pompey-第13章

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rekindling　the　war　once　more；　and　taking　preparations；　it　was
reported；　to　lead　his　army　through　Scythia　and　Paeonia　into　Italy。
Pompey；　on　the　other　side；　judging　it　easier　to　destroy　his　forces
in　battle　than　to　seize　his　person　in　flight；　resolved　not　to　tire
himself　out　in　a　vain　pursuit；　but　rather　to　spend　his　leisure　upon
another　enemy；　as　a　sort　of　digression　in　the　meanwhile。　But　fortune
resolved　the　doubt；　for　when　he　was　now　not　far　from　Petra；　and　had
pitched　his　tents　and　encamped　for　that　day；　as　he　was　taking　exercise
with　his　horse　outside　the　camp；　couriers　came　riding　up　from
Pontus；　bringing　good　news；　as　was　known　at　once　by　the　heads　of　their
javelins；　which　it　is　the　custom　to　carry　crowned　with　branches　of
laurel。　The　soldiers；　as　soon　as　they　saw　them；　flocked　immediately　to
Pompey；　who；　notwithstanding；　was　minded　to　finish　his　exercise；　but
when　they　began　to　be　clamorous　and　importunate；　he　alighted　from
his　horse；　and　taking　the　letters　went　before　them　into　the　camp。
　　Now　there　being　no　tribunal　erected　there；　not　even　that　military
substitute　for　one　which　they　make　by　cutting　up　thick　turfs　of　earth；
and　piling　them　one　upon　another；　they；　through　eagerness　and
impatience；　heaped　up　a　pile　of　pack…saddles；　and　Pompey　standing　upon
that；　told　them　the　news　of　Mithridates's　death；　how　that　he　had
himself　put　an　end　to　his　life　upon　the　revolt　of　his　son　Pharnaces；
and　that　Pharnaces　had　taken　all　things　there　into　his　hands　and
possession；　which　he　did；　his　letters　said；　in　right　of　himself　and
the　Romans。　Upon　this　news　the　whole　army；　expressing　their　joy；　as
was　to　be　expected；　fell　to　sacrificing　to　the　gods；　and　feasting　as
if　in　the　person　of　Mithridates　alone　there　had　died　many　thousands　of
their　enemies。
　　Pompey　by　this　event　having　brought　this　war　to　its　completion；　with
much　more　ease　than　was　expected；　departed　forthwith　out　of　Arabia；
and　passing　rapidly　through　the　intermediate　provinces；　he　came　at
length　to　the　city　Amisus。　There　he　received　many　presents　brought
from　Pharnaces；　with　several　dead　bodies　of　the　royal　blood；　and　the
corpse　of　Mithridates　himself；　which　was　not　easy　to　be　known　by　the
face；　for　the　physicians　that　embalmed　him　had　not　dried　up　his　brain；
but　those　who　were　curious　to　see　him　knew　him　by　the　scars　there。
Pompey　himself　would　not　endure　to　see　him；　but　to　deprecate　the
divine　jealousy　sent　it　away　to　the　city　of　Sinope。　He　admired　the
richness　of　his　robes　no　less　than　the　size　and　splendour　of　his
armour。　His　sword…belt；　however；　which　had　cost　four　hundred
talents；　was　stolen　by　Publius；　and　sold　to　Ariarathes；　his　tiara
also；　a　piece　of　admirable　workmanship；　Gaius；　the　foster…brother　of
Mithridates；　gave　secretly　to　Faustus；　the　son　of　Sylla；　at　his
request。　All　which　Pompey　was　ignorant　of；　but　afterwards；　when
Pharnaces　came　to　understand　it；　he　severely　punished　those　that
embezzled　them。
　　Pompey　now　having　ordered　all　things；　and　established　that　province；
took　his　journey　homewards　in　greater　pomp　and　with　more　festivity。
For　when　he　came　to　Mitylene；　he　gave　the　city　their　freedom　upon
the　intercession　of　Theophanes；　and　was　present　at　the　contest；
there　periodically　held；　of　the　poets；　who　took　at　that　time　no
other　theme　or　subject　than　the　actions　of　Pompey。　He　was　extremely
pleased　with　the　theatre　itself；　and　had　a　model　of　it　taken；
intending　to　erect　one　in　Rome　on　the　same　design；　but　larger　and　more
magnificent。　When　he　came　to　Rhodes；　he　attended　the　lectures　of　all
the　philosophers　there；　and　gave　to　every　one　of　them　a　talent。
Posidonius　has　published　the　disputation　which　he　held　before　him
against　Hermagoras　the　rhetorician；　upon　the　subject　of　invention　in
general。　At　Athens；　also；　he　showed　similar　munificence　to　the
philosophers；　and　gave　fifty　talents　towards　the　repairing　and
beautifying　the　city。　So　that　now　by　all　these　acts　he　well　hoped　to
return　into　Italy　in　the　greatest　splendour　and　glory　possible　to　man；
and　find　family　as　desirous　to　see　him　as　he　felt　himself　to　come　home
