pompey-第18章

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that　came　from　all　parts　to　meet　him　was　so　numerous　that　no　place　was
able　to　contain　them；　but　the　villages；　seaport　towns；　and　the　very
highways　were　all　full　of　people；　feasting　and　sacrificing　to　the
gods。　Nay；　many　went　to　meet　him　with　garlands　on　their　heads；　and
flambeaux　in　their　hands；　casting　flowers　and　nosegays　upon　him　as
he　went　along；　so　that　this　progress　of　his；　and　reception；　was　one　of
the　noblest　and　most　glorious　sights　imaginable。　And　yet　it　is　thought
that　this　very　thing　was　not　one　of　the　least　causes　and　occasions
of　the　civil　war。　For　Pompey；　yielding　to　a　feeling　of　exultation；
which　in　the　greatness　of　the　present　display　of　joy　lost　sight　of
more　solid　grounds　of　consideration；　and　abandoning　that　prudent
temper　which　had　guided　him　hitherto　to　a　safe　use　of　all　his　good
fortune　and　his　successes；　gave　himself　up　to　an　extravagant
confidence　in　his　own　contempt　of　Caesar's　power；　insomuch　that　he
thought　neither　force　of　arms　nor　care　necessary　against　him；　but　that
he　could　pull　him　down　much　easier　than　he　had　set　him　up。　Besides
this；　Appius；　under　whose　command　those　legions　which　Pompey　lent　to
Caesar　were　returned；　coming　lately　out　of　Gaul；　spoke　slightingly
of　Caesar's　actions　there；　and　spread　scandalous　reports　about　him；　at
the　same　time　telling　Pompey　that　he　was　unacquainted　with　his　own
strength　and　reputation　if　he　made　use　of　any　other　forces　against
Caesar　than　Caesar's　own；　for　such　was　the　soldiers'　hatred　to　Caesar；
and　their　love　to　Pompey　so　great；　that　they　would　all　come　over　to
him　upon　his　first　appearance。　By　these　flatteries　Pompey　was　so
puffed　up；　and　led　on　into　such　a　careless　security；　that　he　could　not
choose　but　laugh　at　those　who　seemed　to　fear　a　war；　and　when　some　were
saying；　that　if　Caesar　should　march　against　the　city；　they　could　not
see　what　forces　there　were　to　resist　him；　he　replied　with　a　smile；
bidding　them　be　in　no　concern；　〃for；〃　said　he；　〃whenever　I　stamp
with　my　foot　in　any　part　of　Italy　there　will　rise　up　forces　enough
in　an　instant；　both　horse　and　foot。〃
　　Caesar；　on　the　other　side；　was　more　and　more　vigorous　in　his
proceedings；　himself　always　at　hand　about　the　frontiers　of　Italy；
and　sending　his　soldiers　continually　into　the　city　to　attend　all
elections　with　their　votes。　Besides；　he　corrupted　several　of　the
magistrates；　and　kept　them　in　his　pay；　among　others；　Paulus；　the
consul；　who　was　brought　over　by　a　bribe　of　one　thousand　and　five
hundred　talents；　and　Curio；　tribune　of　the　people；　by　a　discharge　of
the　debts　with　which　he　was　overwhelmed；　together　with　Mark　Antony；
who；　out　of　friendship　to　Curio；　had　become　bound　with　him　in　the　same
obligations　for　them　all。　And　it　was　stated　as　a　fact；　that　a
centurion　of　Caesar's；　waiting　at　the　senate…house；　and　hearing　that
the　senate　refused　to　give　him　a　longer　term　of　his　government；
clapped　his　hand　upon　his　sword；　and　said；　〃But　this　shall　give　it。〃
And　indeed　all　his　practices　and　preparations　seemed　to　bear　this
appearance。　Curio's　demands；　however；　and　requests　in　favour　of
Caesar；　were　more　popular　in　appearance；　for　he　desired　one　of　these
two　things；　either　that　Pompey　also　should　be　called　upon　to　resign
his　army；　or　that　Caesar　should　not　be　taken　away　from　him；　for　if
both　of　them　became　private　persons；　both　would　be　satisfied　with
simple　justice；　or　if　both　retained　their　present　power；　each　being
a　match　for　the　other；　they　would　be　contented　with　what　they
already　had；　but　he　that　weakens　one；　does　at　the　same　time　strengthen
the　other；　and　so　doubles　that　very　strength　and　power　which　he
stood　in　fear　of　before。
　　Marcellus；　the　consul；　replied　nothing　to　all　this；　but　that
Caesar　was　a　robber；　and　should　be　proclaimed　an　enemy　to　the　state　if
he　did　not　disband　his　army。　However；　Curio；　with　the　assistance　of
Antony　and　Piso；　prevailed；　that　the　matter　in　debate　should　be　put　to
the　question；　and　decided　by　those　to　withdraw　who　were　of　opinion
that　Caesar　only　should　lay　down　his　army；　and　Pompey　command；　the
