at the time of his down-fall, all the memorials of his power and greatness had been every where removed from Rome, and among them these statues and trophies, which had been erected in the Capitol in commemoration of some former victories, and had remained there until Sylla’s triumph, when they were taken down and destroyed.  Caesar now ordered new ones to be made, far more magnificent than before.  They were made secretly, and put up in the night.  His office as aedile gave him the necessary authority.  The next morning, when the people saw these splendid monuments of their great favorite restored, the whole city was animated with excitement and joy.  The patricians, on the other hand, were filled with vexation and rage.  “Here is a single officer,” said they, “who is attempting to restore, by his individual authority, what has been formally abolished by a decree of the Senate.  He is trying to see how much we will bear.  If he finds that we will submit to this, he will attempt bolder measures still.”  They accordingly commenced a movement to have the statues and trophies taken down again, but the people rallied in vast numbers in defense of them.  They made the Capitol ring with their shouts of applause; and the Senate, finding their power insufficient to cope with so great a force, gave up the point, and Caesar gained the day.

[Sidenote:  The Good Goddess.]

Caesar had married another wife after the death of Cornelia.  Her name was Pompeia, He divorced Pompeia about this time, under very extraordinary circumstances.  Among the other strange religious ceremonies and celebrations which were observed in those days, was one called the celebration of the mysteries of the Good Goddess.  This celebration was held by females alone, every thing masculine being most carefully excluded.  Even the pictures of men, if there were any upon the walls of the house where the assembly was held, were covered.  The persons engaged spent the night together in music and dancing and various secret ceremonies, half pleasure, half worship, according to the ideas and customs of the time.

[Sidenote:  Clodius.] [Sidenote:  Caesar divorces his wife.]

The mysteries of the Good Goddess were to be celebrated one night at Caesar’s house, he himself having, of course, withdrawn.  In the middle of the night, the whole company in one of the apartments were thrown into consternation at finding that one of their number was a man.  He had a smooth and youthful-looking face, and was very perfectly disguised in the dress of a female.  He proved to be a certain Clodius, a very base and dissolute young man, though of great wealth and high connections.  He had been admitted by a female slave of Pompeia’s, whom he had succeeded in bribing.  It was suspected that it was with Pompeia’s concurrence.  At any rate, Caesar immediately divorced his wife.  The Senate ordered an inquiry into the affair, and, after the other members of the household had given their testimony, Caesar himself was called upon, but he had nothing to say.  He knew nothing about it.  They asked him, then, why he had divorced Pompeia, unless he had some evidence for believing her guilty, He replied, that a wife of Caesar must not only be without crime, but without suspicion.