of men who were laboring under any legal indictment,[30] lest somebody might be displeased, but twenty to begin with, so that many might share the honor, and next those who were most suitable, except himself.  This point he quite insisted should be settled in advance, that it might not be thought that he was making a motion on his own account.  He himself was satisfied with the conception and proposal of the matter; at least he said so, but clearly he was doing a favor to Pompey and Crassus and the rest.

[-2-] So far as the motion went, then, he escaped censure, so that no one, indeed, ventured to open his mouth in opposition:  for he had read it aloud beforehand in the senate, and calling upon each one of the senators by name had enquired his opinion, for fear that some one might have some fault to find; and he promised to frame differently or even erase entirely any clause which might not please any person.  Still on the whole quite all the foremost men who were outside the plot were irritated.  And this very fact troubled them most, that Caesar had compiled such a document that not one could raise a criticism and yet they were all cast down.  They suspected the purpose with which it was being done,—­that he would bind the multitude to him as a result of it, and have reputation and power over all men.  For this reason even if no one spoke against him, no one expressed approval, either.  This sufficed for the majority and they kept promising him that they would pass the decree:  but they did nothing; on the contrary, fruitless delays and postponements kept arising. [-3-] As for Marcus Cato, who was in general an upright man and displeased with any innovation but was able to exert no influence either by nature or by education, he did not himself make any complaint against the motion, but without going into particulars urged them to abide by the existing system and take no steps beyond it.  At this Caesar was on the point of dragging Cato out of the very senate-house and casting him into prison.  The latter gave himself up quite readily to be led away and not a few of the rest followed him; one of them, Marcus Petreius, being rebuked by Caesar because he was taking his departure before the senate was yet dismissed, replied:  “I prefer to be with Cato in his cell rather than here with you.”  Abashed at this speech Caesar let Cato go and adjourned the senate, saying only this much in passing:  “I have made you judges and lords of the law so that if anything should not suit you, it need not be brought into the public assembly; but since you are not willing to pass a decree, that body itself shall decide.”

[-4-] Thereafter he communicated to the senate nothing further under this head but brought directly before the people whatever he desired.  However, as he wished even under these circumstances to secure as sympathizers some of the foremost men in the assembly, hoping that they had now changed their minds and would be a little afraid of the populace, he began with his colleague and asked him if he criticised the provisions of the law.  When the latter made no answer save that he would endure no innovations in his own office, Caesar proceeded to supplicate him and persuaded the multitude to join him in his request, saying:  “You shall have the law if only he wishes it.”