another one to take his place.  In the second place the circumstances were unique, because Caninius at once was appointed consul, and ceased to serve.  On this, Cicero jestingly said that the consul had displayed so great bravery and prudence in office, as never to fall asleep in it for the briefest moment.  So from that period on the same persons no longer (save a few in olden times), served as consul through the entire year, but just as it happened,—­some for more time, some for less, some for months, others for days—­since now no one serves with any one else, as a rule, for a whole year or for a longer period than two months.  In general we do not differ from our ancestors, but the naming of the years for purposes of enumeration falls to those who are consuls at the start.  Accordingly I shall in most cases name those officials closely connected with events, but to secure perfect clearness with regard to what is done from time to time I shall mention also those first to serve, even if they make no contribution to the undertakings in question.

[-47-] Whereas the consuls were thus disposed of, the remaining magistrates were nominally elected by the plebs and by the populace, in accord with ancient customs (for Caesar would not accept the appointment of them), but really by him, and without the casting of lots they were sent out among the provinces.  As for number, all were the same as before, except that thirteen praetors and forty quaestors were appointed.  For, since he had made many promises to many people, he had no other way to redeem them, and that accounts for his actions.  Furthermore he enrolled a vast number in the senate, making no distinction, whether a man were a soldier, or a child of one enslaved, so that the sum of them grew to nine hundred:  and he enrolled many among the patricians and among the ex-consuls or such as had held some office.  When some were tried for bribery and convicted he released them, so that he was charged with bribe-taking himself.  This report was strengthened by the fact that he also exposed[105] in the market all the public lands, not only the profane, but also the consecrated lots, and auctioned off the majority of them.  Nevertheless to some persons he granted ample gifts in the form of money or the sale of lands; and to a certain Lucius Basilus[106] he allowed no rulership of a province, though the latter was praetor, but bestowed a large amount of money in place of it, so that Basilus became notorious both in this matter and because when insulted in the course of his praetorship by Caesar he stood his ground.[107]

All this suited those citizens who were making or expecting to make corrupt gain, since they reverenced no element of the public weal in comparison with bettering themselves by such acts.  But all the rest took it greatly to heart, and had much to say about it to intimates and also (as many as felt safe in so doing) in outspoken public conversation and the publication of anonymous pamphlets.