Chapter 18 Brutus's Accusation (Part 2)
Among this group of people were not only people from Pinucem, Etrunia, Umbria and other areas adjacent to the city of Rome, but also people from distant Lucania, Sicily and Alpine Gaul. The total number was actually Tens of thousands of people cheered loudly. They were all beneficiaries of Lepidus' proposal, that is, local figures who wholeheartedly supported the "Act of Aemilius". It was this act that granted them the same privilege as the city of Rome. Reese's number of votes allows them to truly stand proud in the republic and exert their own influence on national policies.
"The war in Africa is over. Then I will advise the two censors to count the number of citizens in Rome and the entire Italy. Soon the Aemilius Act will be truly implemented." Lepidus rode on his horse and waved to the people. road.
Immediately, he took two thousand prisoners of war and tens of thousands of craftsmen recruited from Italy, and took the lead in entering the city gate of Rome. His first step was to build a new Vienna in the main square. The remaining four projects are to add decorations, seats and temporary colonnades to the Great Forum, the Temple of Jupiter on the Capitol, the Juilliard Hall and the Tabernacle, which can be used for future triumphal ceremonies. It provides a place for citizens to rest and eat, and can display a wide range of gifts and trophies. Soon, the city of Rome was filled with a bustle of joy and vitality, and idlers from all neighborhoods gathered around the construction site to comment on Caesar's achievements. "Why?" Li Bida stood at the speech desk in the auditorium. asked the question.
There was a loud noise. Some senators said that the remnants of Pompey's party had not yet been wiped out. Lepidus replied that as soon as the triumphal ceremony was over, Rabinus and the younger Pompey brothers could be pacified immediately.
Some senators said that after the civil war, the casualties of the people and the legions were very heavy, and the censor must be allowed to count the number of citizens before the bill could be implemented. Lepidus asked Spinzer and Bisot. The two men started to make excuses as to how long it would take to complete such statistics, saying that they might not be able to complete it after their five-year term, because it was a huge and cumbersome project.
Lepidus secretly sneered: However, the number of two to three million citizens, including the new citizens from Italy and other regions, will not exceed one million. This statement is simply ridiculous.
But he remained calm and continued to listen to the performances of the elders. Some people said that they would not put this on the agenda until after the grand triumphal ceremony. Others talked about more than doubling the number of voters. It is necessary to expand the Teblis Assembly Hall, and this project may not be completed in a short time. Later, before the senator had finished rambling, he stood up and said that he was extremely tired from the journey and could not stay until the end of the meeting. Then he left with his guards and retinues, and walked along the streets of Aventini Hill to arrive at In the port area of the Ostia River, the "Wartime Provincial Executive Council" transformed from a huge warehouse is standing over there. All the bureaucrats, knights and high-level slaves lined up and stood on the steps to welcome the chief minister with trepidation. arrival.
"No need, gentlemen. I'm not here to visit or inspect. I'm here to lead everyone in doing things." Li Bida didn't even say hello, he just walked through the welcoming team and walked into the Executive Yuan and sat down. , and then everyone gathered around holding official documents and seals.
"I must complete what must be done in the year before the end of my term. It is related to the long-term stability of the Republic and Caesar's cause." Lepidus took the cup of mead and drank it down, then cleared his throat and laid out the items one by one:
"Immediately allocate a special fund of one hundred to two hundred talents from the treasury of the Executive Yuan to immediately expand the Teblis Assembly Hall. Yes, it must have awnings and parasols, cornices and colonnades, and paving inside Stone bricks, let every new and old citizen who votes enjoy ease and comfort.”
"Order the four municipal magistrates, the Municipal Secretary, and the subordinate highway officials to dredge the main roads inside and outside the city of Rome from now on, supervise the food prices in the fish market and cattle market, severely crack down on speculation, and in Caesar's personal name, seize the loot from the loot. He allocated funds to give each Roman citizen 300 sesterces, and each Italian citizen 150 sesterces, as their exclusive allowance for participating in the triumphal celebration."
"The triumphal ceremony and the festival of the goddess of the hunt were immediately combined into one, and one-third of the spoils of the final sacrifice were sent to Diana's altar; in addition, a river was dug in the Colosseum to host the naval battle performances of the gladiators; Fences were built around the Ares Campus and tents were erected to house people coming to watch the ceremony; streets were expanded around the Grand Circuit to prevent crowds from crowding and stampeding.”
"Immediately organize six hundred slaves who can count and write, and one hundred low-level officials, divide Rome and all Italy into special districts according to distance, and go out to count the number of citizens. Since the two censors have no idea If you find it difficult, our Executive Yuan will go and help - in short, before the Wolf Festival next year, the entire Aemilius Act needs to be implemented on time, and the people's meeting that all new and old citizens collectively participate in must be successfully held on time and concluded. "
After Lepidus arranged everything in one go, he announced that all officials and slaves in the Executive Yuan would receive extra allowances and grain subsidies during this period, so everything must be done diligently and without slacking off. My guards and retinues were all supervising. After that, The chief officer saluted everyone and then left.
In the following days, Lepidus did not return to Prema or Apilon. Instead, he continued to stay in the apartment on Jukora Street and carefully supervised the development of various tasks.
All the elders were dumbfounded. They finally understood that when a brand-new institution could replace them to perform state functions, everything would run unimpeded and at high speed. These people instinctively felt a huge threat. "Will the elite republic system that has lasted for hundreds of years end next year and enter the cemetery of history?"
"No, it's not clear who will enter the cemetery first!" Many people were calculating in their hearts.
In the dock on the Balearic Islands, the two brothers, Laus and Sextus, knelt on the temporary family altar after receiving the bad news about their father and Scipio, and vowed not to compromise with Caesar until death, and they would not be satisfied until they saw the heads of Caesar and Cassius in this life.
At this moment, a secret letter from Aetius, the legal officer in Rome, was delivered.