built afresh, and some which he had newly founded.  Others, however, had done that:  it remained for him to restore, in memory of their former inhabitants, Corinth and Carthage, ancient, brilliant, conspicuous, ruined cities:  one of them he declared a Roman colony, and colonized, and the other he honored with its ancient titles, bearing no grudge for the enmity of their peoples toward places that had never harmed them.

[-51-] And they, even as they had once been demolished together, now revived together and bade fair to flourish once again.  But while Caesar was so engaged, a longing came over all the Romans alike to avenge Crassus and those that perished with him:  there was some hope then, if ever, of subjugating the Parthians.  The command of the war they unanimously voted to Caesar, and made ample provision for it.  They arranged, among other details, that he should have a larger number of assistants, and that the city should neither be without officials in his absence, nor by attempting to choose some on its own responsibility fall into factions:  also that such magistrates should be appointed in advance for three years (this was the length of time they thought necessary for the campaign).  However, they did not designate them all beforehand.  Nominally Caesar was to choose half of them, having a certain legal right to do this, but really he chose the whole number.  For the first year, as previously, forty quaestors were elected, and then for the first time two patrician aediles and four from the people.  Of the latter two have their title from Ceres,—­a custom which, then introduced, has remained to the present day.  Praetors were nominated to the number of eleven.  It is not on this, however, that I desire to lay emphasis (for they had formerly been as many), but on the fact that among them was chosen Publius Ventidius.  He was originally from Picenum, as has been remarked, and fought against Rome when her allies were alienated.  He was captured by Pompeius Strabo,[109] and in the latter’s triumph marched in chains.  Later he was released; some time after he was enrolled in the senate, and was now appointed praetor by Caesar; by degrees he advanced to such prominence as to conquer the Parthians and hold a triumph over them.

All those who were to hold office the first year after that were appointed in advance, but for the second year the consuls and tribunes only:  and no one got any closer than this to being nominated for the third year.  Caesar himself intended to be dictator both years, and designated Octavius in advance as master of the horse for the second, though he was at that time a mere lad.  For the time being, while this was going on, Caesar appointed Dolabella consul in his own stead, leaving Antony to finish the year out in office.  To Lepidus he assigned Gallia Narbonensis with the adjoining portions of Spain, and made two men masters of horse in their place, each separately.  Owing, as he did, favors to many persons he repaid them by such appointments as these and by priesthoods, adding one to the “Quindecimviri”, and three others to the “Septemviri,” as they were called.