Aedilis praeter comitium ac forum basilicasque etiam Capitolium ornavit porticibus ad tempus exstructis, in quibus abundante rerum copia pars apparatus exponeretur. Venationes autem ludosque et cum collega et separatim edidit, quo factum est, { 5} ut communium quoque impensarum solus gratiam caperet, nec dissimularet collega eius Marcus Bibulus evenisse sibi quod Polluci: ut enim geminis fratribus aedes in foro constituta tantum Castoris vocaretur, ita suam Caesarisque munificentiam unius Caesaris { 10} dici.
[Linenotes: 1. +Aedilis.+ As curule-aedile Caesar exceeded all previous expenditure. This was meant to secure the favour of the democracy, and gain the position of its leader, which was in fact vacant; for Crassus was never popular, and Pompeius was absent in the East. +basilicas+ (βασιλική sc. οἰκία and στοά: _regia_) = _halls_. 2. +porticibus:+ these acted as booths, in a grand fair, as we should say. 4. +Venationes+, here of the combats with wild beasts. 7. +M. Bibulus+, also Caesar’s colleague in his first consulship, 59 B.C.]
B. _Propraetor in Further Spain, 61 B.C._
Ex praetura ulteriorem sortitus Hispaniam, retinentes creditores interventu sponsorum removit, ac neque more neque iure, ante quam provinciae ornarentur, profectus est; pacataque provincia, pari { 15} festinatione, non expectato successore, ad triumphum simul consulatumque decessit. Sed cum, edictis iam comitiis, ratio eius haberi non posset nisi privatus introisset urbem, et ambienti ut legibus solveretur multi contradicerent, coactus est triumphum, { 20} ne consulatu excluderetur, dimittere.
+Context.+ In 69 B.C. Caesar was elected to a Quaestorship (the lowest step in the ladder of official life) and discharged his judicial duties in Further Spain with tact and industry.
[Linenotes: 13. +retinentes ... removit+ = _freed himself from his creditors, who were for detaining him_, by the help of sureties. Caesar is said to have borrowed from Crassus 830 talents. 14-15. +ante quam provinciae ornarentur:+ a regular phrase used of supplying the newly chosen magistrate with money, arms, attendants, etc. 18. +ratio ... posset+ = _his candidature could not be considered_.]
+Propraetor in F. Spain.+ ‘His governorship enabled him partly to rid himself of his debts partly to lay the foundation for his military repute.’ --M.