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Cæsar built the town of Novum Comum
1 at
the foot of the Alps and gave it the Latin rights, which included a
provision that those who had exercised the yearly chief magistracy should be
Roman citizens. One of these men, who had held this office and was
consequently considered a Roman citizen, was beaten with rods for some
reason by order of Marcellus in defiance of Cæsar--a punishment
that was never inflicted on Roman citizens. Marcellus in his passion
revealed his real intention that the blows should be the marks of the
foreigner, and he told the man to carry his scars and show them to
Cæsar. So insulting was Marcellus. Moreover, he proposed to send
successors to take command of Cæsar's provinces before his time
had expired, but Pompey interfered, making a pretence of fairness and
good-will, saying that they ought not to put an indignity on a distinguished
man who had been so extremely useful to his country, merely on account of a
short interval of time; but he made it plain that Cæsar's command
must come to an end immediately on its expiration. For this
reason the
bitterest enemies of Cæsar were chosen consuls
for the ensuing year: Æmilius Paulus and
Claudius Marcellus, cousin of the Marcellus before mentioned. Curio, who was
also a bitter enemy of Cæsar, but extremely popular with the
masses and a most accomplished speaker, was chosen tribune. Cæsar
was not able to influence Claudius with money, but he bought the neutrality
of Paulus for 1500 talents and the assistance of
Curio with a still larger sum, because he knew that the latter was heavily
burdened with debt. With the money thus obtained Paulus built and dedicated
to the Roman people the Basilica that bears his name, a very beautiful
structure.
