Legio XIII Gemina: The Rubicon

II- Embers to Flames

     A breathless messenger murmurs, near inaudibly, to the guards posted outside Caesar's tent. Throwing the entrance flaps open, he quickly salutes Caesar as he catches his breath. Caesar gestures him in with a single finger, barely looking up from all of the governmental papers strewn across his desk. The messenger takes a few cautious steps. He glances nervously at the focused general, flipping through papers, scrolls and tablets, jotting words in the margins. 

Caesar pauses, staring for one last moment at the tablet in his hand, before he places it back on the desk softly. "You, messenger, have you brought something for me? Out with it." 

"The Senate has put consideration into your governmental extension." The messenger gauges Caesar's expression before continuing, "since it was passed in 498, the Optimates have argued that your extension ends in 503, sir."

Caesar holds his composure, but flames dance across his irises. "This is absurd! On what grounds could they possibly be basing this? Were it not only a few months ago that the Senate voted to allow me to run for consul two years from now in absentia?"

"This is not mine own opinion, sir, but the will of the Senate: 'the legislation from 498 granting Caesar five additional years as proconsul of Illyricum, Cisalpine Gaul and Transalpine Gaul never stated the dates on which it is effective for, thus it should be interpreted as beginning the moment it was enacted. On account of this, the Senate bids Caesar to prepare for the end of his office, presumably the Kalends of Martius, 503.'" The messenger looks up from a gilded scroll, handing it over to Caesar for him to read.

     Caesar studies the scroll, his eyes flicking down the length, lingering for a moment when he reaches the bottom, containing the names of the senators in support of the re-interpretation of the law. One name draws Caesar's eyes. Who'd've thought, Caesar thinks, that a single "yea" vote would cost two generals their commands?

     The following day in the Senate, one of the Tribunes of the Plebs, bankrolled by Caesar, puts forth a motion demanding that Pompey resign from his command on the same day as Caesar. Pompey, as standing consul, couldn't allow such a bill to pass, declaring "veto" before discussions could begin. The bill was dead, but the damage was done. Weeks slipped into months of a gridlock in the Senate between those who supported Pompey and those who supported Caesar. As the deadline for Caesar's forced resignation edged ever closer, the Senate was still wholly unable to reconcile which general should resign, with a growing portion who want both to resign mutually. But as February came to a close, Caesar still held that he would resign if Pompey resigned first, with Pompey arguing for Caesar to go first. 

     The Kalends of March deadline slipped over the horizon, with the Senate being unable to respond effectively due to factional infighting. The Caesarians attempted to bridge the gap, by putting forth a motion calling for Caesar and Pompey to resign simultaneously. The bill had few who voted "nay", and a peaceful resolution seemed to be within reach. Yet Fortune was not with them that day, as a rug was pulled from under the feet of everyone hoping to see the tension end; the standing Optimate consul rose to speak, telling the Senate that such a motion would leave Rome defenseless from Caesar. To this end, he nullified the vote by dismissing the Senate. 

     By the end of the year 503, the Optimates thought Caesar had long overstayed his welcome. Pompey was sent to southern Italia to raise an army to defend Rome, but those still attending the senatorial meetings weren't slacking either. They loosed another volley of motions to force Caesar's resignation, with each being vetoed before a vote could begin. 

     On the Kalends of January, the Optimates gave Caesar -and by extension, the Senate- an ultimatum: Caesar must step down in six days or become an enemy of the state. The motion was vetoed, of course, by none other than Marcus Antonius. Vetoing the bill may have stopped it from being ratified, but the Pompeians treat it as law. The day in question came, with no word from Caesar. The Senate voted to put Rome under martial law, with the consuls made dictators. Before the wax dried on the legislation, the dictators passed their command over to Pompey.