It was doubtless shortsighted and ungrateful in these nobles to attempt to deprive Caesar of his laurels and his promised consulship.  He had earned them by grand services, both as a general and a statesman.  But their jealousy and hatred were not unnatural.  They feared, not unreasonably, that the successful general—­rich, proud, and dictatorial from the long exercise of power, and seated in the chair of supremest dignity—­would make sweeping changes; might reduce their authority to a shadow, and elevate himself to perpetual dictatorship; and thus, by substituting imperialism for aristocracy, subvert the Constitution.  That is evidently what Cicero feared, as appears in his letters to Atticus.  That is what all the leading Senators feared, especially Cato.  It was known that Caesar—­although urbane, merciful, enlightened, hospitable, and disposed to govern for the public good—­was unscrupulous in the use of tools; that he had originally gained his seat in the Senate by bribery and demagogic arts; that he was reckless as to debts, regarding money only as a means to buy supporters; that he had appropriated vast sums from the spoils of war for his own use, and, from being poor, had become the richest man in the Empire; that he had given his daughter Julia in marriage to Pompey from political ends; that he was long-sighted in his ambition, and would be content with nothing less than the gratification of this insatiate passion.  All this was known, and it gave great solicitude to the leaders of the aristocracy, who resolved to put him down,—­to strip him of his power, or fight him, if necessary, in a civil war.  So the aristocracy put themselves under the protection of Pompey,—­a successful but overrated general, who also aimed at supreme power, with the nobles as his supporters, not perhaps as Imperator, but as the agent and representative of a subservient Senate, in whose name he would rule.

This contest between Caesar and the aristocracy under the lead of Pompey, its successful termination in Caesar’s favor, and his brilliant reign of about four years, as Dictator and Imperator, constitute the third period of his memorable career.

Neither Caesar nor Pompey would disband their legions, as it was proposed by Curio in the Senate and voted by a large majority.  In fact, things had arrived at a crisis:  Caesar was recalled, and he must obey the Senate, or be decreed a public enemy; that is, the enemy of the power that ruled the State.  He would not obey, and a general levy of troops in support of the Senate was made, and put into the hands of Pompey with unlimited command.  The Tribunes of the people, however, sided with Caesar, and refused confirmation of the Senatorial decrees.  Caesar then no longer hesitated, but with his army crossed the Rubicon, which was an insignificant stream, but was the Rome-ward boundary of his province.  This was the declaration of civil war.  It was now “’either anvil or hammer.”  The admirers of Caesar