pompey-第17章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


government　quite　contrary　to　his　wishes；　because　the　citizens　were
bribed　in　their　elections；　he　let　things　take　their　course；　and
allowed　the　city　to　be　left　without　any　government　at　all。　Hereupon
there　was　mention　straightway　made　of　appointing　a　dictator。　Lucullus；
a　tribune　of　the　people；　was　the　man　who　first　adventured　to　propose
it；　urging　the　people　to　make　Pompey　dictator。　But　the　tribune　was
in　danger　of　being　turned　out　of　his　office　by　the　opposition　that
Cato　made　against　it。　And　for　Pompey；　many　of　his　friends　appeared　and
excused　him；　alleging　that　he　never　was　desirous　of　that　government；
neither　would　he　accept　of　it。　When　Cato　therefore　made　a　speech　in
commendation　of　Pompey　and　exhorted　him　to　support　the　cause　of　good
order　in　the　commonwealth；　he　could　not　for　shame　but　yield　to　it；　and
so　for　the　present　Domitius　and　Messala　were　elected　consuls。　But
shortly　afterwards；　when　there　was　another　anarchy；　or　vacancy　in
the　government；　and　the　talk　of　a　dictator　was　much　louder　and　more
general　than　before；　those　of　Cato's　party；　fearing　lest　they　should
be　forced　to　appoint　Pompey；　thought　it　policy　to　keep　him　from　that
arbitrary　and　tyrannical　power　by　giving　him　an　office　of　more　legal
authority。　Bibulus　himself；　who　was　Pompey's　enemy；　first　gave　his
vote　in　the　senate；　that　Pompey　should　be　created　consul　alone；
alleging；　that　by　these　means　either　the　commonwealth　would　be　freed
from　its　present　confusion；　or　that　its　bondage　should　be　lessened
by　serving　the　worthiest。　This　was　looked　upon　as　a　very　strange
opinion；　considering　the　man　that　spoke　it；　and　therefore　on　Cato's
standing　up；　everybody　expected　that　he　would　have　opposed　it；　but
after　silence　made；　he　said　that　he　would　never　have　been　the　author
of　that　advice　himself；　but　since　it　was　propounded　by　another；　his
advice　was　to　follow　it；　adding；　that　any　form　of　government　was
better　than　none　at　all；　and　that　in　a　time　so　full　of　distraction；　he
thought　no　man　fitter　to　govern　than　Pompey。　This　counsel　was
unanimously　approved　of；　and　a　decree　passed　that　Pompey　should　be
made　sole　consul；　with　this　clause；　that　if　he　thought　it　necessary　to
have　a　colleague；　he　might　choose　whom　he　pleased；　provided　it　were
not　till　after　two　months　expired。
　　Thus　was　Pompey　created　and　declared　sole　consul　by　Sulpicius；
regent　in　this　vacancy；　upon　which　he　made　very　cordial
acknowledgments　to　Cato；　professing　himself　much　his　debtor；　and
requesting　his　good　advice　in　conducting　the　government；　to　this
Cato　replied；　that　Pompey　had　no　reason　to　thank　him；　for　all　that
he　had　said　was　for　the　service　of　the　commonwealth；　not　of　Pompey；
but　that　he　would　be　always　ready　to　give　his　advice　privately；　if
he　were　asked　for　it；　and　if　not；　he　should　not　fail　to　say　what　he
thought　in　public。　Such　was　Cato's　conduct　on　all　occasions。
　　On　his　return　into　the　city　Pompey　married　Cornelia；　the　daughter　of
Metellus　Scipio；　not　a　maiden；　but　lately　left　a　widow　by　Publius；　the
son　of　Crassus；　her　first　husband；　who　had　been　killed　in　Parthia。　The
young　lady　had　other　attractions　besides　those　of　youth　and　beauty；
for　she　was　highly　educated；　played　well　upon　the　lute；　and　understood
geometry；　and　had　been　accustomed　to　listen　with　profit　to　lectures　on
philosophy；　all　this；　too；　without　in　any　degree　becoming　unamiable　or
pretentious；　as　sometimes　young　women　do　when　they　pursue　such
studies。　Nor　could　any　fault　be　found　either　with　her　father's
family　or　reputation。　The　disparity　of　their　ages　was；　however；　not
liked　by　everybody；　Cornelia　being　in　this　respect　a　fitter　match
for　Pompey's　son。　And　wiser　judges　thought　it　rather　a　slight　upon　the
commonwealth　when　he；　to　whom　alone　they　had　committed　their　broken
fortunes；　and　from　whom　alone；　as　from　their　physician；　they
expected　a　cure　to　these　distractions；　went　about　crowned　with
garlands　and　celebrating　his　nuptial　feasts；　never　considering　that
his　very　consulship　was　a　public　calamity；　which　would　never　have　been
given　him；　contrary　to　the　rules　of　law；　had　his　country　been　in　a
