Antonius

The Senate was taking a wait-and-see strategy to tame Pompeius, but all was not lost.

Since two Tribunes had been impeached for their involvement with Catilina, it was necessary to elect replacements for them.

The by-election was scheduled a week after Pompeius' speech.

It was not uncommon for someone to be selected to replace someone who was removed from office before their term had even begun.

The Senate didn't pay much attention to the election, which only elected two tribunes.

Their eyes were on Pompeius.

However, something big happened to turn the Senate's attention away from Pompeius.

The center of the controversy was Claudius Pulcher, who was accused of cross-dressing and trespassing at the Temple of the Goddess Bona.

He shocked the Senate by announcing that he would run for the tribunus plebis election.

The same man who recently shook up the city of Rome is at the center of controversy again.

At first, the Senate thought Pulcher was just talking nonsense.

How does a member of the Claudii gens, the highest-ranking Roman aristocracy, run for a seat in the Concilium Plebis?

The Senate dismissed the idea that Pulcher was just looking for attention.

Pulcher, however, took Marcus's advice and abandoned his aristocratic status by adopting the name of plebeian.

The Senate was shocked by this unusual method.

"This is an act of mocking the Senate!"

"Even in Rome, the purest, most prestigious aristocratic bloodlines become plebeians. This is the demise of all aristocracy."

"Isn't this just a way to get back at us for the accusations made a while back? Are you sure he's really going to go out to the tribunus plebis...."

"Any adoption that involves a change of identity would have to be authorized by the Pontifex Maximus anyway. No way would Caesar allow such a ridiculous thing, and he's part of the prestigious Julii gens in Rome anyway."

"Sure. It's just going to be a chore."

The Senate expected that even Caesar would not accept this behavior.

Of course, Caesar neatly betrayed the Senate's expectations and granted Pulcher's request.

He allowed Pulcher to become a plebeian shortly before he was appointed as governor of Hispania.

Pulcher now abandoned his aristocratic name and adopted the plebeian name of Publius Clodius.

This sequence of events led the Senate to believe that Clodius was a minion of Caesar.

It was the only way it could be seen, given the circumstances.

This makes sense because Caesar covered up Clodius's actions in breaking into the Bona temple, and if Clodius were doing this to be compensated, then it all makes sense.

In fact, that's what Caesar and Clodius had in the original history.

Feeling threatened, the Senate tried to prevent Clodius from being elected by putting forward a candidate closer to their own.

Even Pompeius, who spent his time in a villa, sought out people who could be his tribunes and made them his henchmen.

The by-election for tribunus plebis was a three-party race.

The least weighty of these was the original Caesar.

The titles of Pontifex Maximus, Praetor, and head of the populares were certainly prestigious, but they paled in comparison to the Senate and Pompeius.

However, Clodius was such a center of attention that it didn't matter.

The Claudii gens, a famous one in Rome, gave up their aristocratic status to side with the plebeians.

There has never been a candidate with a narrative like this.

Adding to his popularity was the fact that he had just been acquitted in a trial.

The perception of being unjustly oppressed by the aristocracy naturally stuck in voters' minds.

To cement his popularity, Clodius even threw money around.

The money had been given to Marcus, but the Senate believed that it had been stolen by Clodius, who was originally from a prominent family.

The citizens lavished their support on the newly emerged famous new politician.

In the end, the election resulted in a landslide victory for Clodius.

The Senate's candidate barely came in second and was humiliated.

The candidate Pompeius was hoping for, unfortunately, came in third place.

It wasn't because the citizens didn't support Pompeius.

There were two main reasons.

The first is that the candidate was put forward in haste ahead of the by-election.

There wasn't enough time for the citizens to recognize that this was a candidate endorsed by Pompeius.

The second was the absence of the candidate's presence.

With so little time on the campaign trail, the candidate's name recognition was bound to have a big impact.

Clodius was a good example of being so elected.

The problem is that Pompeius sought a candidate he could manipulate.

Naturally, the candidate's presence was bound to be weak.

The fact that such a candidate ranked third proved Pompeius's popularity in reverse.

