During this career of conquest many hundreds of thousands of men were slain. But, then, Caesar was victorious and Rome triumphant, and what mattered it if a million or two of barbarians were sacrificed to the demon of conquest? It mattered little to Rome, in which great city barbarian life was scarcely worth a second thought. It mattered little to Caesar, who, like all great conquerors, was quite willing to mount to power on a ladder of human lives. Meanwhile what were Caesar's partners in the Triumvirate doing? When Caesar was given the province of Gaul, Pompey was made governor of Spain, and Crassus of Syria. Crassus, who had gained some military fame by overcoming Spartacus the gladiator, wished to gain more, and sailed for Asia, where he stirred up a war with distant Parthia. That was the end of Crassus. He marched into the desert of Mesopotamia, and left his body on the sands. His head was sent to Orodes, the Parthian king, who ordered molten gold to be poured into his mouth,--a ghastly commentary on his thirst for wealth. Pompey left Spain to take care of itself, and remained in Rome, where he sought to add to his popularity by building a great stone theatre, large enough to hold forty thousand people, where for many days he amused the people with plays and games. Here, for the first time, a rhinoceros was shown. Eighteen elephants were killed by Libyan hunters, and five hundred lions were slain, while hosts of gladiators fought for life and honor. While thus seeking popular favor, Pompey was secretly working against the interests of Caesar, of whose fame he had grown jealous. His wife Julia died, and he joined his strength with that of the aristocrats; while Caesar, a nephew of old Marius, was looked upon as a leader of the party of the people. Pompey's power and influence over the senate increased until he was virtually dictator in Rome. Caesar's ten years' governorship in Gaul would expire on the 1st of January, 49 B.C., and it was resolved by Pompey and the senate to deprive him of the command of the army. But Caesar was not the man to be dealt with in this summary manner. His career of conquest ended, he entered his province of Cisalpine Gaul, or Northern Italy, where he was received as a great hero and conqueror. From here he sent secret agents to Rome, bribed with large sums a number of important persons, and took other steps to guard his interests. Meanwhile the senate tried to disarm Caesar by unfair means. They had the power to shorten or lengthen the year as they pleased, and announced that that year would end on November 12, and that Caesar must resign his authority on the 13th. Curio, a tribune of Rome and Caesar's agent, said that it was only fair that Pompey also should give up the command of the army which he had near Rome. This he refused to do, and Curio publicly declared that he was trying to make himself a tyrant.