Julius Caesar (Suetonius)

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	Julius Caesar Author: Suetonius	Translator: Alexander Thomson
61	utebatur autem equo insigni , pedibus prope humanis et in modum digitorum ungulis fissis , quem natum apud se , cum haruspices imperium orbis terrae significare domino pronuntiassent , magna cura aluit nec patientem sessoris alterius primus ascendit ; cuius etiam instar pro aede Veneris Genetricis postea dedicauit .	He rode a very remarkable horse, with feet almost like those of a man, the hoofs being divided in such a manner as to have some resemblance to toes. This horse he had bred himself, and the soothsayers having interpreted these circumstances into an omen that its owner would be master of the world, he brought him up with particular care, and broke him in himself, as the horse would suffer no one else to mount him. A statue of this horse was afterwards erected by Caesar's order before the temple of Venus Genitrix.
62	inclinatam aciem solus saepe restituit obsistens fugientibus retinensque singulos et contortis faucibus conuertens in hostem et quidem adeo plerumque trepidos , ut aquilifer moranti se cuspide sit comminatus , alius in manu detinentis reliquerit signum .	He often rallied his troops, when they were giving way, by his personal efforts; stopping those who fled, keeping others in their ranks, and seizing them by their throat turned them towards the enemy; although numbers were so terrified, that an eagle-bearer, thus stopped, made a thrust at him with the spear-head; and another, upon a similar occasion, left the standard in his hand.
63	non minor illa constantia eius , maiora etiam indicia fuerint . post aciem Pharsalicam cum praemissis in Asiam copiis per angustias Hellesponti uectoria nauicula traiceret , L . Cassium partis aduersae cum decem rostratis nauibus obuium sibi neque refugit et comminus tendens , ultro ad deditionem hortatus , supplicem ad se recepit .	The following instances of his resolution are equally, and even more remarkable. After the battle of Pharsalia, having sent his troops before him into Asia, as he was passing the straits of the Hellespont in a ferryboat, he met with Lucius Cassius, one of the opposite party, with ten ships of war; and so far from endeavouring to escape, he went alongside his ship, and calling upon him to surrender, Cassius humbly gave him his submission.
64	Alexandriae circa oppugnationem pontis eruptione hostium subita conpulsus in scapham pluribus eodem praecipitantibus , cum desilisset in mare , nando per ducentos passus euasit ad proximam nauem , elata laeua , ne libelli quos tenebat madefierent , paludamentum mordicus trahens , ne spolio poteretur hostis .	At Alexandria, in the attack of a bridge, being forced by a sudden sally of the enemy into a boat, and several others hurrying in with him, he leaped into the sea, and saved himself by swimming to the next ship, which lay at the distance of two hundred paces; holding up his left hand out of the water, for fear of wetting some papers which he held in it; and pulling his general's cloak after him with his teeth, lest it should fall into the hands of the enemy.
65	Militem neque a moribus neque a fortuna probabat , sed tantum a uiribus , tractabatque pari seueritate atque indulgentia . non enim ubique ac semper , sed cum hostis in proximo esset , coercebat : tum maxime exactor grauissimus disciplinae , ut neque itineris neque proelii tempus denuntiaret , sed paratum et intentum momentis omnibus quo uellet subito educeret . quod etiam sine causa plerumque faciebat , praecipue pluuiis et festis diebus . ac subinde obseruandum se admonens repente interdiu uel nocte subtrahebat , augebatque iter , ut serius subsequentis defetigaret .	He never valued a soldier for his moral conduct or his means, but for his courage only; and treated his troops with a mixture of severity and indulgence; for he did not always keep a strict hand over them, but only when the enemy was near. Then indeed he was so strict a disciplinarian, that he would give no notice of a march or a battle until the moment of action, in order that the troops might hold themselves in readiness for any sudden movement; and he would frequently draw them out of the camp without any necessity for it, especially in rainy weather, and upon holy-days. Sometimes, giving them orders not to lose sight of him, he would suddenly depart by day or by night, and lengthen the marches in order to tire them out, as they followed him at a distance.
