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1、GeneratedbyABCAmberLITConverter,http://www.processtext.com/abclit.htmlColleenMcCullough-Rome1-TheFirstManInRomeForFrederickT.Mason,dearfriend,splendidcolleague,honestman,withloveandgratitudeTHEFIRSTYEAR(110B.C)INTHECONSULSHIPOFMARCUSMINUCIUSRUFUSANDSPURIUSPOSTU
2、MIUSALBINUSHavingnopersonalcommitmenttoeitherofthenewconsuls,GaiusJuliusCaesarandhissonssimplytackedthemselvesontotheprocessionwhichstartednearesttotheirownhouse,theprocessionoftheseniorconsul,MarcusMinuciusRufus.BothconsulslivedonthePalatine,butthehouseoftheju
3、niorconsul,SpuriusPostumiusAlbinus,wasinamorefashionablearea.RumorhaditAlbinus'sdebtswereescalatingdizzily,nosurprise;suchwasthepriceofbecomingconsul.NotthatGaiusJuliusCaesarwasworriedabouttheheavyburdenofdebtincurredwhileascendingthepoliticalladder;nor,itseeme
4、dlikely,wouldhissonseverneedtoworryonthatscore.ItwasfourhundredyearssinceaJuliushadsatintheconsul'sivorycurulechair,fourhundredyearssinceaJuliushadbeenabletoscrapeupthatkindofmoney.TheJulianancestrywassostellar,soaugust,thatopportunitiestofillthefamilycoffersha
5、dpassedthesucceedinggenerationsby,andaseachcenturyfinished,thefamilyofJuliushadfounditselfeverpoorer.Consul?Impossible!Praetor,nextmagistracydowntheladderfromconsul?Impossible!No,asafeandhumblebackbencher'snicheintheSenatewastheinheritanceofaJuliusthesedays,inc
6、ludingthatbranchofthefamilycalledCaesarbecauseoftheirluxuriantlythickhair.SothetogawhichGaiusJuliusCaesar'sbodyservantdrapedabout-hisleftshoulder,wrappedabouthisframe,hungabouthisleftarm,wastheplainwhitetogaofamanwhohadneveraspiredtotheivorycurulechairofhighoff
7、ice.Onlyhisdarkredshoes,hisironsenator'sring,andthefive-inch-widepurplestripeontherightshoulderofhistunicdistinguishedhisgarbfromthatofhissons,SextusandGaius,whoworeordinaryshoes,theirsealringsonly,andathinpurpleknight'sstripeontheirtunics.Eventhoughdawnhadnoty
8、etbroken,therewerelittleceremoniestousherintheday.Ashortprayerandanofferingofasaltcakeattheshrinetothegodsofthehouseintheatrium,andthen,whentheservantondoordutycalledoutthat