pompey-第20章

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Afterwards　in　a　meeting　of　their　senate　they　passed　a　decree；　on　the
motion　of　Cato；　that　no　Roman　citizen　should　be　put　to　death　but　in
battle；　and　that　they　should　not　sack　or　plunder　any　city　that　was
subject　to　the　Roman　empire；　a　resolution　which　gained　Pompey's
party　still　greater　reputation；　insomuch　that　those　who　were　noways　at
all　concerned　in　the　war；　either　because　they　dwelt　afar　off；　or
were　thought　incapable　of　giving　help；　were　yet；　in　their　good　wishes；
upon　his　side；　and　in　all　their　words；　so　far　as　that　went；
supported　the　good　or　just　cause；　as　they　called　it；　esteeming　those
as　enemies　to　the　gods　and　men　that　wished　not　victory　to　Pompey。
　　Neither　was　Pompey's　clemency　such　but　that　Caesar　likewise　showed
himself　as　merciful　a　conqueror；　for　when　he　had　taken　and
overthrown　all　Pompey's　forces　in　Spain；　he　gave　them　easy　terms；
leaving　the　commanders　at　their　liberty；　and　making　a　running　march
through　Italy；　he　came　to　Brundusium　about　the　winter　solstice；　and
crossing　the　sea　there；　landed　at　the　port　of　Oricum。　And　having
Jubius；　an　intimate　friend　of　Pompey's；　with　him　as　his　prisoner；　he
despatched　him　to　Pompey　with　an　invitation　that　they；　meeting
together　in　a　conference；　should　disband　their　armies　within　three
days；　and　renewing　their　former　friendship　with　solemn　oaths；　should
return　together　into　Italy。　Pompey　looked　upon　this　again　as　some
new　stratagem；　and　therefore　marching　down　in　all　haste　to　the
sea…coast；　possessed　himself　of　all　forts　and　places　of　strength
suitable　to　encamp　in；　and　to　secure　his　land…forces；　as　likewise　of
all　ports　and　harbours　commodious　to　receive　any　that　came　by　sea；
so　that　what　wind　soever　blew；　it　must　needs；　in　some　way　or　other；　be
favourable　to　him；　bringing　in　either　provision；　men；　or　money；
while　Caesar；　on　the　contrary；　was　so　hemmed　in　both　by　sea　and　land
that　he　was　forced　to　desire　battle；　daily　provoking　the　enemy；　and
assailing　them　in　their　very　forts；　and　in　these　light　skirmishes
for　the　most　part　had　the　better。　Once　only　he　was　dangerously
overthrown；　and　was　within　a　little　of　losing　his　whole　army；　Pompey
having　fought　nobly；　routing　the　whole　force　and　killing　two
thousand　on　the　spot。　But　either　he　was　not　able；　or　was　afraid；　to　go
on　and　force　his　way　into　their　camp　with　them；　so　that　Caesar　made
the　remark；　that　〃To…day　the　victory　had　been　the　enemy's　had　there
been　any　one　among　them　to　gain　it。〃　Pompey's　soldiers　were　so
encouraged　by　this　victory　that　they　were　eager　now　to　have　all　put　to
the　decision　of　a　battle；　but　Pompey　himself；　though　he　wrote　to
distant　kings；　generals；　and　states　in　confederacy　with　him　as　a
conqueror；　yet　was　afraid　to　hazard　the　success　of　a　battle；
choosing　rather　by　delays　and　distress　of　provisions　to　tire　out　a
body　of　men　who　had　never　yet　been　conquered　by　force　of　arms；　and　had
long　been　used　to　fight　and　conquer　together；　while　their　time　of
life；　now　an　advanced　one；　which　made　them　quickly　weary　of　those
other　hardships　of　war；　such　as　were　long　marches　and　frequent
decampings；　making　trenches；　and　building　fortifications；　made　them
eager　to　come　to　close　combat　and　venture　a　battle　with　all　speed。
　　Pompey　had　all　along　hitherto　by　his　persuasions　pretty　well　quieted
his　soldiers；　but　after　this　last　engagement；　when　Caesar；　for　want　of
provisions；　was　forced　to　raise　his　camp；　and　passed　through　Athamania
into　Thessaly；　it　was　impossible　to　curb　or　allay　the　heat　of　their
spirits　any　longer。　For　all　crying　out　with　a　general　voice　that
Caesar　was　fled；　some　were　for　pursuing　and　pressing　upon　him；
others　for　returning　into　Italy；　some　there　were　that　sent　their
