here else. He had already promised Dolabella the Consulship.

Was Cicero mean in his conduct toward Caesar? Up to this moment there had
been nothing mean, except that Roman flattery which was simply Roman
good manners. He had opposed him at Pharsalia--or rather in Macedonia.
He had gone across the water--not to fight, for he was no fighting
man--but to show on which side he had placed himself. He had done this,
not believing in Pompey, but still convinced that it was his duty to let
all men know that he was against Caesar. He had resisted every attempt
which Caesar had made to purchase his services. Neither with Pompey nor
with Caesar did he agree. But with the former--though he feared that a
second Sulla would arise should he be victorious--there was some touch
of the old Republic. Something might have been done then to carry on the
government upon the old lines. Caesar had shown his intention to be lord
of all, and with that Cicero could hold no sympathy. Caesar had seen his
position, and had respected it. He would have nothing done to drive such
a man from Rome. Under these circumstances Cicero consented to live at
Rome, or in the neighborhood, and became a man of letters. It must be
remembered that up to the ides of March he had heard of no conspiracy.
The two men, Caesar and Cicero, had agreed to differ, and had talked of
philology when they met. There has been, I think, as yet, nothing mean
in his conduct.

CHAPTER VIII.

_CAESAR'S DEATH._

[Sidenote: B.C. 44, aetat. 63.]

After the dinner-party at Puteoli, described in the last chapter, Cicero
came up to Rome, and was engaged in literary pursuits. Caesar was now
master and lord of everything. In January Cicero wrote to his friend
Curio, and told him with disgust of the tomfooleries which were being
carried on at the election of Quaestors. An empty chair had been put
down, and was declared to be the Consul's chair. Then it was taken away,
and another chair was placed, and another Consul was declared. It wanted
then but a few hours to the end of the consular year--but not the less
was Caninius, the new Consul, appointed, "who would not sleep during his
Consulship," which lasted but from mid-day to the evening. "If you saw
all this you would not fail to weep," says Cicero![168] After this he
seems to have recovered from his sorrow. We have a correspondence with
Poetus which always typifies hilarity of spirits. There is a
discussion, of which we have but