to　them。　But　that　supernatural　agency；　whose　province　and　charge　it　is
always　to　mix　some　ingredient　of　evil　with　the　greatest　and　most
glorious　goods　of　fortune；　had　for　some　time　back　been　busy　in　his
household；　preparing　him　a　sad　welcome。　For　Mucia　during　his　absence
had　dishonoured　his　bed。　Whilst　he　was　abroad　at　a　distance　he　had
refused　all　credence　to　the　report；　but　when　he　drew　nearer　to
Italy；　where　his　thoughts　were　more　at　leisure　to　give　consideration
to　the　charge；　he　sent　her　a　bill　of　divorce；　but　neither　then　in
writing；　nor　afterwards　by　word　of　mouth；　did　he　ever　give　a　reason
why　he　discharged　her；　the　cause　of　it　is　mentioned　in　Cicero's
epistles。
　　Rumours　of　every　kind　were　scattered　abroad　about　Pompey；　and　were
carried　to　Rome　before　him；　so　that　there　was　a　great　tumult　and　stir；
as　if　he　designed　forthwith　to　march　with　his　army　into　the　city　and
establish　himself　securely　as　sole　ruler。　Crassus　withdrew　himself；
together　with　his　children　and　property；　out　of　the　city；　either
that　he　was　really　afraid；　either　that　he　counterfeited　rather；　as
is　most　probable；　to　give　credit　to　the　calumny　and　exasperate　the
jealousy　of　the　people。　Pompey；　therefore；　as　soon　as　he　entered
Italy；　called　a　general　muster　of　the　army；　and　having　made　a　suitable
address　and　exchanged　a　kind　farewell　with　his　soldiers；　he
commanded　them　to　depart　every　man　to　his　country　and　place　of
habitation；　only　taking　care　that　they　should　not　fail　to　meet　again
at　his　triumph。　Thus　the　army　being　disbanded；　and　the　news　commonly
reported；　a　wonderful　result　ensued。　For　when　the　cities　saw　Pompey
the　Great　passing　through　the　country　unarmed；　and　with　a　small
train　of　familiar　friends　only；　as　if　he　was　returning　from　a
journey　of　pleasure；　not　from　his　conquests；　they　came　pouring　out
to　display　their　affection　for　him；　attending　and　conducting　him　to
Rome　with　far　greater　forces　than　he　disbanded；　insomuch　that　if　he
had　designed　any　movement　or　innovation　in　the　state；　he　might　have
done　it　without　his　army。
　　Now；　because　the　law　permitted　no　commander　to　enter　into　the　city
before　his　triumph；　he　sent　to　the　senate；　entreating　them　as　a　favour
to　him　to　prorogue　the　election　of　consuls；　that　thus　he　might　be　able
to　attend　and　give　countenance　to　Piso；　one　of　the　candidates。　The
request　was　resisted　by　Cato；　and　met　with　a　refusal。　However；
Pompey　could　not　but　admire　the　liberty　and　boldness　of　speech　which
Cato　alone　had　dared　to　use　in　the　maintenance　of　law　and　justice。
He　therefore　had　a　great　desire　to　win　him　over；　and　purchase　his
friendship　at　any　rate；　and　to　that　end；　Cato　having　two　nieces；
Pompey　asked　for　one　in　marriage　for　himself；　the　other　for　his　son。
But　Cato　looked　unfavourably　on　the　proposal；　regarding　it　as　a　design
for　undermining　his　honesty；　and　in　a　manner　bribing　him　by　a　family
alliance；　much　to　the　displeasure　of　his　wife　and　sister；　who　were
indignant　that　he　should　reject　a　connection　with　Pompey　the　Great。
About　that　time　Pompey　having　a　design　of　setting　up　Afranius　for
the　consulship；　gave　a　sum　of　money　among　the　tribes　for　their
votes；　and　people　came　and　received　it　in　his　own　gardens；　a
proceeding　which；　when　it　came　to　be　generally　known；　excited　great
disapprobation；　that　he　should　thus；　for　the　sake　of　men　who　could　not
obtain　the　honour　by　their　own　merits；　make　merchandise　of　an　office
which　had　been　given　to　himself　as　the　highest　reward　of　his　services。
〃Now；〃　said　Cato；　to　his　wife　and　sister；　〃had　we　contracted　an
alliance　with　Pompey；　we　had　been　allied　to　this　dishonour　too；　and
this　they　could　not　but　acknowledge；　and　allow　his　judgment　of　what
was　right　and　fitting　to　have　been　wiser　and　better　than　theirs。
　　The　splendour　and　magnificence　of　Pompey's　triumph　was　such　that
though　it　took　up　the　space　of　two　days；　yet　they　were　extremely
straitened　in　time；　so　that　of　what　was　prepared　for　that　pageantry；
there　was　as　much　withdrawn　as　would　have　set　out　and　adorned
another　triumph。　In　the　first　place；　there　were　tables　carried；
inscribed　with　the　names　and　titles　of　the　nation