Greatly grieved by this result, Pompeius did not step out of the villa until the Triumphus.

For the Senate, it's like having Pompeius off their backs has created one more unexpected obstacle.

Somehow, a feeling of uneasiness crept up.

And Clodius immediately set out to prove that the Senate's fears were not unfounded.

The first order that Clodius received from Marcus was to settle the Eastern provinces.

There was also a meaning of a test to see the skills, so no specific method was instructed.

However, the only thing Pompeius requested was that they never touch anything other than the main arrangement.

Land distribution would come in handy later, and it was worth making Pompeius suffer a little more.

Of course, a part of him wanted to give them a taste of their own medicine for ignoring his advice and doing as they pleased.

Clodius dutifully followed Marcus' orders.

He harshly criticized the Senate whenever they held meetings.

He had no intention of joining the Senate after his term as a tribune ended, so the intensity of his remarks was beyond imagination.

"Citizens, Rome is in a state of unprecedented turmoil. Bills that should be passed are piling up like mountains. Do you know why? It's because the Senate and Pompeius are engaged in a power struggle for control, and the damage is being borne disproportionately by the good citizens."

One of the manipulators that Clodius had planted in advance raised his hand and asked the question he had been preparing.

"Didn't the Senate still pass a number of reform bills recently?"

"That was just a temporary measure to gain public support. Do you know where the resources were supposed to come from to reduce the debt of the debtors? It's from the East, and if the money doesn't come from there, then even if the reform bill is passed, there's no money to spend - it's just lip service."

The citizens were agitated by Clodius' instigation.

Pompeius honestly didn't understand well when he talked about the Eastern province.

However, it was clear how serious the problem was because they explained it in connection with their interests.

Citizens who had been promised debt relief but had not yet received it were particularly impatient.

"So the reforms promised last year may not actually be implemented?"

"One thing is for sure, it will be delayed indefinitely. There's no budget, so there's no way it can be enforced. We're just falling prey to a power struggle between the Senate and Pompeius! So I dare to propose something. We should pass the bill to organize the provinces under the Lex Hortensia, which does not require Senate approval! The interests of the citizens must no longer be sacrificed to the power struggle of the vested interests! I, Clodius, will be your shield, defending your interests with all my might!"

The people responded with a thunderous roar to Clodius's passionate declaration.

The roar from the Forum Romanum was deafening to the ears of the Senators in the distance.

Even the guards at the nearby gate were surprised.

The citizens heartily welcomed the arrival of a tribune who would side with them unilaterally.

Clodius immediately drew up a bill to organize the eastern provinces.

Watching the scene, Cato scratched his forehead and lamented.

"Have we created a madman...."

Calpurnianus, who was serving as consul this year, clicked his tongue in annoyance.

"You've poked a hornet's nest, and this is what you get. It's hard enough dealing with Pompeius, and now you've got a madman like that as your tribune, and it's giving me a headache."

"Isn't using Clodius to dethrone Caesar from the Pontifex Maximus office something we all agreed on!"

"Yes, so I don't blame you alone, but reflect on all of us's hasty decisions."

"You can't just worry about it, you have to do something about it."

Cicero, who had a stiff look on his face, opened his mouth for the first time.

The most nervous of the current Senate members was none other than him.

Because of Cicero's last testimony, Clodius was almost guilty.

If Marcus hadn't already mobilized the equites juror and bribed the plebeian juror, Clodius would have been found guilty.

Clodius, aware of this fact, had a fierce hatred for Cicero.

And Cicero was well aware of that.

He had no idea what kind of deterrent the crazed tribune would use to attack him.

The Senate's power of appointment, the traditional means of controlling the tribunes, is not available to Clodius.

That doesn't mean he didn't cause as much of a ruckus as the Gracchus brothers, but he couldn't trigger a Senatus Consultum Ultimum.

The other senators, who actively sought to bring charges against Clodius, were secretly relieved that his anger was not directed at them.

One tribune may not be able to shake the entire Senate, but if you are prepared to commit suicide, you can bring down one person enough.

None of the senators wanted the unjust end of being stabbed to death by a knife wielded by a psychopath.

