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ashamed of the action than to expect honour from it。
Nevertheless his countrymen； conceding all to his fortune； and
accepting the bit； in the hope that the government of a single
person would give them time to breathe after so many civil wars and
calamities； made him dictator for life。 This was indeed a tyranny
avowed； since his power now was not only absolute； but perpetual
too。 Cicero made the first proposals to the senate for conferring
honours upon him； which might in some sort be said not to exceed the
limits of ordinary human moderation。 But others； striving which should
deserve most； carried them so excessively high； that they made
Caesar odious to the most indifferent and moderate sort of men； by the
pretentions and extravagance of the titles which they decreed him。 His
enemies； too； are thought to have had some share in this； as well as
his flatterers。 It gave them advantage against him； and would be their
justification for any attempt they should make upon him； for since the
civil wars were ended； he had nothing else that he could be charged
with。 And they had good reason to decree a temple to Clemency； in
token of their thanks for the mild use he made of his victory。 For
he not only pardoned many of those who fought against him； but；
further； to some gave honours and offices； as particularly to Brutus
and Cassius； who both of them were praetors。 Pompey's images that were
thrown down he set up again； upon which Cicero also said that by
raising Pompey's statues he had fixed his own。 When his friends
advised him to have a guard； and several offered their services； he
would not hear of it； but said it was better to suffer death once than
always to live in fear of it。 He looked upon the affections of the
people to be the best and surest guard； and entertained them again
with public feasting and general distributions of corn； and to gratify
his army； he sent out colonies to several places； of which the most
remarkable were Carthage and Corinth； which as before they had been
ruined at the same time； so now were restored and repeopled together。
As for the men of high rank； he promised to some of them future
consulships and praetorships； some he consoled with other offices
and honours； and to all held out hopes of favour by the solicitude
he showed to rule with the general good…will； insomuch that upon the
death of Maximus one day before his consulship was ended； he made
Caninius Revilius consul for that day。 And when many went to pay the
usual compliments and attentions to the new consul； 〃Let us make
haste；〃 said Cicero； 〃lest the man be gone out of his office before we
come。〃
Caesar was born to do great things； and had a passion after
honour； and the many noble exploits he had done did not now serve as
an inducement to him to sit still and reap the fruit of his past
labours； but were incentives and encouragements to go on； and raised
in him ideas of still greater actions； and a desire of new glory； as
if the present were all spent。 It was in fact a sort of emulous
struggle with himself； as it had been with another； how he might outdo
his past actions by his future。 In pursuit of these thoughts； he
resolved to make war upon the Parthians； and when he had subdued them；
to pass through Hyrcania； thence to march along by the Caspian Sea
to Mount Caucasus； and so on about Pontus； till he came into
Scythia； then to overrun all the countries bordering upon Germany； and
Germany itself； and so to return through Gaul into Italy； after
completing the whole circle of his intended empire； and bounding it on
every side by the ocean。 While preparations were making for this
expedition； he proposed to dig through the isthmus on which Corinth
stands； and appointed Anienus to superintend the work。 He had also a
design of diverting the Tiber； and carrying it by a deep channel
directly from Rome to Circeii； and so into the sea near Tarracina；
that there might be a safe and easy passage for all merchants who
traded to Rome。 Besides this； he intended to drain all the marshes
by Pomentium and Setia； and gain ground enough from the water to
employ many thousands of men in tillage。 He proposed further to make
great mounds on the shore nearest Rome； to hinder the sea from
breaking in upon the land； to clear the coast at Ostia of all the
hidden rocks and shoals that made it unsafe for shipping and to form
ports and harbours fit to receive the large number of vessels that
would frequent them。
These things were designed without being carried into effect； but
his reformation of the calendar in order to rectify the irregularity
of time was not only projected with great scientific ingenuity； but
was brought to its completion； and proved of very great use。 For it
was not only in ancient time that the Romans had wanted a certain rule
to make their months fall in with the revolutions of the year； so that
their festivals and solemn days for sacrifice were removed by little
and little； till at last they came to be kept at seasons quite the
contrary to what was at first intended； but even at this time the
people had no way of computing the solar year； only the priests
could say the time； and they； at their pleasure； without giving any
notice； slipped in the intercalary month； which they called
Mercedonius。 Numa was the first who put in this month； but his
expedient was but a poor one and quite inadequate to correct all the
errors that arose in the returns of the annual cycles； as we have
shown in his life。 Caesar called in the best philosophers and
mathematicians of his time to settle the point； and out of the systems
he had before him formed a new and more exact method of correcting the
calendar； which the Romans use to this day； and seem to succeed better
than any nation in avoiding the errors occasioned by the inequality of
the cycles。 Yet even this gave offence to those who looked with an
evil eye on his position； and felt oppressed by his power。 Cicero
the orator； when some one in his company chanced to say the next
morning Lyra would rise； replied； 〃Yes； in accordance with the edict；〃
as if even this were a matter of compulsion。
But that which brought upon him the most apparent and mortal
hatred was his desire of being king； which gave the common people
the first occasion to quarrel with him； and proved the most specious
pretence to those who had been his secret enemies all along。 Those who
would have procured him that title gave it out that it was foretold in
the Sibyls' books that the Romans should conquer the Parthians when
they fought against them under the conduct of a king； but not
before。 And one day； as Caesar was coming down from Alba to Rome； some
were so bold as to salute him by the name of king； but he； finding the
people disrelish it；