of 711. through fear, grew more insolent. The senate now Year altered their mind again, and forbad the army to Rome come within seven hundred and fifty stadia of the city. But Cæsar proceeded; and as soon as he came near the city, the courage of those who had spoken most highly against him began to fail; and some of the senators first, and afterwards many of the people, went over to him. Nay, the very prætors surrendered themselves and their soldiers to him: so that Cæsar got possession of Rome, without striking a single blow. Cæsar was now chosen consul by the people, and Quintus Pedius was assigned him for his colleague. He gave rewards to all his soldiers; and was adopted into the family of Julius Cæsar, according to the forms of law, taking upon him the name of Caius Julius Cæsar Octavianus: for, according to the Roman custom, the person adopted assumed the entire name of him who adopted him, and added one of the names which he had before, with some little alteration. Cæsar, having now bound the soldiers to him, and depressed the senate, openly declared his intention of avenging his father's murder. But in the first place, he distributed the great legacies, which he had bequeathed to the people: which softened their minds, and prevented any tumults which might otherwise have arisen. This he took care to have done according to due form; and a law was made, whereby not only the murderers of Julius Cæsar, but several others also, were condemned to banishment, and confiscation of their goods. Anthony, after his defeat, of 711. Rome Cæsar. The latter did not follow him, becaus senate had ordered Decimus to continue the and the former had no inclination to ruin an e of Cæsar. This gave him an opportunity to g his scattered forces, and to join with Lepidus, intended to have marched into Italy; but was dered by the senate to stay where he was. Deci understanding that he was declared a public en at Rome, attempted to get into Macedonia to I cus Brutus; but falling into the hands of his mies, he chose to kill himself. This common en being thus removed, Anthony and Lepidus termined to march into Italy, leaving Gaul to governed by their lieutenants: Cæsar met then Bononia; where they all conferred together, formed the scheme of the famous Triumvirate; these three men should take the administration affairs into their hands; and destroy all t enemies. They agreed that Cæsar should have government of all Africa, Sardinia, and Sicily; t Lepidus should have all Spain, and Gallia Nar nensis; and that Anthony should have all the res Gaul, on both sides the Alps: whence we may serve, that Virgil's country fell under the gove ment of Anthony. After this, Cæsar marched Rome, and was followed by Anthony and Lepid each with their respective armies; when that hor proscription was begun, by which the lives of ma Romans of the best families and character we cruelly taken away. of 711. At the beginning of these troubles, the famous Year Caius Asinius Pollios was at the head of two le- Rome gions in Spain; whilst Lepidus had the command of three others in the same country, and Plancus had three more in the farther Gault. These three were all thought to favour the cause of Anthony: but all the several factions were in hopes of gaining them. As soon as the siege of Mutina was raised, and the senate began to slight Cæsar, having no farther occasion to depend upon him, they sent orders to these three generals to fight against Anthony, whom it was their chief intention to destroy. When Cæsar, finding himself neglected by the senate, and the war against Anthony committed to the management of Brutus, determined to make peace with Anthony; he wrote also both to Pollio and Lepidus, shewing them how necessary it was for them all to unite, lest Pompey's faction should destroy them one after another, as they plainly intended. When Cæsar was chosen consul, and Decimus, being declared a public enemy, was pursued by Anthony, Pollio joined in the pursuit with his two legions, and brought over Plancus also, with the three which he commanded. We have seen already, that when Anthony and Lepidus marched to meet Cæsar at Bononia, they left Gaul to be governed by their lieutenants; and that when they formed the triumvirate, that province was assigned to Anthony. It is therefore highly probable, that when they marched to Rome, Pollio being See the note on ver. 84. of the third Eclogue. t Appian, de Bell. Civ. lib. iii. of 711. Year a man of known abilities and integrity, was left Rome by Anthony to command in Gaul, as his lieutenant : which seems to be confirmed by his holding the Venetian territory, of which Mantua was a part, about a year afterwards, for Anthony, with seven legions". 712. Thus we may reasonably conclude, that it was when Mantua was under the government of this favourer of the muses, that Virgil wrote the Palæmon, in which Pollio, and he alone of all the great men then in being, is celebrated, as a patron of the author, and a poet himself*. The Palamon is a dispute between two shepherds, who challenge each other to sing alternately: and is an imitation of the fourth and fifth Idyllia of Theocritus. But it is written with infinitely more delicacy than the originals: and though there is the only coarse raillery between the two shepherds, that is to be met with in any of the works of Virgil ; yet their conversation may be thought polite, in comparison with those of Theocritus. He has also introduced the description of two cups, like that famous one in the Ougos: but the Greek poet's description is long, even to tediousness; whereas those of Virgil are far more concise, and elegant. The next year, when Plancus and Lepidus were created consuls, is remarkable for the birth of the "Vell. Paterc. lib. ii. cap. 76. Pollio et ipse facit nova car- Eclog. iii. 84. famous poet, Publius Ovidius Naso, when Virgil Year was in his twenty-ninth year". } They decreed celebrated with On the very first day of this year, the triumvirs, being resolved to begin with performing great honours to the memory of Julius Cæsar, bound themselves by an oath to hold all his actions sacred; ordered a temple to be built in the very place where his body had been burned; and commanded, that a statue of him should be carried about together with one of Venus at the races. also, that his birth-day should be crowns of bay, and universal joy; and that those who omitted this celebration should be obnoxious to the curses of Jupiter and Julius Cæsar; and if they were senators, or the sons of senators, a large fine was to be laid upon them. But, as Julius Cæsar was born on the day of the Ludi Apollinares, on which day the Sibylline oracles forbad any feast to be celebrated to any other god than Apollo, they commanded his birth-day to be kept the day before that festival. They forbad any image of him to be carried about at the funeral of any of his family, according to the usual custom; because he was not a mortal, but a real god. They also made his chapel a place of refuge, from which no one was to be taken who had fled thither; an honour not given by the Romans to any god since the time of Romulus. This deification of Julius Cæsar seems to have been alluded to by Virgil in his Daphnis; which must therefore have been written near the beginning y Olymp. clxxxiv. 3. Ovidius Naso nascitur in Pelignis. Euseb. Chron. Dio, lib. xlvii. f of Rome 712. |