66	fama uero hostilium copiarum perterritos non negando minuendoue , sed insuper amplificando ementiendoque confirmabat . itaque cum expectatio aduentus Iubae terribilis esset , conuocatis ad contionem militibus : ' scitote ,' inquit , ' paucissimis his diebus regem adfuturum cum decem legionibus , equitum triginta , leuis armaturae centum milibus , elephantis trecentis . proinde desinant quidam quaerere ultra aut opinari mihique , qui compertum habeo , credant ; aut quidem uetustissima naue impositos quocumque uento in quascumque terras iubebo auehi .'	When at any time his troops were dispirited by reports of the great force of the enemy, he rallied their courage, not by denying the truth of what was said, or by diminishing the facts, but, on the contrary, by exaggerating every particular. Accordingly, when his troops were in great alarm at the expected arrival of king Juba, he called them together, and said, "I have to inform you that in a very few days the king will be here, with ten legions, thirty thousand horse, a hundred thousand light-armed foot, and three hundred elephants. Let none of you, therefore, presume to make further enquiry, or indulge in conjectures, but take my word for what I tell you, which I have from undoubted intelligence; otherwise I shall put them aboard an old crazy vessel, and leave them exposed to the mercy of the winds, to be transported to some other country."
67	Delicta neque obseruabat omnia neque pro modo exequebatur , sed desertorum ac seditiosorum et inquisitor et punitor acerrimus coniuebat in ceteris . ac nonnumquam post magnam pugnam atque uictoriam remisso officiorum munere licentiam omnem passim lasciuiendi permittebat , iactare solitus milites suos etiam unguentatos bene pugnare posse . nec milites eos pro contione , sed blandiore nomine commilitones appellabat habebatque tam cultos , ut argento et auro politis armis ornaret , simul et ad speciem et quo tenaciores eorum in proelio essent metu damni . diligebat quoque usque adeo , ut audita clade Tituriana barbam capillumque summiserit nec ante dempserit quam uindicasset .	He neither noticed all their trangressions, nor punished them according to strict rule. But for deserters and mutineers he made the most diligent enquiry, and their punishment was most severe: other delinquencies he would connive at. Sometimes, after a great battle ending in victory, he would grant them a relaxation from all kinds of duty, and leave them to revel at pleasure; being used to boast, "that his soldiers fought nothing the worse for being well oiled." In his speeches, he never addressed them by the title of "Soldiers," but by the kinder phrase of "Fellow-soldiers;" and kept them in such splendid order, that their arms were ornamented with silver and gold, not merely for parade, but to render the soldiers more resolute to save them in battle, and fearful of losing them. He loved his troops to such a degree, that when he heard of the defeat of those under Titurius, he neither cut his hair nor shaved his beard, until he had revenged it upon the enemy; by which means he engaged their devoted affection, and raised their valour to the highest pitch.
68	quibus rebus et deuotissimos sibi et fortissimos reddidit . ingresso ciuile bellum centuriones cuiusque legionis singulos equites e uiatico suo optulerunt , uniuersi milites gratuitam et sine frumento stipendioque operam , cum tenuiorum tutelam locupletiores in se contulissent . neque in tam diuturno spatio quisquam omnino desciuit , plerique capti concessam sibi sub condicione uitam , si militare aduersus eum uellent , recusarunt . famem et ceteras necessitates , non cum obsiderentur modo sed et si ipsi alios obsiderent , tanto opere tolerabant , ut Dyrrachina munitione Pompeius uiso genere panis ex herba , quo sustinebantur , cum feris sibi rem esse dixerit amouerique ocius nec cuiquam ostendi iusserit , ne patientia et pertinacia hostis animi suorum frangerentur . Quanta fortitudine dimicarint , testimonio est quod aduerso semel apud Dyrrachium proelio poenam in se ultro depoposcerunt , ut consolandos eos magis imperator quam puniendos habuerit . ceteris proeliis innumeras aduersariorum copias multis partibus ipsi pauciores facile superarunt . denique una sextae legionis cohors praeposita castello quattuor Pompei legiones per aliquot horas sustinuit paene omnis confixa multitudine hostilium sagittarum , quarum centum ac triginta milia intra uallum reperta sunt . nec mirum , si quis singulorum facta respiciat , uel Cassi Scaeuae centurionis uel Gai Acili militis , ne de pluribus referam . Scaeua excusso oculo , transfixus femore et umero , centum et uiginti ictibus scuto perforato , custodiam portae commissi castelli retinuit . Acilius nauali ad Massiliam proelio iniecta in puppem hostium dextera et abscisa memorabile illud apud Graecos Cynegiri exemplum imitatus transiluit in nauem umbone obuios agens .	