His oratory and physical presence were wretched, but all the Senate hung upon his words.
[141] _Princeps senatus_.
"Pompeius did not intend to abandon the Republic, if the Senate would support him; but let them act with energy, for otherwise in the future they might need his aid never so much, and yet implore it in vain." "You want to destroy the Republic!" cried Quintus Cassius, half leaping from his seat.
"We want to destroy _you_!" retorted Domitius, savagely.
But all men were not so blinded by fury, hate, and greed of power and revenge.

To the dismay of his party Caius Marcellus, the second consul, counselled a certain kind of moderation.

There was no love lost by the noble "Optimates" upon Pompeius, and Marcellus hinted this plainly when he said that all Italy must be put under arms, and with such an army at the disposal of the Senate, it could act as it saw fit,--to get rid of a troublesome protector, he implied, no less than an open enemy.

And close after him followed Marcus Calidius and Marcus Rufus, two senators, who had at least the sagacity to perceive that it would not free the Commonwealth to crush Caesar, by flinging themselves into the arms of Pompeius.

"Let Pompeius go off to his Spanish province, to which he was accredited proconsul; it was but natural Caesar should think himself ill treated, seeing that two legions had been taken from him for Eastern service, and Pompeius was keeping these very troops close to Rome." For one moment it seemed to Drusus that wisdom and justice had not deserted the Senate of his native state.