cato, finding
he could do nothing by his opposition, hastily left the Senate and
began to clamour to the people. But nobody attended to him, some from
fear of displeasing Pompeius and Crassus, but the greater part kept
quiet to please Caesar, living on hopes from him.
XXII. Caesar again returned to his troops in Gaul where he found much
war in the country, for two great German nations had just crossed the
Rhenus for the purpose of getting land; the one nation was called
Usipes,[493] and the other Tenteritae. Respecting the battle with them,
Caesar says in his Commentaries,[494] that the barbarians, while they
were treating with him during a truce, attacked on their march and so
put to flight his own cavalry to the number of five thousand with
eight hundred of their own, for his men were not expecting an attack;
that they then sent other ambassadors to him intending to deceive him
again, whom he detained, and then led his army against the barbarians,
considering all faith towards such faithless men and violators of
truces to be folly.
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