Upon his entering on the civil war, the centurions of every legion offered, each of them, to maintain a horseman at his own expense, and the whole army agreed to serve gratis, without either corn or pay; those amongst them who were rich, charging themselves with the maintenance of the poor. No one of them, during the whole course of the war, deserted to the enemy; and many of those who were made prisoners, though they were offered their lives, upon condition of bearing arms against him, refused to accept the terms. They endured want, and other hardships, not only when they were besieged themselves, but when they besieged others, to such a degree, that Pompey, when blocked up in the neighbourhood of Dyrrachium, upon seeing a sort of bread made of an herb, which they lived upon, said, "I have to do with wild beasts," and ordered it immediately to be taken away; because, if his troops should see it, their spirit might be broken by perceiving the endurance and determined resolution of the enemy. With what bravery they fought, one instance affords sufficient proof; which is, that after an unsuccessful engagement at Dyrrachium, they called for punishment; insomuch that their general found it more necessary to comfort than to punish them. In other battles, in different quarters, they defeated with ease immense armies of the enemy, although they were much inferior to them in number. In short, one cohort of the sixth legion held out a fort against four legions belonging to Pompey, during several hours; being almost every one of them wounded by the vast number of arrows discharged against them, and of which there were found within the ramparts a hundred and thirty thousand. This is no way surprising, when we consider the conduct of some individuals amongst them; such as that of Cassius Scaeva, a centurion, or Caius Acilius, a common soldier, not to speak of others. Scaeva, after having an eye struck out, being run through the thigh and the shoulder, and having his shield pierced in an hundred and twenty places, maintained obstinately the guard of the gate of a fort, with the command of which he was intrusted. Acilius, in the sea-fight at Marseilles, having seized a ship of the enemy's with his right hand, and that being cut off, in imitation of that memorable instance of resolution in Cynaegirus amongst the Greeks, boarded the enemy's ship, bearing down all before him with the boss of his shield.
69	Seditionem per decem annos Gallicis bellis nullam omnino mouerunt , ciuilibus aliquas , sed ut celeriter ad officium redierint , nec tam indulgentia ducis quam auctoritate . non enim cessit umquam tumultuantibus atque etiam obuiam semper iit ; et nonam quidem legionem apud Placentiam , quanquam in armis adhuc Pompeius esset , totam cum ignominia missam fecit aegreque post multas et supplicis preces , nec nisi exacta de sontibus poena , restituit ;	They never once mutinied during all the ten years of the Gallic war, but were sometimes refractory in the course of the civil war. However, they always returned quickly to their duty, and that not through the indulgence, but in submission to the authority, of their general; for he never yielded to them when they were insubordinate, but constantly resisted their demands. He disbanded the whole ninth legion with ignominy at Placentia, although Pompey was still in arms, and would not receive them again into his service, until they had not only made repeated and humble entreaties, but until the ringleaders in the mutiny were punished.
70	decimanos autem Romae cum ingentibus minis summoque etiam urbis periculo missionem et praemia flagitantes , ardente tunc in Africa bello , neque adire cunctatus est , quanquam deterrentibus amicis , neque dimittere ; sed una uoce , qua ' Quirites ' eos pro militibus appellarat , tam facile circumegit et flexit , ut ei milites esse confestim responderint et quamuis recusantem ultro in Africam sint secuti ; ac sic quoque seditiosissimum quemque et praedae et agri destinati tertia parte multauit .	When the soldiers of the tenth legion at Rome demanded their discharge and rewards for their service, with violent threats and no small danger to the city, although the war was then raging in Africa, he did not hesitate, contrary to the advice of his friends, to meet the legion, and disband it. But addressing them by the title of "Quirites," instead of "Soldiers," he by this single word so thoroughly brought them round and changed their determination, that they immediately cried out they were his " soldiers," and followed him to Africa, although he had refused their service. He nevertheless punished the most mutinous among them. with the loss of a third of their share in the plunder, and the land destined for them.