flourishing　state。　Afterwards；　however；　he　took　cognizance　of　the
cases　of　those　that　had　obtained　offices　by　gifts　and　bribery；　and
enacted　laws　and　ordinances；　setting　forth　the　rules　of　judgment　by
which　they　should　be　arraigned；　and　regulating　all　things　with　gravity
and　justice；　he　restored　security；　order；　and　silence　to　their
courts　of　judicature；　himself　giving　his　presence　there　with　a　band　of
soldiers。　But　when　his　father…in…law；　Scipio；　was　accused；　he　sent　for
the　three　hundred　and　sixty　judges　to　his　house；　and　entreated　them　to
be　favourable　to　him；　whereupon　his　accuser；　seeing　Scipio　come　into
the　court；　accompanied　by　the　judges　themselves；　withdrew　the
prosecution。　Upon　this　Pompey　was　very　ill　spoken　of；　and　much　worse
in　the　case　of　Plancus；　for　whereas　he　himself　had　made　a　law
putting　a　stop　to　the　practice　of　making　speeches　in　praise　of　persons
under　trial；　yet　notwithstanding　this　prohibition；　he　came　into
court　and　spoke　openly　in　commendation　of　Plancus；　insomuch　that　Cato；
who　happened　to　be　one　of　the　judges　at　that　time；　stopping　his　ears
with　his　hands；　told　him　he　could　not　in　conscience　listen　to
commendations　contrary　to　law。　Cato　upon　this　was　refused；　and　set
aside　from　being　a　judge；　before　sentence　was　given；　but　Plancus　was
condemned　by　the　rest　of　the　judges；　to　Pompey's　dishonour。　Shortly
after；　Hypsaeus；　a　man　of　consular　dignity；　who　was　under
accusation；　waited　for　Pompey's　return　from　his　bath　to　his　supper；
and　falling　down　at　his　feet；　implored　his　favour；　but　he　disdainfully
passed　him　by；　saying；　that　he　did　nothing　else　but　spoil　his
supper。　Such　partiality　was　looked　upon　as　a　great　fault　in　Pompey　and
highly　condemned；　however；　he　managed　all　things　else　discreetly；
and　having　put　the　government　in　very　good　order；　he　chose　his
father…in…law　to　be　his　colleague　in　the　consulship　for　the　last
five　months。　His　provinces　were　continued　to　him　for　the　term　of
four　years　longer；　with　a　commission　to　take　one　thousand　talents
yearly　out　of　the　treasury　for　the　payment　of　his　army。
　　This　gave　occasion　to　some　of　Caesar's　friends　to　think　it
reasonable；　that　some　consideration　should　be　had　of　him　too；　who
had　done　such　signal　services　in　war　and　fought　so　many　battles　for
the　empire；　alleging；　that　he　deserved　at　least　a　second　consulship；
or　to　have　the　government　of　his　province　continued；　that　so　he
might　command　and　enjoy　in　peace　what　he　had　obtained　in　war；　and　no
successor　come　in　to　reap　the　fruits　of　his　labour　and　carry　off　the
glory　of　his　actions。　There　arising　some　debate　about　this　matter；
Pompey　took　upon　him；　as　it　were　out　of　kindness　to　Caesar；　to　plead
his　cause；　and　allay　any　jealousy　that　was　conceived　against　him；
telling　them　that　he　had　letters　from　Caesar；　expressing　his　desire
for　a　successor；　and　his　own　discharge　from　the　command；　but　it
would　be　only　right　that　they　should　give　him　leave　to　stand　for　the
consulship　though　in　his　absence。　But　those　of　Cato's　party
withstood　this；　saying；　that　if　he　expected　any　favour　from　the
citizens；　he　ought　to　leave　his　army　and　come　in　a　private　capacity　to
canvass　for　it。　And　Pompey's　making　no　rejoinder；　but　letting　it
pass　as　a　matter　in　which　he　was　overruled；　increased　the　suspicion　of
his　real　feelings　towards　Caesar。　Presently；　also；　under　pretence　of　a
war　with　Parthia；　he　sent　for　his　two　legions　which　he　had　lent　him。
However；　Caesar；　though　he　well　knew　why　they　were　asked　for；　sent
them　home　very　liberally　rewarded。
　　About　that　time　Pompey　recovered　of　a　dangerous　fit　of　sickness
which　seized　him　at　Naples；　where　the　whole　city；　upon　the
suggestion　of　Praxagoras；　made　sacrifices　of　thanksgiving　to　the
gods　for　his　recovery。　The　neighbouring　towns　likewise　happening　to
follow　their　example；　the　thing　then　went　its　course　throughout　all
Italy；　so　that　there　was　not　a　city；　either　great　or　small；　that　did
not　feast　and　rejoice　for　many　days　together。　And　the　company　of　those
that　came　from　all　parts　to　meet　him　was　so　numerous　that　no　place　was
able　to　contain　them；　but　the　villages；　seaport　towns