But concerning the army of Caius Caesar, I give my vote for the passing of a decree in this form:
“The senate decrees that the veteran soldiers who have defended and are
defending
**** of Caesar, pontiff
**** and the
authority of this order should and their children after them, have an exemption
from military service. And that Caius Pansa and Aulus Hirtius the consuls, one
or both of them, as they think fit, shall inquire what land there is in those
colonies in which the veteran soldiers have been settled which is occupied in
defiance of the provisions of the Julian law, in order that that may be divided
among these veterans. That they shall institute a separate inquiry about the
Campanian district, and devise a plan for the advantages enjoyed by these
veteran soldiers, and with respect to the Martial legion, and to the fourth
legion and to those soldiers of the second and thirty fifth legions who have
come over to Caius Pansa and Aulus Hirtius, the consuls, and have given in their
names, because the authority of the senate and the liberty of the Roman people
is and always has been most dear to them, the senate decrees that they and their
children shall have exemption from military service, except in the case of any
Gallic and Italian sedition; and decrees further, that those legions shall have
their discharge when this war is terminated; and that whatever sum of money
Caius Caesar, pontiff and propraetor, has promised to the soldiers of those
legions individually shall be paid to them. And that Caius Pansa and Aulus
Hirtius the consuls, one or both of them, as it seems good to them, shall make
an estimate of the land which can be distributed without injury to private
individuals; and that land shall be given and assigned to the soldiers of the
Martial legion and of the fourth legion, in the largest shares in which land has
ever been given and assigned to soldiers.”
I have now spoken, O consuls, on every point concerning which you have submitted a motion to us; and if the resolutions which I have proposed be decreed without delay, and seasonably, you will the more easily prepare those measures which the present time and emergency demand. But instant action is necessary. And if we had adopted that earlier, we should, as I have often said, now have no war at all.