71	Studium et fides erga clientis ne iuueni quidem defuerunt . Masintham nobilem iuuenem , cum aduersus Hiempsalem regem tam enixe defendisset , ut Iubae regis filio in altercatione barbam inuaserit , stipendiarium quoque pronuntiatum et abstrahentibus statim eripuit occultauitque apud se diu et mox ex praetura proficiscens in Hispaniam inter officia prosequentium fascesque lictorum lectica sua auexit .	In the service of his clients, while yet a young man, he evinced great zeal and fidelity. He defended the cause of a noble youth, Masintha, against king Hiempsal, so strenuously, that in a scuffle which took place upon the occasion, he seized by the beard the son of king Juba; and upon Masintha's being declared tributary to Hiempsal, while the friends of the adverse party were violently carrying him off, he immediately rescued him by force, kept him concealed in his house a long time, and when, at the expiration of his praetorship, he went to Spain, he took him away in his litter, in the midst of his lictors bearing the fasces, and others who had come to attend and take leave of him.
72	Amicos tanta semper facilitate indulgentiaque tractauit , ut Gaio Oppio comitanti se per siluestre iter correptoque subita ualitudine deuersoriolo , quod unum erat , cesserit et ipse humi ac sub diuo cubuerit . iam autem rerum potens quosdam etiam infimi generis ad amplissimos honores prouexit , cum ob id culparetur , professus palam , si grassatorum et sicariorum ope in tuenda sua dignitate usus esset , talibus quoque se parem gratiam relaturum .	He always treated his friends with such kindness and good-nature, that when Caius Oppius, in travelling with him through a forest, was suddenly taken ill, he resigned to him the only place there was to shelter them at night, and lay upon the ground in the open air. When he had placed himself at the head of affairs, he advanced some of his faithful adherents, though of mean extraction, to the highest offices; and when he was censured for this partiality, he openly said, "Had I been assisted by robbers and cut-throats in the defense of my honour, I should have made them the same recompense."
73	Simultates contra nullas tam graues excepit umquam , ut non occasione oblata libens deponeret . Gai Memmi , cuius asperrimis orationibus non minore acerbitate rescripserat , etiam suffragator mox in petitione consulatus fuit . Gaio Caluo post famosa epigrammata de reconciliatione per amicos agenti ultro ac prior scripsit . Valerium Catullum , a quo sibi uersiculis de Mamurra perpetua stigmata imposita non dissimulauerat , satis facientem eadem die adhibuit cenae hospitioque patris eius , sicut consuerat , uti perseuerauit .	The resentment he entertained against any one was never so implacable that he did not very willingly renounce it when opportunity offered. Although Caius Memmius had published some extremely virulent speeches against him, and he had answered them with equal acrimony, yet he afterwards assisted him with his vote and interest, when he stood candidate for the consulship. When C. Calvus, after publishing some scandalous epigrams upon him, endeavoured to effect a reconciliation by the intercession of friends, he wrote to him, of his own accord; the first letter. And when Valerius Catullus, who had, as he himself observed, fixed such a stain upon his character in his verses upon Mamurra as never could be obliterated, he begged his pardon, invited him to supper the same day; and continued to take up his lodging with his father occasionally, as he had been accustomed to do.
74	sed et in ulciscendo natura lenissimus piratas , a quibus captus est , cum in dicionem redegisset , quoniam suffixurum se cruci ante iurauerat , iugulari prius iussit , deinde suffigi ; Cornelio Phagitae , cuius quondam nocturnas insidias aeger ac latens , ne perduceretur ad Sullam , uix praemio dato euaserat , numquam nocere sustinuit ; Philemonem a manu seruum , qui necem suam per uenenum inimicis promiserat , non grauius quam simplici morte puniit ; in Publium Clodium Pompeiae uxoris suae adulterum atque eadem de causa pollutarum caerimoniarum reum testis citatus negauit se quicquam comperisse , quamuis et mater Aurelia et soror Iulia apud eosdem iudices omnia ex fide rettulissent ; interrogatusque , cur igitur repudiasset uxorem : ' quoniam ,' inquit , ' meos tam suspicione quam crimine iudico carere oportere .'	His temper was also naturally averse to severity in retaliation. After he had captured the pirates, by whom he had been taken, having sworn that he would crucify them, he did so indeed; but he first ordered their throats to be cut. He could never bear the thought of doing any harm to Cornelius Phagitas, who had dogged him in the night when he was sick and a fugitive, with the design of carrying him to Sylla, and from whose hands he had escaped with some difficulty by giving him a bribe. Philemon, his amanuensis, who had promised his enemies to poison him, he put to death without torture. When he was summoned as a witness against Publicus Clodius, his wife Pompeia's gallant, who was prosecuted for profanation of religious ceremonies, he declared he knew nothing of the affair, although his mother Aurelia, and his sister Julia, gave the court an exact and full account of the circumstances. And being asked why then he had divorced his wife? "Because," he said, "my family should not only be free from guilt, but even from the suspicion of it."
