have left the city to join his army in western Macedonia.
Such was Antony’s charisma with the rank and file that he might have walked into the camp and taken command of it. Perhaps he even considered doing so, but the truth is Antony needed Lepidus more than he needed two legions of fighting men.
Antony said nothing to Lepidus about the fortune inside Caesar’s house. No, what Antony offered Lepidus was the office of Pontifex Maximus – High Priest of Rome and perpetual guardian of the Vestal Virgins. In those days, the holder of that office resided in the Regia; that meant that the Regia had been Caesar’s residence for many years and the place where Caesar kept his money.
Whether or not Lepidus remarked on the fact that Antony hadn’t the authority to appoint anyone to an elected office, I cannot say. What I do know is that it took very little persuasion for Lepidus to agree to Antony’s proposal. Almost as an afterthought the two men arranged for the eventual marriage of two of their pre-adolescent children.
The city was stirring with rumours of Caesar’s murder when Antony and Lepidus arrived at the Regia. They were escorted by enough friends and clients to secure Caesar’s house. With that accomplished, Antony and Lepidus walked up the Palatine Hill and approached the house of Cornelius Dolabella.
Antony and my patron had never been friends. I believe everyone in the city knew this. In fact, Antony was convinced his former wife had slept with Dolabella, though she denied it. Dolabella had publicly announced that it was possible, but he simply could not remember. This was of course worse than denial, and Caesar had generally tried to keep the two men in separate provinces, if not on different continents.
One may wonder why, of all people, Antony went to Dolabella, but the answer is simple. With Caesar’s death, Dolabella had suddenly become the commander of Caesar’s sixteen legions. This army was presently camped in Western Macedonia, but that was not so very far away. With such a force at his back, Dolabella had become the sort of friend Antony needed.
Antony was not prepared to bring Dolabella into his family, but he could offer Dolabella a consulship. The office was available, after all. Of course Antony had no more right to offer a consulship than a vacant seat at the head of the college of priests, but Dolabella was certainly not the man to object. He grabbed the title as if it were his due.
Only then did Antony introduce the question of protecting Caesar’s gold. As consul, consul-elect, and Pontifex Maximus-elect, Antony, Dolabella and Lepidus returned to the Regia. There they promptly divided Caesar’s money and portable goods, each taking a piece of that great prize to a secure location. As for Caesar’s widow, they gave her until dawn the following day to vacate the premises.
Antony then sent an invitation to the leadership of the assassins to meet with him that evening. Some hours later, word came back that Junius Brutus and Cassius Longinus would come for a meeting on condition that both sides exchange family members to serve as hostages. This was arranged and that evening Cassius and Brutus settled down to a meal at Dolabella’s mansion. Neither Brutus nor Cassius dared taste the food or drink the wine. No matter. Antony feasted as per his custom, and Dolabella tipped his cup as carelessly as an honest man.
The first order of business, according to Antony, was to establish a truce among all parties. No need for more bloodshed. Brutus protested at once; the first order of business, he said, was the restoration of the Republic. There would be no more tyrants or dictators or talk of kings in Rome.
Clearly he thought Antony aspired to replace Caesar. Antony answered him enthusiastically, ‘You are right of course. Unless by restoration you mean my consulship is illegitimate.’
‘That is exactly the case,’ Cassius answered.
‘Then I suppose I haven’t the authority to call the
Such was Antony’s charisma with the rank and file that he might have walked into the camp and taken command of it. Perhaps he even considered doing so, but the truth is Antony needed Lepidus more than he needed two legions of fighting men.
Antony said nothing to Lepidus about the fortune inside Caesar’s house. No, what Antony offered Lepidus was the office of Pontifex Maximus – High Priest of Rome and perpetual guardian of the Vestal Virgins. In those days, the holder of that office resided in the Regia; that meant that the Regia had been Caesar’s residence for many years and the place where Caesar kept his money.
Whether or not Lepidus remarked on the fact that Antony hadn’t the authority to appoint anyone to an elected office, I cannot say. What I do know is that it took very little persuasion for Lepidus to agree to Antony’s proposal. Almost as an afterthought the two men arranged for the eventual marriage of two of their pre-adolescent children.
The city was stirring with rumours of Caesar’s murder when Antony and Lepidus arrived at the Regia. They were escorted by enough friends and clients to secure Caesar’s house. With that accomplished, Antony and Lepidus walked up the Palatine Hill and approached the house of Cornelius Dolabella.
Antony and my patron had never been friends. I believe everyone in the city knew this. In fact, Antony was convinced his former wife had slept with Dolabella, though she denied it. Dolabella had publicly announced that it was possible, but he simply could not remember. This was of course worse than denial, and Caesar had generally tried to keep the two men in separate provinces, if not on different continents.
One may wonder why, of all people, Antony went to Dolabella, but the answer is simple. With Caesar’s death, Dolabella had suddenly become the commander of Caesar’s sixteen legions. This army was presently camped in Western Macedonia, but that was not so very far away. With such a force at his back, Dolabella had become the sort of friend Antony needed.
Antony was not prepared to bring Dolabella into his family, but he could offer Dolabella a consulship. The office was available, after all. Of course Antony had no more right to offer a consulship than a vacant seat at the head of the college of priests, but Dolabella was certainly not the man to object. He grabbed the title as if it were his due.
Only then did Antony introduce the question of protecting Caesar’s gold. As consul, consul-elect, and Pontifex Maximus-elect, Antony, Dolabella and Lepidus returned to the Regia. There they promptly divided Caesar’s money and portable goods, each taking a piece of that great prize to a secure location. As for Caesar’s widow, they gave her until dawn the following day to vacate the premises.
Antony then sent an invitation to the leadership of the assassins to meet with him that evening. Some hours later, word came back that Junius Brutus and Cassius Longinus would come for a meeting on condition that both sides exchange family members to serve as hostages. This was arranged and that evening Cassius and Brutus settled down to a meal at Dolabella’s mansion. Neither Brutus nor Cassius dared taste the food or drink the wine. No matter. Antony feasted as per his custom, and Dolabella tipped his cup as carelessly as an honest man.
The first order of business, according to Antony, was to establish a truce among all parties. No need for more bloodshed. Brutus protested at once; the first order of business, he said, was the restoration of the Republic. There would be no more tyrants or dictators or talk of kings in Rome.
Clearly he thought Antony aspired to replace Caesar. Antony answered him enthusiastically, ‘You are right of course. Unless by restoration you mean my consulship is illegitimate.’
‘That is exactly the case,’ Cassius answered.
‘Then I suppose I haven’t the authority to call the
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