| GRECIANS AND ROMANS | | |
| | |
| This notwithstanding, they that procured him this honor | IULIUS |
| and dignity, gave it out among the people, that it was | CÆSAR |
| written in the Sybilline prophecies, how the Romanes might | |
| overcome the Parthians, if they made warre with them, and | |
| were led by a king, but otherwise that they were unconquer- | |
| able. And furthermore they were so bold besides, that | |
| Caesar returning to Rome from the citie of Alba, when they | |
| came to salute him, they called him king. But the people | |
| being offended, and Caesar also angry, he said he was not | |
| called king, but Caesar. Then every man keeping silence, he | |
| went his way heavy and sorowfull. When they had decreed | |
| divers honors for him in the Senate, the Consulls and Praetors | |
| accompanied with the whole assembly of the Senate, went | |
| unto him in the market place, where he was set by the pulpit | |
| for orations, to tell him what honors they had decreed for | |
| him in his absence. But he sitting still in his majesty, dis- | |
| daining to rise up unto them when they came in, as if they | |
| had bene private men, aunswered them: that his honors had | |
| more neede to be cut of, then enlarged. This did not onely | |
| offend the Senate, but the common people also, to see that | |
| he should so lightly esteeme of the Magistrates of the common | |
| wealth: insomuch as every man that might lawfully goe | |
| his way, departed thence very sorrowfully. Thereupon also Caesar | |
| rising, departed home to his house, and tearing open his | |
| doblet coller, making his necke bare, he cried out alowde to | |
| his frendes, that his throte was readie to offer to any man | |
| that would come and cut it. Notwithstanding, it is reported, | |
| that afterwardes to excuse this folly, he imputed it to his | |
| disease, saying, that their wittes are not perfit which have | |
| his disease of the falling evil, when standing of their feete | |
| they speake to the common people, but are soone troubled | |
| with a trembling of their body, and a sodaine dimnes and | |
| guidines. But that was not true. For he would have risen | |
| up to the Senate, but Cornelius Balbus one of his frendes | |
| (but rather a flatterer) would not let him, saying: What, doe | |
| you not remember that you are Caesar, and will you not let | |
| them reverence you, and doe their dueties? Besides these | |
| occasions and offences, there followed also his shame and re- | |
| proache, abusing the Tribunes of the people in this sorte. | |
| 61 | |