Consul Calpurnianus shook his head and muttered.

"Well, it looks like it's a foregone conclusion that the Concilium Plebis will pass the bill to organize the province, so I guess we'll just have to accept that it's inevitable."

Cato asked, frowning.

"Don't you think these are all Caesar's tricks?"

"What are you talking about? Caesar has left for Hispania now."

"He's chosen Clodius to disrupt Rome while he's away as governor, and Pompeius is suspicious. Could it be that Caesar has made some sort of agreement with Pompeius and is plotting to use Clodius to get Pompeius' demands passed?"

The other senators found it plausible, but Cicero raised a counterpoint.

"I don't think that's likely at the moment. For one thing, if they were to form an alliance, it would have to be Pompeius, not Caesar, who would be in charge of the province - their positions and popularity are vastly different. Besides, Pompeius was going to run a candidate on his own in these tribune elections - if he made a mistake, he could split the vote with Clodius and they could both lose...well.... If Caesar and Pompeius had joined hands, they would have unified their candidacy."

"You may have been convinced that Clodius was going to win. Indeed, he was elected by a landslide."

"But even so, one tribune can't do much more than that. The bill for the East was passed because the citizens' interests were at stake. Distributing land to Pompeius's old henchmen? There's no reason for the citizens to approve that, and neither Caesar nor Pompeius would know about it, especially if it were Caesar."

Cato also stepped back from the logical counterargument of Cicero.

Still, he put aside the conspiracy theory but did not give in to the opinion that Caesar should be checked.

"Everyone watching this spectacle must keep in mind: when Caesar returns from his governorship of the provinces, he will no doubt run for the consulship. If he becomes consul, that madman tribune will take control of the Concilium Plebis, and Caesar will oppress us in the Senate. We mustn't take pride in our victory over Pompeius. Our real enemy is Caesar, who is pulling the strings behind that Clodius."

This time, no other senators objected.

Certainly, Caesar has been increasingly anti-Senate lately.

Crassus' control of him also seemed to have reached its limit.

Still, while the Senate felt they needed to pay attention, they didn't feel a sense of crisis.

If you're careful, you can't lose.

Even Cato, who kept Caesar in check more than anyone else, was now so optimistic.

* * *

Clodius clearly lived up to Marcus' expectations by harassing the Senate.

Sometimes things went a little too far, but when he did, Marcus gave him the signal to stop.

The Senate waited for Clodius to cross the line but repeatedly missed the opportunity.

Now they recognized that Clodius was not simply a man driven by his fierce blood.

One good thing is that Clodius keeps his hands off the land that Pompeius wants most.

At this moment, Cato's conspiracy theory that Caesar and Pompeius made a pact is completely discarded.

While the Senate was paying keen attention to Clodius's actions, Marcus calmly built his career.

The quaestor's main job is to audit and account for the authority's finances.

Marcus mobilized the family's professionals to get things done quickly and accurately.

As an added bonus, he has recently taken on the role of leader of the Youth in Defense of the Republic.

This is because Cicero, troubled by Clodius' troubles, could not afford to host the meeting.

So the meeting was no longer held in Cicero's mansion but in Marcus' taberna.

As usual, the young people who attended the meeting had a lively discussion.

The topic was "Is Pompeius really aiming for dictatorship?".

Brutus and Cassius argued that it was possible, if not now.

Curio and Decimus, on the other hand, argued that Pompeius had no such ambitions.

All eyes turned to Marcus as everyone spoke up.

"I personally don't think Pompeius has that kind of ambition, and I know him personally, but he values personal honor and glory over ambition, and if he really had dictatorial ideas, he wouldn't have disbanded the army."

Brutus asked, scratching his head.

"So you believe that an innocent man, Pompeius, has been victimized by this decision of the Senate?"

"I wouldn't necessarily say that's the case, because I'm sure a lot of people in the Senate think that Pompeius is really trying to become a dictator, and they're not just checking him."

"You're right, I had a hunch. It seems harsh, but I suppose it's a necessary evil for the republic."

The intelligent Brutus immediately understood what Marcus was saying. And even then, he was inclined to favor the Senate's choice.

