With very ill grace the consul declared that Antonius should be allowed to read the communication from Caesar.
Antonius read, and all were astonished at the moderation of the much-maligned proconsul.

Caesar made it clear that he would stand on his rights as to the second consulship; but to withdraw possibilities of seeming to issue a threat, he would disband his entire army if Pompeius would only do the same, or, if preferred, he would retain simply Cisalpine Gaul and Illyria with two legions, until the consular elections were over.

In either event it would be out of his power to menace the constitution, and the public tranquillity would remain quite undisturbed.
But before the murmur of approbation at this unexpected docility wore away, Lentulus burst forth into a fiery invective.

All knew why the Senate had been convened, nor would he allow a few smooth promises to bring the state into danger.

The law provided that a proconsul should leave his province at a certain time; and if Caesar thought that a special law exempted him from this requirement, it were well he were disabused of the notion.