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IULIUS CAESAR. 67 tavius sor three fourilis of his estate, and L. Pinarius
and Pedius for the foui th between them: the other heirs in rema inder were specified towards the Conclusionos the will. He likewise adopted C. Octavius into his family, with an intention that he should assume his name. Most of those who were concerned in his death he hadnamed amongst the guardians of his son, is he should have any ; and D. Brutus amongst the second heirs. He lest as a legacy to the people his gardens near the Tiber, and threehundred sesterces each man.
LXXXIV. The time sor his funerat being fixed by
proclamation, a pile was erected in the Field of Mars,near the tonat, of his daughter Juli a ; and before the Rostra a gilt tabernacle, in the form of the temple of Venus Genitrix : within which was an ivory bed, covered with scarlet and cloth of gold. At the head was a trophy, with the garment in which he was salia. Because it was thought that the whole day would not be lassicient forcarrying in solemn procession be re the corpse the funerat oblations, directions were given for every one, With-OUt regard to order, to carry them into the field by What way they pleas ed. In the plays adsed at the funerat, severat passages, to raise pity and indignation athis death, were lang fro in Pacuvius's tragedy, entilled, The Trial for Arms.'
Men' me servasse, ut essent qui me perderent 3 That ever I, unliappy man, mould save Wretches, that thus have brought me to the grave l
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his o n. The magistrates, and others who had former
ly been in the sanie capaci ty, carried the bed froin the Rostra into the Forum. While some propos ed that thebody should he buriat in the most sacred apariment of the temple of Jupiter Capitolinus, and others in Pompey's Se nate-hotlse ; on a suilden two men, with Mords by their fides, and each a Couple os lances in their hands, set freto the hed with lighted torches. Immediately the whole Company present threw in dry faggois, the desks and
benches of the adjoining Couris, and whatever Canae toliand. Then the musicians and players stripped off the Cloatiis they had frona the furniture of his trium plis fortite present occasion, tore them, and threw them into the fames. His veteran soldiei s like vise cast in the armour,
whicli they had put on to attend his funerat. Most of theladies did the sanae by tlaeir ornaments, with the bullae 'and coats of their child ren. In this public mourning there joined a multitude os foret gners, expressing their sorro a cord ing to the famion of their respective countries ; butespecialty the Jews, who for severat nights -together frequented the place where the body waS buriat. LXXXV. Immediately after the funerat, the popula Ceran with torches to the Eoi ses of Brutus and Casiius, and were with dissiculty obliged to retire. Going in ques of The Bulla, generalty made of gold, Was a holloW globe
which boys wore Dpon. their breas , pendent frona a string orribbon put round the neci . The solis of fre edinen and poorercitigens used only globes of leather. Cornelius
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for a long time to offer sacrifices, mahe vows, and decide Controversi es, using for that purpose an oath by the nameos Caesar. LXXXVI. Some of Caesar's frientis entertained a COU-jecture, that he net ther desii ed nor cared to live any longer, on account of his bad state of health ; and sor that rea
son siighted ali the prognostics of death, and the information of his friend s. Others are of opinion, that thinkinghimself secure in the late decree of the Senate, and theiro ath, he dismis d his Spanish guards that attended hina with their swords. Others again suppose, that he cliose
ali haniis, than to be constantly on his guard agains them. Some teli us, he used to say, that the public was more interested in the sufety of his person than himself: for that he had for so me time been satiated with powerand glory; but that the commonwealth, is a ny things ould bes ali him, would not be quiet, and would involvoitself in another civit war iapon vorse terius than bes Ore. LXXXVII. This however was generalty admitted, thathis death was almos: such a one as he des 1red might be his 1ate. For Upon reading the account deli vered by Xenophon, how Cyrus in his las: itinesse gave instructions abo ut his
funerat, not liking so lingering a deuth, he wistaed thut ho
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mirat have a sudden and quick one. And the day be rehe died, the conversation ut table, in the house of Μ. Lepidus, turning upon What was the most eligit,le way of dying, he gave his opinion in favor of a death that is sud-den and uneXpected. LXXXVIII. He died in the fifty-s1Xth year of his age, and was ranked amongst the Gods, not only by a formal
decree, but in the real persuasion of the vulgar. For during the games whicli his heir Augustus gave in honor ofliis memory, a comet blaZed sor seven days together, rising always about eleven o'cloch ; and it was supposed tobe the foui os Caesar, now received into heaven: forwhicli rea n likewise a star is represented upon the crown of his statue. The Senate-house in Which he was Bain, was ordei ed to he hept close silui, and a decree made that me Ides of Marcii siould be called The Parricide, V and the Senate sinould never more assemble upon that day. LXXXIX. Scarcely any of those who were accessaryto his murder, sui vived him more than three years, oreXpired by a natural deam. They were ali condemned by the Senate: some were taken oss by one accident, seme byanother. Part of them perimed at sea, others seli in bal-lle : and me sew themselves with the fame poniard with
