How he did it, with what assistance, sitting at what writing-table, dressed in what robes, with what surroundings of archives and red tape, I cannot make manifest to myself.

I can imagine that there must have been much of dignity, as there was with all leading Romans, but beyond that I cannot advance even in fancying what was the official life of a Consul.
In the old days the Consul used, as a matter of course, to go out and do the fighting.

When there was an enemy here, or an enemy there, the Consul was bound to hurry off with his army, north or south, to different parts of Italy.

But gradually this system became impracticable.

Distances became too great, as the Empire extended itself beyond the bounds of Italy, to admit of the absence of the Consuls.