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Cæsar had lately recrossed the straits from Britain and, after
traversing the Gallic country along the Rhine, had passed the Alps with 5000
foot and 300 horse and arrived at Ravenna, which was contiguous to Italy and
the last town in his government. After embracing Curio and returning thanks
for what he had done for him, he looked over the present situation. Curio
advised him to bring his whole army together now and lead it to Rome, but
Cæsar thought it best still to try and come to terms. So he
directed his friends to make an agreement in his behalf, that he should
deliver up all his provinces and soldiers, except that he should retain two
legions and Illyria with Cisalpine Gaul until he should be chosen consul.
This was satisfactory to Pompey, but the consuls refused. Cæsar
then wrote a letter to the Senate, which Curio carried a distance of 1300 stades
1 in three days and delivered to
the newly elected consuls as they entered the senate-house on the first
of the
calends of January.
2 The letter embraced a
calm
recital of all that Cæsar had done from
the beginning of his career and a proposal that he would lay down his
command at the same time with Pompey, but that if Pompey should retain his
command he would not lay down his own, but would come quickly and avenge his
country's wrongs and his own. When this letter was read, as it was
considered a declaration of war, a vehement shout was raised on all sides
that Lucius Domitius be appointed as Cæsar's successor. Domitius
took the field immediately with 4000 of the new levies.
