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But when Lucius Domitius became a candidate for the consulship, and openly threatened that, upon his being elected consul, he would effect that which he could not accomplish when he was praetor, and divest him of the command of the armies, he sent for Crassus and Pompey to Lucca, a city in his province, and pressed them, for the purpose of disappointing Domitius, to sue again for the consulship, and to continue him in his command for five years longer: with both which requisitions they complied.

Presumptuous now with his success, he added, at his own private charge, more legions to those which he had received from the republic; among the former of which was one levied in Transalpine Gaul, and called by a Gallic name, Alauda,

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which he trained and armed in the Roman fashion, and afterwards conferred on it the freedom of the city.

From this period he declined no occasion of war, however unjust and dangerous; attacking, without any provocation, as well the allies of

Rome

as the barbarous nations which were its enemies: insomuch, that the senate passed a decree for sending commissioners to examine into the condition of

Gaul

; and some members even proposed that he should be delivered up to the enemy. But so great had been the success of his enterprises, that he had the honour of obtaining more days of supplication,

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and those more frequently, than had ever before been decreed to any commander.