224 THE TRIUMPH OF CÆSAR
LXXVI. THE TRIUMPH OF CAESAR
Pompēiō amīcīsque eius superātis atque omnibus hostibus ubique
victīs, Caesar imperātor Rōmam rediit et extrā[1] moenia urbis in campō Martiō castra
SIGNIFER posuit. Tum vērō amplissimīs honōribus adfectus est. Dictātor creatus est, et eī triumphus ā senātū est dēcrētus. Quō diē[2] dē Gallīs triumphum ēgit, tanta multitūdō hominum in urbem undique cōnflūxit ut[3] omnia loca essent cōnferta. Templa patēbant, ārae fūmābant, columnae sertīs ōrnātae erant. Cum[4] vērō pompa urbem intrāret, quantus hominum fremitus ortus est! Prīmum per portam ingressī sunt senātus et magistrātūs. Secūtī sunt tībīcinēs, signiferī, peditēs laureā corōnātī canentēs: “Ecce Caesar nunc triumphat, quī subēgit Galliam," et “Mīlle, mīlle, mīlle, mīlle Gallōs trucīdāvimus.” Multī praedam captārum urbium portābant, arma, omnia bellī instrūmenta. Secūtī sunt equitēs, animōsīs atque splendidissimē ōrnātīs equīs vectī, inter quōs Pūblius adulēscēns fortissimus habēbatur. Addūcēbantur taurī, arietēs, quī[5] dīs immortālibus immolārentur. Ita longō agmine prōgrediēns exercitus sacrā[6] viā per forum in Capitōlium perrēxit.
Imperātor ipse cum urbem intrāret, undique laetō clāmōre multitūdinis salūtātus est. Stābat in currū aureō quem quattuor albī equī vehēbant. Indūtus toga[7] pictā, alterā manū habēnās et lauream
- ↑ A victorious general with his army was not allowed to enter the city until the day of his triumph. A triumph was the greatest of all military honors.
- ↑ Quō diē, on the day that, abl. of time.
- ↑ ut … essent, § 501 . 43.
- ↑ Cum … intraret, § 501. 46.
- ↑ quī … immolārentur, § 501. 40.
- ↑ The Sacred Way was a noted street running along one side of the Forum to the base of the Capitoline Hill, on whose summit stood the magnificent temple of Jupiter Capitolinus. This route was always followed by triumphal processions.
- ↑ The toga picta worn by a general in his triumph was a splendid robe of Tyrian purple covered with golden stars. See Plate IV, p. 213.
