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forgot your duty as a friend and took no thought of my interests. And I am not saying this because I have lost confidence in this cause, but, believe me, I'd rather die than see these fellows here.[1] Why, if people were not afraid of your men being bloodthirsty, we should long ago have been driven out of Rome. For here, with the exception of a few money-lenders, there is not a man or a class that is not Pompeian. Personally, I have brought it about that the masses above all, and-—what was formerly ours—the main body of citizens should be now on your side.[2] "Why did I do so?" quoth you. Nay, wait for what is to come: I'll make you conquer in spite of yourselves. You shall see me play the part of a second Cato.[3] You are asleep, and do not appear to me as yet to understand where we are open to attack, and what our weak point is. And I shall act thus from no hope of reward, but, what is ever the strongest motive with me, from indignation and a feeling of having been wronged. What are you doing over there? Are you waiting for a battle? That's Cæsar's strongest point. I don't know about your forces; ours have become thoroughly accustomed to fighting battles and making light of cold and hunger.[4]*

  1. Trebonius and other Cæsarians.
  2. Cælius contrasts plebs and populus. Of course these terms no longer have the old political meaning; but plebs had come to be used as we use the "masses" for the lower orders generally; whereas populus was the whole body of the citizens as possessed of political power; and when contrasted with plebs may be taken to mean the whole body politic which formed the majority at the comitia—the mass of voters. Cælius tried to gain the latter by opposing the exaction of debts under arbitration, as arranged by Cæsar, and by proposing a suspension of house rents.
  3. The reading is very doubtful. The reference, perhaps, is to Gaius Cato, the turbulent tribune of B.C. 56.
  4. Cælius seems to insinuate that Pompey's wisest course would be to avoid an engagement and to make again for Italy, where the Cæsarians were weak. This is the last appearance of Cælius in the correspondence. The discontent with his position here indicated—founded on the fact that though he had been appointed prætor by Cæsar's influence, Trebonius was prætor urbanus and in a superior position to himself—presently led him to take up a position of violent opposition, especially in regard to Cæsar's financial arrangements, the result of which was that he was forcibly suspended from his functions by the consul Servilius Isauricus. Finally, under pretence of going to Cæsar at Alexandria,