Century Assembly

But I think it intolerable that the acts of Caesar in the most important instances — that is to say, in his laws — are to be annulled for their sake.

What law was ever better, more advantageous, more frequently demanded in the best ages of the republic, than the one which forbade the praetorian provinces to be retained for more than one year, and the consular provinces more than two? If this law be abrogated, do you think that the acts of Caesar are maintained? What? Are not all the laws of Caesar respecting judicial proceedings abrogated by the law which has been proposed concerning the third decury? And are you the defenders of the acts of Caesar who overturn the laws? Unless, indeed, anything which, for the purpose of recollecting it, he entered in a notebook, is to be counted among his acts and defended, however unjust or useless it may be; and that which he proposed to the people in the Comitia Centuriata and carried, is not to be accounted as one of the acts of Caesar.

But what is that third decury? The decury of the centurions, says he.

What? Was not the judicature opened to that order by the Julian law, and even before that by the Pompeian and Aurelian laws? The income of the men, says he, was exactly defined.

And he was so far from thinking the army of Marcus Brutus dangerous to the republic that he considered it the most important and the most trusty bulwark of the republic.

Either then, Ponza does not perceive this, no doubt he is a man of dull intellect, or he disregards it, for he is clearly not anxious that the acts of Caesar, which executed, should be ratified.

He, who in compliance with our recommendation, is going to bring forth a bill to the Comitia Centuriata for sanctioning and confirming them.

Let those then, who have no fear, cease to pretend to be alarmed and to be exercising their foresight in the cause of the republic.

He exercised his authority only outside of the city walls.

It was at this time, about 500, that the Comitia Centuriata came to be the more important assembly, superseding in a great measure the Comitia Curiata.

We must remember that in this assembly all criminal cases were tried, magistrates nominated, and laws adopted or rejected.

We must not forget that since it was on a property basis, it was under the control of the patricians, for the great mass of plebeians were poor.

This is the origin of the phrase used by speakers addressing the Senate, namely, patres et conscripti.

These, however, could take no part in debates, nor could they hold magistracies.

In the Senate thus constituted, the nomination of all magistrates made in the Comitia Centuriata was confirmed or rejected.

In this way it controlled the election of the consuls, whose duties, we must remember, were those of generals and supreme judges, though every Roman citizen had the privilege of appealing from their decisions in cases which involved life.

But I think it intolerable that the acts of Caesar in the most important instances, that is to say in his laws, are to be annulled for their sake.

What law was ever better, more advantageous, more frequently demanded in the best ages of the republic, than the one which forbade the praetorian provinces to be retained for more than one year, and the consular provinces more than two? If this law be abrogated, do you think that the acts of Caesar are maintained? What? Are not all the laws of Caesar respecting judicial proceedings abrogated by the law which has been proposed concerning the third decury? And are you the defenders of the acts of Caesar who overturn the laws? Unless, indeed, anything which, for the purpose of recollecting it, he entered in a notebook, is to be counted among his acts and defended, however unjust or useless it may be; and that which he proposed to the people in the Comitia Centuriata and carried, is not to be accounted as one of the acts of Caesar.

But what is that third decury? The decury of the centurions, says he.

What? Was not the judicature opened to that order by the Julian law, and even before that by the Pompeian and Aurelian laws? The income of the men, says he, was exactly defined.

Or he disregards it.

For he is clearly not anxious that the acts of Caesar, which executed, should be ratified.

He, who in compliance with our recommendation, is going to bring forth a bill to the Comitia Centuriata for sanctioning and confirming them.

Let those, then, who have no fear, cease to pretend to be alarmed, and to be exercising their foresight in the cause of the republic.

He exercised his authority only outside of the city walls.

It was at this time, about 500, that the Comitia Centuriata came to be the more important assembly, superseding in a great measure the Comitia Curiata.

We must remember that in this assembly all criminal cases were tried, magistrates nominated, and laws adopted or rejected.

We must not forget that since it was on a property basis, it was under the control of the patricians, for the great mass of plebeians were poor.

This is the origin of the phrase used by speakers addressing the Senate, namely, patres et conscripti.

These, however, could take no part in debates, nor could they hold magistracies.

In the Senate thus constituted, the nomination of all magistrates made in the Comitia Centuriata was confirmed or rejected.

In this way it controlled the election of the consuls, whose duties, we must remember, were those of generals and supreme judges, though every Roman citizen had the privilege of appealing from their decisions in cases which involved life.