But for Caesar's purposes the duration of this year and the next was enough.

Bibulus was a laughing-stock, the mere shadow of a Consul, when opposed to such an enemy.

He tried to use all the old forms of the Republic with the object of stopping Caesar in his career; but Caesar only ridiculed him; and Pompey, though we can imagine that he did not laugh much, did as Caesar would have him.

Bibulus was an augur, and observed the heavens when political man[oe]uvres were going on which he wished to stop.

This was the old Roman system for using religion as a drag upon progressive movements.