majority　withdrew。　But　when　it　was　ordered　again　for　those　to　withdraw
whose　vote　was　that　both　should　lay　down　their　arms；　and　neither
command；　there　were　but　twenty…two　for　Pompey；　all　the　rest　remained
on　Curio's　side。　Whereupon　he；　as　one　proud　of　his　conquest；　leaped
out　in　triumph　among　the　people；　who　received　him　with　as　great　tokens
of　joy；　clapping　their　hands　and　crowning　him　with　garlands　and
flowers。　Pompey　was　not　then　present　in　the　senate；　because　it　is
not　lawful　for　generals　in　command　of　an　army　to　come　into　the　city。
But　Marcellus　rising　up；　said；　that　he　would　not　sit　there　hearing
speeches；　when　he　saw　ten　legions　already　passing　the　Alps　on　their
march　toward　the　city；　but　on　his　own　authority　would　send　some　one　to
oppose　them　in　defence　of　the　country。
　　Upon　this　the　city　went　into　mourning；　as　in　a　public　calamity；
and　Marcellus；　accompanied　by　the　senate；　went　solemnly　through　the
forum　to　meet　Pompey；　and　made　him　this　address：　〃I　hereby　give　you
orders；　O　Pompey；　to　defend　your　country；　to　employ　the　troops　you　now
command；　and　to　levy　more。〃　Lentulus；　consul　elect　for　the　year
following；　spoke　to　the　same　purpose。　Antony；　however；　contrary　to　the
will　of　the　senate；　having　in　a　public　assembly　read　a　letter　of
Caesar's；　containing　various　plausible　overtures　such　as　were　likely
to　gain　the　common　people；　proposing；　namely；　that　both　Pompey　and　he；
quitting　their　governments　and　dismissing　their　armies；　should
submit　to　the　judgment　of　the　people；　and　give　an　account　of　their
actions　before　them；　the　consequence　was　that　when　Pompey　began　to
make　his　levies；　he　found　himself　disappointed　in　his　expectations。
Some　few；　indeed；　came　in；　but　those　very　unwillingly；　others　would
not　answer　to　their　names；　and　the　generality　cried　out　for　peace。
Lentulus；　notwithstanding　he　was　now　entered　upon　his　consulship；
would　not　assemble　the　senate；　but　Cicero；　who　was　lately　returned
from　Cilicia；　laboured　for　a　reconciliation；　proposing　that　Caesar
should　leave　his　province　of　Gaul　and　army；　reserving　two　legions
only；　together　with　the　government　of　Illyricum；　and　should　thus　be
put　in　nomination　for　a　second　consulship。　Pompey　disliking　this
motion；　Caesar's　friends　were　contented　that　he　should　surrender　one
of　the　two；　but　Lentulus　still　opposing；　and　Cato　crying　out　that
Pompey　did　ill　to　be　deceived　again；　the　reconciliation　did　not　take
effect。
　　In　the　meantime；　news　was　brought　that　Caesar　had　occupied　Ariminum；
a　great　city　in　Italy；　and　was　marching　directly　towards　Rome　with　all
his　forces。　But　this　latter　was　altogether　false；　for　he　had　no　more
with　him　at　that　time　than　three　hundred　horse　and　five　thousand　foot；
and　he　did　not　mean　to　tarry　for　the　body　of　his　army；　which　lay
beyond　the　Alps；　choosing　rather　to　fall　in　on　a　sudden　upon　his
enemies；　while　they　were　in　confusion；　and　did　not　expect　him；　than　to
give　them　time；　and　fight　them　after　they　had　made　preparations。　For
when　he　came　to　the　banks　of　the　Rubicon；　a　river　that　made　the　bounds
of　his　province；　there　he　made　a　halt；　pausing　a　little；　and
considering；　we　may　suppose；　with　himself　the　greatness　of　the
enterprise　which　he　had　undertaken；　then；　at　last；　like　men　that　are
throwing　themselves　headlong　from　some　precipice　into　a　vast　abyss；
having　shut；　as　it　were；　his　mind's　eyes　and　put　away　from　his　sight
the　idea　of　danger；　he　merely　uttered　to　those　near　him　in　Greek　the
words；　〃Anerriphtho　kubos〃　（let　the　die　be　cast）；　and　led　his　army
through　it。　No　sooner　was　the　news　arrived；　but　there　was　an　uproar
throughout　all　the　city；　and　a　consternation　in　the　people　even　to
astonishment；　such　as　never　was　known　in　Rome　before；　all　the　senate
ran　immediately　to　Pompey；　and　the　magistrates　followed。　And　when
Tullus　made　inquiry　about　his　legions　and　forces；　Pompey　seemed　to
pause　a　little；　and　answered　with　some　hesitation　that　he　had　those
two　legions　ready　that　Caesar　sent　back；　and　that　out　of　the　men　who
had　been　previously　enrolled　he　believed　he　could　shortly　make　up　a
body　of　thirty　thousand　men。　On　which　Tullus　crying　out　aloud；　〃O
Pompey；　you　have　deceived　us；〃