[
4]
After his death the troubles broke out afresh and
continued until Gaius
Cæsar, who had held the command
in
Gaul by election for some years, was
ordered by the Senate to lay down his command. He charged that it was not
the wish of the Senate, but of Pompey, his enemy, who had command of an army
in
Italy, and was scheming to
depose him. So he sent a proposal that both should retain their armies, so
that neither need fear the other's enmity, or that Pompey should dismiss his
forces also and live as a private citizen under the laws in like manner with
him-self. Both requests being refused, he marched from
Gaul against Pompey in the Roman
territory, entered it, put him to flight, pursued him into
Thessaly, won a brilliant
victory over him
in a great battle, and followed him to
Egypt. After Pompey had been slain
by the Egyptians Cæsar set to work on the affairs of
Egypt and remained there until he had
settled the dynasty of that country. Then he returned to
Rome. Having overpowered by war his
principal rival, who had been surnamed the Great on account of his brilliant
military exploits, he now ruled without disguise, nobody daring any longer
to dispute him about anything, and was chosen, next after Sulla, dictator
for life. Again all civil dissensions ceased until Brutus and Cassius,
envious of his great power and desiring to restore the government of their
fathers, slew in the Senate this most popular man, who was also the one most
experienced in the art
of government. The people mourned for him greatly.
They scoured the city in pursuit of his murderers.
They buried him in the middle of the forum and built a temple on the place
of his funeral pile, and offered sacrifice to him as a god.