THE termination os the civit war belween Caesar and Pompey sernis a new epoch in the Roman History, at
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years, relapsed into a state os despotita, Whence it nevermore could emerge. So sudden a transitioii from prosperi ty to the ruin os public freedom, Without the intervention of any foreigia enemy, excites a reasonable conjecture, that the constitution in whicli it could tahe place, however vigorous in appearance, must have lost thal
dure through so many ages. A mort view of iis preceding state, and of that in whicli it was at the time of the revolution now mentioned, mill best ascertain thes oundation os such a conjecture. Though me Romans, upon the expulsion os Tarquin, made an essentiat change in the political forin os the state, they did not carry their detestation os regat authority se far as to abolisti the religious institutions of Numa Pompilius the second of their hings, according to whicli, the priesthood, with ait the influence anneXed to that o der, was placed in the hands of the aristocracy. By this Wise poticy a resti aliat was put upon the fichlenesi and violence of the peopte in matters of govertament, and a decided superiority given to the Senate both in the deliberative and eXecutive paris of administration. This ad-vantage was afterwards indeed diminis hed by the creationos Tribunes of the people ; a set of men whose ambition osten embroiled the Re public in civit dissentions, and whoat last abused their authoi ity to such a degree, that theybeca me itistruments of aggrandisement to any leading menin the state, who could purchas e their friendstiis . In generat, however, the majori ty of the Tribunes bcingae ualed by vlews whicli comprehended the interests of the multitude rather than tho se of individuals, they didnot so much endanger the liberty as they interrupted the tranquillity of the publie; and when the occasional Com
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motions subsided, there rem ained no permanent ground for the es ablissament of per sonat usurpation. In every goVernment, an object of the last importancoto the peace and welfare of society is the morais of thepeople ; and in proportion as a Communi ty is enlarged by
propagation or the aCcession os a multitude os new members, a more strict attention is requisite to guard against that dissolution of manners to whicli a crowded and eκ- tensive capital has a natural tendency. of this the Romans became sensibie in the growing state of the Republic. In the year of the City 312, two magistrates were sit si creat d for taking an account of the number of the people, and the value of their estates ; and soon after they.were invested with the authoi ity not only of inspecting the morais os individuals, but os inflicting public censure for any licentiousnesse of conduct, or violation os decency. Thus both the civit and religious institutions concurred to restra in the people within the bounds of good order and obedienceto the laws ; at the sanae time that the frugal life of the ancient Romans proved a strong security against those vices whicli operate most effectualty towards Iapping the Dundations os a state. But in the time of Julius Caesar the barriers of publicliberty were beCome too weah to resti ain the audaci ous efforis of gmbitio us and desperate meri. The venerationfor the constitution, usualty a pomer ut check to trea nable deligias, had been late ly violated by the usurpations of Marius and Sylla. The salutary terrors of religionno longer predominated over me consciences of men. Thesta me os public censure vias extingui med in generat depravi ty. An eminent historian who lived in that time, ins Orms us, that venali ty universalty prevalled amongst the
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The extreme degree of profligacy at whicli the Romans were now arriveti, is in nothing more evident, than that this age gave birili to the mos horribie conspiracy WhichocCurs in the annals of human hind, viZ. that os Catiline. This was not the projecto os a few desperate anilabandoned individuals, but os a number of men of themost illustrious rank in the state; and it appears beyonddoubi, that Julius Caesar mas accesssary to the desigia, which was no lese than to eXtirpate the Senate, divideatnongst thenaselves both the public and private treas Ures, and set Rome on fre. The causes Malch prompted tothis tremendous projecit, it is generalty admitted, were luxury, prodigality, irreligion, a totai corruption os man-ners, and above ali, as the immediate cause, the presiingraecesii ty in whicli the conspirators were involved by theireXtreme dissipation. The enorm ous debl in whicli Caesar himself was early involved, Countenances an opinion that his anXiety to pro-Cure the province of Gaul proceeded chiesty from this cause. But during nine years in v hich he held that province, he acquired suci, riches as must have rendered him, mithout competition, the most opulent person in the state. Is nothing more, theres ore, than a splendid est ablishmenthad been the object of his pursuit, he had attained to the summit of his wimes. But when we finit him persevering in a plan os aggrandis ement beyonii this period of his
