Caesar, Julius; Rome -- History -- Republic, 265-30 B.C.
Senate to Greece, now for having deserted them, blaming himself at one
time for his indecision, at another for having committed himself to
either side.[13]
Gradually his alarms subsided. The Senate's party was finally
overthrown. Caesar wrote to him affectionately, and allowed him to
retain his title as Imperator. When it appeared that he had nothing
personally to fear, he recovered his spirits, and he recovered along
with them a hope that the constitution might be restored, after all, by
other means than war. "Caesar could not live forever, and there were
many ways in which a man might die."
Caesar had dined with him in the country, on his way home from Spain.
He had been as kind as Cicero could wish, but had avoided politics.
When Caesar went on to Rome, Cicero followed him, resumed his place in
the Senate, which was then in the full fervor of its affected
adulation, and took an early opportunity of speaking. Marcus Marcellus
had been in exile since Pharsalia. The Senate had interceded for his
pardon, and Caesar had granted it, and granted it with a completeness
which exceeded expectation. Cicero rose to thank him in his presence,
in terms which most certainly did not express his real feelings,
whatever may have been the purpose which they concealed.
* * * * *
"He had long been silent," he said, "not from fear, but from grief and
diffidence. The time for silence was past. Thenceforward he intended to
speak his thoughts freely in his ancient manner. Such kindness, such
unheard-of generosity, such moderation in power, such incredible and
almost godlike wisdom, he felt himself unable to pass over without
giving expression to his emotions." [14] No flow of genius, no faculty
of speech or writing, could adequately describe Caesar's actions, yet
on that day he had achieved a yet greater glory. Often had Cicero
thought, and often had said to others, that no king or general had ever
performed such exploits as Caesar. In war, however, officers, soldiers,
allies, circumstances, fortune, claimed a share in the result; and
there were victories greater than could be won on the battlefield,
where the honor was undivided.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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