Chapter 4 The Tribunes (Part 2)
The speechless Brutus spread his hands and sat down on the couch a little tiredly. The current situation only made him more confused. So, only God knows what role he plays in the whirlpool.
But the storm was getting closer day by day. Even though Caesar and a legion were at Arimiron, only two days' march from Rome, after Marcellus and Domiius were both elected, Cato the Younger immediately proposed that the country was now in a " "Very big picture" situation, the Republic is under military threat, so there is no need to wait for the handover of the consulship in March of the next year to discuss the issue of Caesar's registered candidates immediately.
The Pompeian senators, Cruz and Byblos (who had just voted) quickly united and proposed this motion to Bolus, the chairman on duty of the Senate and the backbone of anti-Caesar, and said that under martial law conditions Under the circumstances, the decisions of the Senate naturally have priority in execution over the decisions of the People's Assembly.
At this moment, Lepidus, the branch official who had disappeared from public view for a long time, suddenly appeared in front of Printina's door, holding an autographed letter from Caesar to the Senate.
At this time, the Juilliard Hall funded by Caesar and built by Lepidus had been completed, so the senators gathered there to receive Lepidus like a "foreign envoy". This move itself made him feel: It seems Cato Jr. and others were not prepared to reconcile with Caesar at all.
No matter what, he was tired of the endless debates and criticisms in the political arena anyway. If the problem could be solved with a sword, he would not care at all now.
In the noisy hall, the servants were beating the floor with their sticks. Lepidus was holding a box of documents and standing in the circular staircase hall. The light falling from the stained glass patio was draped in his white toga robe. superior. "Look, before the butcher raises his knife, he will still send the boy who picks up the entrails out of courtesy. Come to the sheep pen in advance. Notify the sheep, so that you can buy time to sharpen the knife!" Xiaojia Tu looked condescendingly at Li Bida who remained motionless. Loudly mocking, the situation in the Senate immediately became more turbulent - Bolus, the chairman on duty, raised his hands to ask everyone to be quiet, and then asked Lepidus to read Caesar's letter in public.
"I, Julius Caesar, am still prepared to endure everything. As long as there is even a glimmer of hope for a legal solution to the matter, I will never resort to force." When Lepidus read "Resort to Force", Little Cato stood up again and shouted angrily, saying that a butcher is a butcher, while he was waving an olive branch. Always have a sharp knife at your back!
But Lepidus ignored his provocation and continued to read, "Therefore, I urge the Senate to pass an emergency decree allowing me to participate in the consul election in absentia."
A burst of laughter. Marcellus shook his white purple-edged robe and shouted, "Perhaps Caesar's messenger fell asleep on the way. Doesn't he know that the consuls have been elected?"
"——If the absentee election cannot be held this year, then the governor's term will be automatically extended for one year, because before Caesar sent this letter, he informed me that even if he is not present, he must be sure of one thing, and that is Is Pompey in the Senate Hall at this moment?" Lepidus stood in the middle, scanning the surroundings with sharp eyes.
Does this guy want to use this trick to impeach Pompeo again? You must know that in theory Pompey is still the governor of Spain and cannot appear in the city of Rome. Regardless of whether he appears in the Senate, during the petition conflict last time, Lepidus joined the army and even the torch bearer was involved in this matter. He was also killed, so now the Senate is holding a key meeting, but Pompey himself still lives in the countryside of Alba, controlling the situation behind the scenes just to avoid suspicion.
"Are you laughing at the system of the Senate? Do you really think that allowing a foreigner like you to become a governor is not based on the tolerance of the country, but on the loopholes of the law?" Little Cato seemed to see through it. Li Bida scolded in the same way.
Lepidus then retorted, "I am not doubting Pompey. He must be in Tarraco, Spain, performing his duties as governor. But I heard that the First Legion of the Spanish Province is now near the city of Rome. This is Pompey's legions, six thousand fully armed soldiers, were stationed in the capital of the Republic without any permission. Caesar was worried about this. He was afraid that after handing over the power of the governor, he would be attacked when he returned to the city. Attacked by Pompey's soldiers."
"What a ridiculous statement."
"This is not ridiculous. Caesar's verbal condition is that if he cannot register in absentia and cannot extend the governor's term, then he requires that all ten legions owned by Gaul and Spain, that is, Caesar and Pompey, be disbanded at the same time. !" Li Bida's voice suddenly rose.
Is this Caesar's new trick? But it was still enough to be a heavy bomb. Amidst the abuse, praise, and discussions in every corner, the clerk squeezed his eyebrows and ears and tried his best to record Lepidus' speech on the scroll. Little Cato was also a little surprised. , thinking to himself, "Caesar is indeed a smart and vicious guy, and the think tank he is standing here should not be underestimated. Now he actually kicked the ball to Pompey's side regarding the Legion's problem."
"No!" At this time, the tribune Curio, who was sitting on the second seat and participating in the meeting, stood up and rejected Lepidus' request.
"The abuse of the veto power may trigger a huge war. Elected fathers, I hope you can restrain the young tribunes attending the meeting. This is not the Tebris People's Assembly where you can spit and raise your hands at will!" Lepidus shouted angrily, but Cato was very satisfied with Curio's timely use of the veto power. When the reason cannot be communicated well, it is better to take such a tough measure.
"The proposal to disband the legion will not be included in the agenda." In the end, Bolus, the chairman on duty, naturally issued this order and directly blocked Lepidus.
Before Lepidus could make any excuses, Bolus exchanged glances with Cato the Younger and immediately proposed a rigid solution, "Reject Caesar's proposal to register as a candidate in absentia, reject Caesar's proposal to extend his term as governor, and reject Caesar's proposal to disband the legions at the same time as Pompey." After three refreshing "rejections" in one breath, Bolus added, "Convene a Senate meeting at the same place on a market day to discuss the handover of Caesar's governorship."
There were shouts like a market everywhere. Lepidus faced Cato the Younger and others, spread his hands, and walked backwards slowly with a provocative look, and left the hall.
"Thank you for the legacy of the Lord, I believe it will play a role in resisting thieves like Caesar!" Cato the Younger chased him and said sarcastically.
The other party was already standing at the gate porch, put down the hem of his robe, smiled at Cato the Younger, and turned away.