[-48-] Not only were those measures carried out that year, but two of the aediles took charge of the municipal government, since no quaestor had been elected.  For just as once formerly, so now in the absence of Caesar, the aediles managed all the city affairs, in conjunction with Lepidus as master of the horse.  Although they were censured for employing lictors and magisterial garb and chair precisely like the master of the horse, they got off by citing a certain law, which allowed all those receiving any office from a dictator to make use of such things.  The business of administration, changed from that time for the reasons I have mentioned, was no longer invariably laid upon the quaestors, but was finally assigned to ex-praetors.  Two of the aediles managed at that time the public treasures, and one of them, by provision of Caesar, superintended the Ludi Apollinares.  The aediles of the populace directed the Megalesia, by decree.  A certain prefect, appointed during the Feriae, himself chose a successor on the last day, and the latter another:  this had never happened before, nor did it happen again.

[B.C. 44 (a.u. 710)]

[-49-] The next year after these events during which Caesar was at once dictator for the fifth time, taking Lepidus as master of the horse, and consul for the fifth time, choosing Antony as colleague, sixteen praetors were in power—­this custom indeed has remained[108] for many years—­and the rostra, which was formerly in the center of the Forum, was moved back to its present position:  also the images of Sulla and of Pompey were restored to it.  For this Caesar received praise, and again because he put upon Antony both the glory of the deed and credit for the inscription on the image.  Being anxious to build a theatre, as Pompey had done, he laid the first foundations, but did not finish it.  Augustus later completed it and named it for his nephew, Marcus Marcellus.  But Caesar was blamed for tearing down the dwellings and temples on the site, and likewise because he burned up the statues,—­all of wood, save a few,—­and because on finding considerable treasures of money he appropriated them all.

[-50-] In addition, he introduced laws and extended the pomerium, his behavior in these and other matters resembling that of Sulla.  Caesar, however, removed the ban from the survivors of those that had warred against him, granting them immunity with fair and equal terms; he promoted them to office; to the wives of the slain he restored their dowries, and to their children granted a share in the property, thus putting mightily to shame Sulla’s blood-guiltiness; so that he himself enjoyed a great repute not alone for bravery, but also for uprightness, though it is generally difficult for the same man to be eminent in peace as well as in war.  This was a source of pride to him, as was the fact that he had raised again Carthage and Corinth.  To be sure, there were many other cities in and outside of Italy, some of which he had