the invaders received that they might retire, and when they still pressed on they appointed Caesar consul.  Nothing, however, was gained by this step.  The soldiers were not at all grateful to them for what they had done not willingly but under compulsion, but were even more emboldened, in the idea that they had thoroughly frightened them.  Learning of this the senate altered its policy and bade the host not approach the city but remain over one hundred and fifty stadia from it.  They themselves also changed their garb again and committed to the praetors the care of the city, as had been the custom.  And besides garrisoning other points they occupied Janiculum in advance with the soldiers that were at hand and with others from Africa.

[-45-] While Caesar was still on the march this was the condition of things; and all the people who were at that time in Rome with one accord sought a share in the proceedings, as the majority of men are wont to be bold until they come in sight and have a taste of dangers.  When, however, he arrived in the suburbs, they were alarmed, and first some of the senators, later many of the people, went over to his side.  Thereupon the praetors also came down from Janiculum and surrendered to him their soldiers and themselves.  Thus Caesar took possession of the city without a blow and was appointed consul also by the people, though two proconsuls were chosen to hold the elections; it was impossible, according to precedent, for an interrex to be created for so short a period merely to superintend the comitia, because many men who held the curule offices were absent from the city.  They endured having the two proconsuls named by the praetor urbanus rather than to have the consuls elected under his direction, because now these proconsular officials would limit their activities to the elections and consequently would appear to have been invested with no powers outlasting them.[23] This was of course done under pressure of arms.  Caesar, that he might appear to not to have used any force upon them, did not enter the assembly,—­as if it was his presence that any one feared instead of his power.

[-46-] Thus he was chosen consul, and there was given him as a fellow-official—­perhaps one ought to say under-official—­Quintus Pedius.  He was very proud of this fact that he was to be consul at an earlier age than it had ever been the lot of any one else, and further that on the first day of the elections, when he had entered the Campus Martius, he saw six vultures, and later while haranguing the soldier twelve others.  For, comparing it with Romulus and the omen that had befallen the latter, he began to expect that he should obtain his sovereignty.  He did not, however, simply on the ground that he had already been given the distinction of the consular honors, assume distinction as being consul for the second time.  This custom was since then observed in all similar cases to our own day.  The emperor Severus was the first to change it; for he honored