75	moderationem uero clementiamque cum in administratione tum in uictoria belli ciuilis admirabilem exhibuit . denuntiante Pompeio pro hostibus se habiturum qui rei publicae defuissent , ipse medios et neutrius partis suorum sibi numero futuros pronuntiauit . quibus autem ex commendatione Pompei ordines dederat , potestatem transeundi ad eum omnibus fecit . motis apud Ilerdam deditionis condicionibus , cum , assiduo inter utrasque partes usu atque commercio , Afranius et Petreius deprehensos intra castra Iulianos subita paenitentia interfecissent , admissam in se perfidiam non sustinuit imitari . acie Pharsalica proclamauit , ut ciuibus parceretur , deincepsque nemini non suorum quem uellet unum partis aduersae seruare concessit . nec ulli perisse nisi in proelio reperientur , exceptis dum taxat Afranio et Fausto et Lucio Caesare iuuene ; ac ne hos quidem uoluntate ipsius interemptos putant , quorum tamen et priores post impetratam ueniam rebellauerant et Caesar libertis seruisque eius ferro et igni crudelem in modum enectis bestias quoque ad munus populi comparatas contrucidauerat . denique tempore extremo etiam quibus nondum ignouerat , cunctis in Italiam redire permisit magistratusque et imperia capere ; sed et statuas Luci Sullae atque Pompei a plebe disiectas reposuit ; ac si qua posthac aut cogitarentur grauius aduersus se aut dicerentur , inhibere maluit quam uindicare . itaque et detectas coniurationes conuentusque nocturnos non ultra arguit , quam ut edicto ostenderet esse sibi notas , et acerbe loquentibus satis habuit pro contione denuntiare ne perseuerarent , Aulique Caecinae criminosissimo libro et Pitholai carminibus maledicentissimis laceratam existimationem suam ciuili animo tulit .	Both in his administration and his conduct towards the vanquished party in the civil war, he showed a wonderful moderation and clemency. For while Pompey declared that he would consider those as enemies who did not take arms in defence of the republic, he desired it to be understood, that he should regard those who remained neuter as his friends. With regard to all those to whom he had, on Pompey's recommendation, given any command in the army, he left them at perfect liberty to go over to him, if they pleased. When some proposals were made at Ilerda for a surrender, which gave rise to a free communication between the two camps, and Afranius and Petreius, upon a sudden change of resolu* tion, had put to the sword all Caesar's men who were found in the camp, he scorned to imitate the base treachery which they had practised against himself. On the field of Pharsalia, he called out to the soldiers " to spare their fellow-citizens," and afterwards gave permission to every man in his army to save an enemy. None of them, so far as appears, lost their lives but in battle, excepting only Afranius, Faustus, and young Lucius Caesar; and it is thought that even they were put to death without his consent. Afranius and Faustus had borne arms against him, after obtaining their pardon; and Lucius Caesar had not only in the most cruel manner destroyed with fire and sword his freedmen and slaves, but cut to pieces the wild beasts which he had prepared for the entertainment of the people. And finally, a little before his death, he permitted all whom he had not before pardoned, to return into Italy, and to bear offices both civil and military. He even replaced the statues of Sylla and Pompey, which had been thrown down by the populace. And after this, whatever was devised or uttered, he chose rather to check than to punish it. Accordingly, having detected certain conspiracies and nocturnal assemblies, he went no farther than to intimate by a proclamation that he knew of them; and as to those who indulged themselves in the liberty of reflecting severely upon him, he only warned them in a public speech not to persist in their offence. He bore with great moderation a virulent libel written against him by Aulus Caecinna, and the abusive lampoons of Pitholaiis, most highly reflecting on his reputation.