Chapter 22 Grand Triumphal Parade (Part 2)
Lepidus, who had been holding the flag on the chariot, turned back and looked at this scene coldly. He had expected it to appear. In fact, when Caesar proposed this idea, Lepidus expressed his objection, but Caesar did not listen. The debate between him and Brutus in the city of Utica, was this intentional?
At this moment, Caesar, who continued to wave, had no intention of stopping the wheel. He kept urging Anthony, who was driving, "Keep driving, keep driving, until you reach the Grand Square!"
The vehicles and soldiers finally stopped in front of the Holy Road in the Grand Square. Then Caesar, surrounded by everyone, got out of the vehicle and walked up the high steps into the newly completed Temple of Venus, while the rest The team was divided into three waves. Senior bureaucrats, priests, legion lieutenants and respected senators walked in with Caesar, while other lower-level officials and slaves, some went to the temple of the Hunting Goddess next to them and took the goats and some of the trophies. Killed in front of Diana's altar; the other part began to clear and dredge the road leading to the Capitol Hill. "v" shape.
On the smooth marble floor of the temple, the blazing fire reflected up and down, and the masked priests in black flipped and danced left and right. The crowd, including Caesar, Lepidus, Antony, etc., all took off their military uniforms and put on purple robes sent by the priests. Caesar solemnly handed over the laurel leaf crown, knelt bareheaded in front of the altar fire, offered wine to the gods, and himself At the age of thirteen, he served as a Flamen priest in the Temple of Jupiter, and he was still very familiar with this procedure. Finished. He entered the temple alone. This was the rule. Everyone else had to wait outside.
Caesar had to report the news of his victory alone to the Father, and then to express his gratitude to the immortal god for his help to the short-lived man.
At this time, the grand night celebration in Rome had begun. The most glorious man was telling God unknown words in a quiet and lonely temple, while the mortal commoners had come to enjoy the gifts brought to them by the hero. A total of 10,000 tables of banquets, with firelights for external lighting, were like countless stars and galaxies, covering the large and small streets of Rome, especially the Piazza Civica, the Suburra District and the sidewalks on both sides of the Tiber River. Prosperity, the table is filled with well-baked bread, exquisite fish sauce, wine with residue, mead, as well as onions, lentils, fruits, cheese and other home-cooked dishes. Of course, in order to win over the people, Lebida still It is suggested that Caesar add a "core dish" to each table, which can not only save money, but also improve the quality and show the dictator's sincerity in caring for the people. The so-called core dishes are indeed difficult for ordinary people to enjoy on a daily basis, such as the grilled tuna chin from Lepiderburg, or a fried platter of peacock tongue, pig offal and sausages, and some weird ones to cater to diners with tricky tastes. , such as beetle pupae, such as dog meat skewers, such as sow vulva meat. ... Now many slaves have set fire, and under the arrangement of Lepidus, they pulled the statue of Caesar in on a mule cart from the secluded mountain road over there. There were originally eight sculptures in the corridor, seven of which were from Rome in the Royal and Archaic times. There were three kings, and one who drove away Brutus, the first consul of the king. After this sculpture, there are no more, because Rome has entered the republican era and no longer needs a monarch. But there happened to be an empty seat there, so much so that Caesar thought it was divine providence that he had to put his statue in it to fill the gap, because he would lead the country into a new era.
When his statue was placed, Caesar looked up at himself with satisfaction, and was in a state of intoxication. Then he looked back and saw Lepidus standing behind him in a robe, and hugged him directly, "Immediately go to Parthia." The commander is still you, my friend. You will be the commander of the cavalry for the coming year, and you will also serve as the consul with me. Will you still hesitate?"
"Yes, give this seat to Anthony! I have reached the peak, what will you use to reward me if I go down?" Lepidus replied quietly, "When a person has no room for improvement, I am afraid he will... I have unrealistic ambitions, but I don’t want to end up like Surena, Lord Julius.”
"Stay and help me, I am too weak, just like Sulla's former friends helped him." Caesar continued without letting go.
It turns out that Caesar has now seriously considered his posthumous affairs. He always felt that his group base was too small and there were fewer people to entrust to him, so he did not hesitate to forgive many enemies, such as Cassius, Brutus, and Cisse. Robert, like Eurasia, was like many senators who had followed Pompey. He hoped that friends could help him continue to support his career. Maybe Caesar had felt lonely and afraid just now in front of the altar of the eternal gods. This is something anyone who has reached the top will feel, that is the pain caused by the mismatch between ambition and longevity.
"I will help your lord, unless I go before you, I swear to the family ring." Finally, Lepidus said, "If it is convenient, give me the title of expatriate legal officer, and I will be in a Handles half a case on market day."
These words made Caesar laugh, and then he let go of Lepidus' shoulders, patted his chest, and said, "I'd better enjoy the four full months of celebration and entertainment with your family and your woman."
"I have two months, and for the remaining two months, I will go to Asia Minor."
"What are you going there for?"
"To collect debts."
"This should be done by your knights or slaves. Only debts of love can be collected by yourself." Caesar pointed at Lepidus, smiled, put on a clean robe, and said.