I don't know, Cal - interesting 'take' on the infamous "woods and fields" assignment, but it sticks SO out of the general run of what the Senate was up to, before and after - and seems SO directed at Caesar himself . . . that I'm not sure I buy it.

Another point. Bibulus' hatred for Caesar was so well-known, and he had no interest in governing a province (like Cicero, he trotted off when he was FORCED to, but neither Bibulus nor Cato wanted a province and only took one under duress). Wouldn't it have been far easier to him to agree to forego having a province in his Consular year, if it could damage or hurt the ever-in-debt Caesar? I thought the whole point of doing this was to ensure that Caesar would go up in financial flames, without a rich post-Consular province to govern, and cease to matter politically?