The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-05-19

tanning the many friends and friends of
friends who came from Rome to visit him,
The exaltation that is natural to every
man who is conscious of his own greatness,
the glories he had won by his striking VIC
tory over the Beige. the ostensible success
OF his pretended annexation of Gaul, COM
bined will the mere physical pleasure of
being restored to good health, stirred him
up TO the exercise OF all his powers, In
the midst OF all these distractions Caesar
found time to attend to the main object Of
his journey, namely. the reconstruction OF
the ~Triumvirate. which during the latter
months of b, c. 81 and the early months Of
SO seemed to be slowly crumbling to pieces,
Nv.
The new policy which Caesar proposed to
his fellow Triumvirs at Lucca harmonized
admirably with the condition of opinion in
Italy and tended at once to stimulate and
to satisfy the ruling passions of a com
mercial and democratic age, its imperialan
military pride, its eagerness for quick profits.
its infectious mania for luxury, self-indul-
gence and ~ostentation. both in public and
private life. Expansion on the frontiers,
prodigality at home; gold and the sword;
these were the two main points in Caesars
programme, and the two we're inextricably
associated. Expansion would furnish the
money needed for ~prodigality, while the
prosperity created by home expenditures
would generate new energy for expansion.
In view of the vast fortunes that lac been
amassed by Lucullus and Pompey and the
millions of sesterces~ acquired by their sub
ordinate Generals and even by persons in
--- III F- .L-.-
standards. every politician in Rome and
all his friends and relations looked forward
to securing a similar windfall in some part
OF the world to which the Roman arms had
not yet penetrated, co..
The author Of thish history points out how
these demands and expectations diffused
the passion of Imperialism throughout
Roman society. Military %plundering had
now become the most lucrative industry
in Italy. when an army amassed a store
OF loot there was hardly any one in Italy
who did not benefit by it, and it was the
~peaceable class, the people who risked
nothing at all, that benefited the most.
1t was the merchants, the contractors and
the workmen for whom the State. with its
treasury heaped with spoils, and the Cen
erals, officers and soldiers. with their pockets
full of money, provided employment and
remuneration Under the circumstances
it was to be expected that the civilian popu-
lation. devoted though il IA to agricul-
ture and commerce, should become just
as enthusiastic for imperialism as the world
of politics. Ferrero suggests hat perhaps
its ardor for the ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Of the
empire was all the greater because. like
al stay az homo classes Of society. it was
easily moved by the glamour and excite
ment Of military life.
Meanwhile, however, before the empire
of Rome became coeXtensive with Alexan-
der's, the most immediate and decisive
effect of the universal enthusiasm was TO
impel men &c incur the most impossible
obligations. Nearly every one was at once
both creditor and debtor; men lent one
another any lite money they happened
to possess and borrowed again whenever
they we're themselves in difficulties.
Italian society hal become an mex
tricable labyrinth OF debit and credit
through the system Of s%yngrdpho, or
letters of credit. which we're renewed as
soon as they fell due; they were negotiated
in the same way Ss securities n bills OF
exchange are to-day, because the scarcity
OF capital ana lnt lttQutIJ OfCllLdlhJlhb III
prices would nave made il ruinous for them
to be redeemed too frequently Cicero
frequently mentions in his letters that
those who we're in need Of money would
attempt to sell some fnancier the claims
they had on other persons, and the financier
would buy them for cash. though Of course
with a proportionate discount. according
10 the prospects Of the debt. the needs OF
the creditor and the condition Of the money
market. Cicero's own endeavor to sell his
credit interest in one Fade rius throws light
upon these operations.
As regards the foreign conquests to be
made, the Triumvirs decided at Lucca
upon an enterprise which could not fail to
appeal TO every admirer Of Alexander,
a scheme, too, as it happened, uponfwhich
Cesar himself had long been bent. the
conquest Of Parthia. The mar and the
partylwho should annex to the Roman
East this huge. mysterious and fabululsly
wealthy empire would win unrivalled glory
ia the world % his contemporaries and of
posterity.. For the time. indeed. Caesar had
TO resign himself TO the abandonment of
this adventure to one Of his friends. being
himself too much occupied by affairs In
Gaul. where his reoent conquest still re-
quired his presence. As for Egypt. IL was
arranged that Crassus and Pompey should
give up their design upon that country and
restore the recently deposed Ptolemy
20 his throne on. condition that he paid
each OF { Triumvirb n large sum OF money.
II seems from a statement made by Plutarch
that the amount demanded by Caesar was
about I7.JOO,0O0 sesterces, or more than
$500, 600.
v.
Precisely what took place In the dis
cussions at Ihcca between Cesar, Pompey
and Crassus we do'not know, but the suthor