[-13-] While Caesar was thus occupied his soldiers revolted.  Being so many they drew encouragement from their very numbers and when they stopped to think of their dangers and the hopes that rested on them they became insatiable in the matter of rewards, and gathering in groups they demanded whatever each one longed for.  When their talk had no effect,—­for Caesar since no enemy longer confronted him made light of them,—­they became clamorous.  Setting before him all the hardships they had endured and bringing to his notice any promise he had ever made them they uttered many threats besides, and thought to render him willy-nilly their slave.  As they gained nothing this way, they demanded with much heat and deafening shouts to be relieved at least from further service, saying they were worn out.  This was not because they really wished to be free from it, for most of them were in their prime, but because they had an inkling of the coming conflict between Caesar and Antony and for that reason set a high value upon themselves.  And what they could not obtain by requests they expected they could secure by threatening to abandon him.  Not even this, however, served their purpose.  Caesar would not yield to them, even if he knew for an absolute certainty that the war was going to occur and clearly understood their wishes.  He did not think it proper for a commander to do anything against his will under compulsion from the soldiers, because they would be sure, if he did, to want to get the advantage of him again in some other matter. [-14-] So he pretended that their request was a fair one and their desire only human and dismissed first those that had accompanied him in the campaign against Antony at Mutina, and next, since the rest were troublesome, all of them who had been ten years in the service.  And in order to restrain the remainder he gave further notice that he would no longer employ any one of them, no matter how much such a person might wish it.  On hearing this they uttered not another word, but began to exhibit great devotion toward him because he announced that he would give to the men that had been released,—­not to all, save to the first of them, but to the worthiest,—­everything that he had promised, and would assign them land.  They were also influenced by the fact that he gave to all of them five hundred denarii and to those who had been victors in the sea-fight a crown of olive besides.  After this he inspired them all personally with great hopes and the centurions with the idea that he would appoint them to the senatorial bodies in their native lands.  Upon his lieutenants he bestowed various gifts and upon Agrippa a golden crown adorned with beaks of ships,—­a decoration given to nobody before or since.  And it was later ratified by a decree that as often as any persons celebrated a triumph, wearing[49] the laurel crown, Agrippa should always wear this trophy of the naval encounter.  In this way Caesar calmed the soldiers temporarily.  The money he gave them at once and