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tive than stat of outrageous ambition. He projected thebuit ding of a new Forum at Rome, sor the ground onivof which he was to pay 8oO, Oo povnds: he raised legions in Gaul at his o n charges : he promised such en-tertainments to the peopte as had never been known at Rome Dom the foundation of the city. Ait these circuin- siances evince so me latent design os procuring such a populari ty as might give him an uncontroled insuence in the management of public a Tairs. Pompey, me are tolli, was wont to say, that Caesar not being abie, With ali his riches, to fulsi the promises which he had made, wisi1edio throw e very thing into confusion. There may have been lame mundation for this remarh : but the opinionos Cicero is more probabie, that Caesar's mind was se duccd with the temptations of chimerical glory. It is observable that Deither Cicero nor Pompey intimates any suspicion that Caesar was apprehensive of being impeachined for his conduct, had he returned to Rome in a private
station. Yet, that there was reason for suci, an apprehension, the possitive declaration of L. Domitius leaves litile room to do ubi; especialty when me consider thenumher of enemies that Caesar had in the Senate, and thecoolnest of his former friend Pompey e ver astor me deathos Julia. The proposed imp eachment was founded ut ona notorious charge of prosecuting measures destructiveto the interests of the commonwealth, and tending ulti- mately to an object incompatibie with public freedom. In-deed, considering the extreme corruption whicli prevalle lamongst the Romans at this time, it is more than probable that Caesar would have been acquitted of the charge, but at sucii an expente as must have siripped hi in os allhis riches, and placed him again in a siluation ready to attempt a disturbance of the public tranquillit3. For it issaid, iliat he purcha sed the friendisti ip of Curio, at the
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commencement of the civit war, with a bribe littio mortos half a million sterting.
Whatever Caesar's private motive may have been for tali ing arnas against his Country, he embarhed in an enterpriis of a nature the most dangerous: and had Pompey conduct-ed himself in any degree sultable to the reputation whicli heli ad formet ly acquired, the contest would in ali probabili tyliave terminated in favor os public freedom. But by dilatory meastres in the beginning, by imprudently withdra ing his arm y froni Italy into a distant province, and by notpursuing the advantage he had gained by the vigorous repulse of Caesar's tro ops in their attach upon his Camp, this commander lost every opportunity of eXtinguissi inga war Which was to determine the fate, and even the existence of the Republic. It was accordingly determin-ed on the platiis of Ρharsalia, Where Caesar obtained avi nory which was not more decisive than unexpected. He was now no longer amenable either to the tribunal of the Senate or the power of the laws, but triumphed at Once over his enemies and the constitution of his country.
It is to the honor of Caesar, fiat when he had Oh-ta ived the supreme power, he exerci sed it with a degreeos moderation beyond what was generalty eXpected by those who had fought on the fide of the Republic. of his private life ei ther before or after this period, littio is transmitted in history. Hences orth, however, he stem sto have lived chiest y at Rome, near which he had asinali villa, Upon an eminence commanding a beauti fulprospect. His time was almost entii elv occupied with blic affairs, in the management of whicli, tirough he Ployed many a genis, he appears to have had none in the character of actuat minister. He was in generat eas' Of
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siderable time amongst a Crowd in an anti-chamber, be- fore he could have an audience. The elevation os Caesar
placed hi in not above dischar ging reciprocatly the socialduties in the intercoui se of li se . He returned the visits of those who waited upon him, and would sup at theirhouses. At table, and in the use of wine,' he was habitualty temperate. Upon the whole, he ad ted nothing tollis own happinesse by ali the dangers, the fatigues, and the perpetuat anxiety which he had incurred in the prosecution of unlimited power. His health was greatly im patred : his former chearfulnesi os temper, but never his magnanimity, appears to have forsaken him ; and wel hold in his fate a memorabie eXample os illustrious talenis rendered, by inordinate ambition, destructive tollimself, and irretrievably pernici ous to his Country. From belloiding the ruin of the Roman Republic, after intestine divisions, and the distractions os civit war, itviill afford so e relies to take a vie w of the progress of literature, whicli Bouris hed even during thos e calamities.
The Commen ement of literature in Rome is to bedaled froni the reduction of the Grecian States, when the conquerors imported into their own country the valvabie
tion. Livius Andronicus, who fio uri medat,out 2ψO years besore the Ch14stian aera, formed the Fescennine verses into a Lind of regular drama, uponthe modet of the Greelis. He was follo ed some time aster by Ennius, who, be-sides dramatic and other compositioris, Wrote the annals