received their mutual concurrence and approbation. This was called the First Triumvirate, by which we find the conftitu tion weakened by a new intereft, that had not hitherto taken. place in the government, very different from that of the fenate or the people, and yet dependent on both. A power like this, however, as it depended upon the nice conduct of different interefts, could not be of long continuance; and, in fact, was foon after fwallowed up in the military power, which deftroyed even the fhadow of liberty.

CHAP. XXXVI

Pompey, Cafar, and Craffus, the first Triumvirate.Battle of Pharfalia-Death and Character of Pompey.

THE

HE first thing Cæfar did, upon being taken into the triumvirate, was to avail himself of the intereft of his confederates to obtain the confulfhip. The fenate had ftill fome fmall influence left; and though they were obliged to concur in choofing him, yet they gave him for a colleague, one Bibulus who they fuppofed would be a check upon his power; but the oppofition was too ftrong even by fuperior abilities to be refifted; fo that Bibulus, after a flight attempt in favour of the fenate, remained inactive the fucceeding part of the year. Cæfar, however, was by no means fo; but be gan his schemes for empire, by ingratiating himself with the people.

He next deliberated with his confederates, about sharing the foreign provinces of the empire. The partition was foon made. Pompey made choice of Spain; for being fatigued with conqueft, and fatisfied with military fame, he wifhed to take his pleasures at Rome; and there being no appearance of revolt in his province, he knew it could be eafily governed by his-lieutenant. Craffus chofe Syria for his part of the em pire; which province, as it had hitherto enriched the general, who had fubdued it, would, he hoped, gratify him in this his most favourite purfuit. To Cæfar was left the provinces of Gaul, compofed of many fierce and powerful nations; moft of them unfubdued, and the reft only profeffing a nominal fubjection, Wherefore as it was rather appointing him to Conquer than command this government was granted for

five

five years. These three men, having thus divided the world among themselves, prepared for their refpective deftinations.

There was an obstacle, however, in Cæfar's way, which feemed to blast his aims, and which he wished to have removed, previous to his fetting out. This was Tullius Cicero, who, by his penetration and eloquence, defeated the confpiracy of Catiline, and continued a watchful guardian over the liberties of Rome. This great orator and statesman, or, to give him an higher appellation, this excellent philofopher, had, from a very humble original, raised himself to the foremost rank of the ftate. He was endowed with all the wisdom and all the virtues that could adorn a man. However, his wifdom, by directing his views over too wide a sphere, often overlooked thofe advantages which were clearly difcerned by fhort-fighted cunning; and his virtues by being ap plauded by others, and receiving his own confcious approbation, tinctured his mind with vanity.

In order to expel this great man from the republic, Cæfar refolved to take into his party Publius Clodius, a man of pa trician birth, diffolute manners, great popularity, and an inveterate enemy, to Cicero. He was at this time a tribune of the people, although he had been obliged to get himself adopted by a Plebeian, before he could obtain that office. The hopes of revenging himself upon Cicero, in fome measure incited him to ftand for it; and the concurrence of Cæfar and Pompey with his pretenfions, foon affured him of fuccefs. He, therefore, publicly began to accufe Cicero, for having put the late confpirators to death; who being citizens ought to have been adjudged by the people. Cicero, terrified at this accufation, did all that lay in his power to oppofe it. He applied to Cæfar to be taken as his lieutenant into Gaul; but Clodius had art enough to divert him from that defign, by pretending that his refentment was rather a matter of form than of revenge. Pompey, too, contributed to put him off his guard by a promife of protection; fo that the cunning of these men of moderate abilities was more than a match for the wif dom of the philofopher. Clodius, having firft caufed a law to be enacted, importing, that any man who had condemned a Roman citizen unheard, fhould himself be banished, foon after impeached Cicero upon it. It was in vain that this master of eloquence went up and down the city, foliciting his caufe in the habit of a fuppliant, and attended by many of the first young noblemen whom he had taught the rules of oratory. Thofe powers of speaking which had been fo often fuccefsful

in

in defending the cause of others, seemed totally to forfake him in his own; he was banifhed, by the votes of the people, four hundred miles from Italy; his houses were ordered to be demolished, and his goods fet up to fale. None now remained that could defend the part of the fenate but Cato; and he was soon after fent into Cyprus, under pretence of doing him a favour; but, in reality, in order to leave an open theatre for the triumvirate to act in. Cæfar during these intrigues, pretended to be an unconcerned fpectator, and to be wholly occupied in his preparations for going into Gaul. He, in fact, left nothing undone, that might advance the speed, or increase the ftrength of this expedition; wherefore leaving Pompey to guard their mutual interefts at home, he marched into his province at the head of four legions, that were granted him by the fenate, and two more that were lent him by his new affociate in the empire.