The same was true of Cassius.

The belief that a few innocent victims were necessary for the good of the republic was strong.

Marcus smiled bitterly, covering his mouth with a glass of diluted wine.

Those two are willing to accept it, even if it's themselves who are being sacrificed.

This is why blind faith is a scary thing.

"That's why he stabbed someone who treated him like a son and saved his life twice."

He has talked to Brutus a few times about Caesar, and to his surprise, he harbors a favorable opinion of him.

Brutus said he was annoyed by the rumor that he was Caesar's illegitimate son, but he didn't hate Caesar himself.

It wasn't like Cato being an uncle.

He even seemed to believe that if Caesar confronted the Senate now, they would reconcile later.

In other words, Brutus assassinated someone he personally admired for his beliefs.

This is not surprising, as it was not uncommon in modern times, even during the Cold War.

It's a good reminder to be careful and to be careful again.

Being assassinated like Caesar is a possible future for Marcus.

This is because assassination was the most common way for powerful people to lose their lives in the East and the West.

Even with Spartacus by his side, he didn't want to spend the rest of his life hiding behind a bodyguard and worrying about the assassination.

The idea of assassinating a dictator was reinforced by the presence of eager young men who thought he should be assassinated.

'It's the only way to stay in power, not offend republicans, and reduce the risk of assassination....'

He didn't think there was anything that could be done, but that didn't mean there wasn't a way.

But there were a lot of conditions that had to be met, and Marcus had a lot of mountains to climb.

At the end of the debate, Brutus, Cassius, and Decimus leave the room, but Curio remains.

He had said beforehand that he had a special favor to ask, but when they were alone, he could hardly speak.

Marcus, who couldn't see it, asked first.

"Didn't you say you wanted to ask me a favor?"

"Oh, yes. There...… I know that I'm very ashamed to ask you this favor. Nevertheless, I know that Marcus has the ability to solve it easily, so I will be ashamed to tell you."

Marcus nodded to mean to continue.

Curio took a deep breath and continued.

"I have a friend who I've been close to since we were kids, and he comes from a plebeian aristocracy like me, but unfortunately his father was killed by Marius faction when he was young, so he wandered around wasting his natural talents and getting into all sorts of trouble. He also had a family to support, so he went into debt here and there. He's matured since then, but he's already in so much debt that he can't afford to pay it back."

"Why don't we just use the debtor rehabilitation scheme we've put in place?"

"I realize that the scheme currently requires him to have a steady income. But unfortunately, my friend is currently living in debt. He says he used to take money from political gangs, and now he wants to get away from that kind of work...."

"You made the right decision. So, Curio, you want me to give him a job or a guarantee to pay off his debts?"

"You can't be serious!"

Curio shook his head in disbelief.

"I don't mean to be so presumptuous, in fact, I'd love to help, but I'm deeply in debt myself and can't step up. My friend is currently looking to use the lease to go on a study abroad trip. If you don't mind, Marcus, I was wondering if you could sponsor his transportation and study abroad expenses? I'm sure he'll be able to repay you later, and if he can't, I'll be sure to pay you back at some point."

Curio was one of the hopes of the republic, attracting the attention of the Senate with his eloquence and erudition.

Marcus wondered who this friend of Curio's was that he thought so highly of.

"If he's really such a brilliant young man, I'm sure I can arrange for his transportation and sponsorship, but if he's such a brilliant young man, I'm sure I've heard of him once before... What's his name?"

"Oh, he's not a friend who's good at learning or speaking. However, he is very brave and has excellent military talent. When he was in a political gang, he often knocked down the opponent's organization, which was twice as many even in a small number."

Curio, who had been explaining the strengths of his friends, finally revealed his name.

"I'm going to introduce you to a friend of mine named Antony. I believe he is distantly related to your father-in-law, Caesar."

"Antonius...!"

Marcus let out a sound that bordered on a gasp for a moment.

The name of one of the people he was looking for an opportunity to contact.

He was going to make a connection in the near future, but he didn't expect the name to be mentioned at this point.

A grin of satisfaction crosses Marcus' face as he seizes this unexpected opportunity.