Wars prolonged themselves through many campaigns, as notably did that which was soon to take place in Gaul under Caesar.

The Consuls remained at home, and Generals were sent out with proconsular authority.

This had become so certainly the case, that Cicero on becoming Consul had no fear of being called on to fight the enemies of his country.

There was much fighting then in course of being done by Pompey in the East; but this would give but little trouble to the great officers at home, unless it might be in sending out necessary supplies.
The Consul's work, however, was severe enough.

We find from his own words, in a letter to Atticus written in the year but one after his Consulship, 61 B.C., that as Consul he made twelve public addresses.
Each of them must have been a work of labor, requiring a full mastery over the subject in hand, and an arrangement of words very different in their polished perfection from the generality of parliamentary speeches to which we are accustomed.