ro was staying at his Puteolan villa, not far
from Baiae, close upon the sea-shore--the corner of the world most loved
by all the great Romans of the day for their retreat in autumn.[166]
Puteoli, we may imagine, was as pleasant as Baiae, but less fashionable,
and, if all that we hear be true, less immoral. Here Cicero had one of
his villas, and here, a few months before his death, Caesar came to visit
him. He gives, in a very few lines to Atticus, a graphic account of the
entertainment. Caesar had sent on word to say that he was coming, so that
Cicero was prepared for him. But the lord of all the world had already
made himself so evidently the lord, that Cicero could not entertain him
without certain of those inner quakings of the heart which are common to
us now when some great magnate may come across our path and demand
hospitality for a moment. Cicero jokes at his own solicitude, but
nevertheless we know that he has felt it when, on the next morning, he
sent Atticus an account of it. His guest has been a burden to him
indeed, but still he does not regret it, for the guest behaved himself
so pleasantly! We must remark that Cicero did not ostensibly shake in
his shoes before him. Cicero had been Consul, and has had to lead the
Senate when Caesar was probably anxious to escape himself as an
undetected conspirator. Caesar has grown since, but only by degrees. He
has not become, as Augustus did, "facile princeps." He is aware of his
own power, but aware also that it becomes him to ignore his own
knowledge. And Cicero is also aware of it, but conscious at the same
time of a nominal equality. Caesar is now Dictator, has been Consul four
times, and will be Consul again when the new year comes on. But other
Romans have been Dictator and Consul. All of which Caesar feels on the
occasion, and shows that he feels it. Cicero feels it also, and
endeavors, not quite successfully, to hide it.

Caesar has come accompanied by troops. Cicero names two thousand
men--probably at random. When Cicero hears that they have come into the
neighborhood, he is terribly put about till one Barba Cassius, a
lieutenant in Caesar's employment, comes and reassures him. A camp is
made for the men outside in the fields, and a guard is put on to protect
the villa. On the following day, about one o'clock, Caesar comes. He is
shut up at the house of one Philippus, and will admit no one. He is
supposed to be transacting accounts with Balbus. We can imagine