To enumerate all the battles which Cæfar fought, and the ftates he fubdued, in his expeditions into Gaul and Britain, would fill volumes. It will be fufficient just to mention thofe victories, which a great and experienced general, at the head of a difciplined army, gained over the barbarous and tumultuary, tho' numerous, forces that were led to oppofe him. The Helvetians were the firft who were brought into fubjection, with the lofs of near two thousand men. The Germans, with Arioviftus at their head, were next cut off, to the number of eighty thoufand; their monarch himself narrowly escaping in a little boat across the Rhine. The Belge were deftroyed with fuch great flaughter, that marfhes and deep rivers were rendered paffable by the heaps of flain *. The Nervians, who were the moft warlike of those barbarous nations, made head for a fhort time, and fell upon the Romans with fuch fury, that their army was in danger of being utterly routed; but Cæfar haftily catching up a buckler rushed through his army into the midft of the enemy; by which means the face of affairs was fo effectually changed, that the barbarians were all cut off to a man. The Celtic Gauls, who were powerful at fea, were next brought under fubjection. And after them, the Suevi, the Menapii, and all the nations, from the Mediterranean to the British fea.

From thence, ftimulated by the defire of conqueft, he croffed over into Britain, upon pretence that the natives had furnished his enemies with fupplies. Upon approaching the

* Cæfar's Commentaries.

fhores,

fhores, he found them covered with men to oppose his landing, and his forces were in danger of being driven back, till the ftandard-bearer of the tenth legion boldly leaped afhore, and, being fupported by Cæfar, the natives were put to flight. The Britons being terrified at Cæfar's power, fent to defire a peace, which was granted them, and fome hoftages delivered. A ftorm, however, foon after deftroying great part of his fleet, they refolved to take advantage of the difafter, and marched against him with a powerful army. But what could a naked undifciplined army do against forces that had been exercifed under the greateft generals, and hardened by the conqueft of the greateft part of the world? Being overthrown, they were obliged once more to fue for peace; which Cæfar granted them, and then returned to the continent. But his abfence once more infpired this people, naturally fond of liberty, with refolution to disclaim the Roman power; and in a fecond expedition by repeated victories, Cæfar fo intimidated their general Caffibelanus, that he no longer endeavoured to refift in the plains, but, keeping in the forefts, feemned refolved to protract the war. However, Cæfar purfuing him closely, and croffing the Thames with his army, fo ftraitened him, that he was obliged to fubmit to the conqueror's conditions, who impofed an annual tribute, and took hoftages for the payment of it. Thus, in lefs than nine years, he conquered, together with Britain, all that country which extends from the Mediterranean to the German fea. It is faid that, in thefe expeditions, he took eight hundred cities, fubdued three hundred different ftates; overcame three millions of men, one of which fell in the field of battle, an equal number being made prifoners of war *. Thefe conquefts, and this deftruction of mankind, may, in the present advancement of morals, be regarded with deteftation; but they were regarded as the height of human virtue, at the time they were atchieved. In fact, if we examine Cæfar's great affiduity in providing for his army, his fkill in difpofing them for battle, and his amazing intrepidity during the engagement, we shall not find a greater general in all antiquity. But in one thing he excelled all, with inconteftible fuperiority; namely, in his humanity to the vanquifhed. This feemed a virtue but little known to the times in which he lived, fo that mankind were then more obliged to heroes than they at prefent choose to confefs.

Plutarch.

Craffus

Craffus carried on an unfuccefsful war against the Parthi ans in Syria, and there loft his life. One of the Triumvirate being thus taken off, the jealoufy of the other two was foor perceived. Pompey was not able to bear an equal, nor Cæfar a fuperior; and thus the country was involved in a civil war.

Cicero, about this time, returned to Rome from Cilicia. His abfence having prevented him from efpoufing the caufe of either party, he now endeavoured to act as a mediator; but no propofal of accommodation would be liftened to.

Pompey being the acknowledged general of the commonwealth, the fenate and confuls followed his enfigns. His rival, however, was more powerful by his activity, and the love of his foldiers.

In the mean time, thofe who had declared themselves moft ftrongly in Cæfar's intereft, began to fear the confequences of the abfolute power granted the confuls of difpofing all things at their pleasure, and of treating whom they would as enemies to the state. But particularly Curio, with the two tribunes Marcus Antonius and Longinus, fuppofed they had reafon to be apprehenfive. They accordingly fled, difguised as flaves, to Cæfar's camp, deploring the injuftice and ty rany of the fenate, and making a merit of their fufferings in his caufe. Cæfar produced them to his army, in the habits which they had thus affumed, and being touched with the ftrongest compaffion at their treatment, burft out into severe invectives against the fenate, alledging their tyranny over the ftate, their cruelty to his friends, and their fagrant ingratitude to himself for all his paft fervices. "Thefe," cried he, pointing to the tribunes, who were in the habits of flaves,

these are the rewards obtained by the faithful fervants of "their country; men, whofe perfons are facred by their of "fice, and whofe characters have been esteemed for their "virtues; thefe are driven from their country, obliged for "fafety to appear as the meaneft of mankind, and to find pro"tection only in a diftant province of the empire, for main"taining the rights of freedom, thofe rights which even Sylla, "in all the rage of flaughter, durft not violate." This fpeech he enforced with the moft paffionate geftures accompanied with tears. The foldiers, as if infpired with one mind, cried out, that they were prepared to follow him wherever he should lead, and were ready to die or revenge his injuries. A general acclamation rung through the whole camp; every man prepared for a new service of danger; and, forgetting

the