friends　and　servants　beforehand　to　Rome　hire　houses　near　the　forum；
that　they　might　be　in　readiness　to　sue　for　offices；　several　of　their
own　motion　sailed　off　at　once　to　Lesbos　to　carry　to　Cornelia　（whom
Pompey　had　conveyed　thither　to　be　in　safety）　the　joyful　news　that
the　war　was　ended。　And　a　senate　being　called　and　the　matter　being
under　debate；　Afranius　was　of　opinion　that　Italy　should　first　be
regained；　for　that　it　was　the　grand　prize　and　crown　of　all　the　war；
and　they　who　were　masters　of　that　would　quickly　have　at　their　devotion
all　the　provinces　of　Sicily；　Sardinia；　Corsica；　Spain；　and　Gaul；　but
what　was　of　greatest　weight　and　moment　to　Pompey；　it　was　his　own
native　country　that　lay　near；　reaching　out　her　hand　for　his　help；
and　certainly　it　could　not　be　consistent　with　his　honour　to　leave
her　thus　exposed　to　all　indignities；　and　in　bondage　under　slaves　and
the　flatterers　of　a　tyrant。　But　Pompey　himself；　on　the　contrary；
thought　it　neither　honourable　to　fly　a　second　time　before　Caesar；
and　be　pursued；　when　fortune　had　given　him　the　advantage　of　a　pursuit；
nor　indeed　lawful　before　the　gods　to　forsake　Scipio　and　divers　other
men　of　consular　dignity　dispersed　throughout　Greece　and　Thessaly；
who　must　necessarily　fall　into　Caesar's　hands；　together　with　large
sums　of　money　and　numerous　forces；　and　as　to　his　care　for　the　city
of　Rome；　that　would　most　eminently　appear　by　removing　the　scene　of　war
to　a　greater　distance；　and　leaving　her；　without　feeling　the　distress
or　even　hearing　the　sound　of　these　evils；　to　await　in　peace　the　return
of　whichever　should　be　the　victor。
　　With　this　determination；　Pompey　marched　forwards　in　pursuit　of
Caesar；　firmly　resolved　with　himself　not　to　give　him　battle；　but
rather　to　besiege　and　distress　him；　by　keeping　close　at　his　heels；　and
cutting　him　short。　There　were　other　reasons　that　made　him　continue
this　resolution；　but　especially　because　a　saying　that　was　current
among　the　Romans　serving　in　the　cavalry　came　to　his　ear；　to　the　effect
that　they　ought　to　beat　Caesar　as　soon　as　possible；　and　then　humble
Pompey　too。　And　some　report　it　was　for　this　reason　that　Pompey　never
employed　Cato　in　any　matter　of　consequence　during　the　whole　war；　but
now；　when　he　pursued　Caesar；　left　him　to　guard　his　baggage　by　sea；
fearing　lest；　if　Caesar　should　be　taken　off；　he　himself　also　by　Cato's
means　not　long　after　should　be　forced　to　give　up　his　power。
　　Whilst　he　was　thus　slowly　attending　the　motions　of　the　enemy；　he　was
exposed　on　all　sides　to　outcries　and　imputations　of　using　his
generalship　to　defeat；　not　Caesar；　but　his　country　and　the　senate；
that　he　might　always　continue　in　authority；　and　never　cease　to　keep
those　for　his　guards　and　servants　who　themselves　claimed　to　govern　the
world。　Domitius　Aenobarbus；　continually　calling　him　Agamemnon；　the
king　of　kings；　excited　jealousy　against　him；　and　Favonius；　by　his
unseasonable　raillery；　did　him　no　less　injury　than　those　who　openly
attacked　him；　as　when　he　cried　out；　〃Good　friends；　you　must　not　expect
to　gather　any　figs　in　Tusculum　this　year。〃　But　Lucius　Afranius；　who
had　lain　under　an　imputation　of　treachery　for　the　loss　of　the　army
in　Spain；　when　he　saw　Pompey　purposely　declining　an　engagement；
declared　openly　that　he　could　not　but　admire　why　those　who　were　so
ready　to　accuse　him　did　not　go　themselves　and　fight　this　buyer　and
seller　of　their　provinces。
　　With　these　and　many　such　speeches　they　wrought　upon　Pompey；　who
never　could　bear　reproach；　or　resist　the　expectations　of　his
friends；　and　thus　they　forced　him　to　break　his　measures；　so　that　he
forsook　his　own　prudent　resolution　to　follow　their　vain　hopes　and
desires：　weakness　that　would　have　been　blamable　in　the　pilot　of　a
ship；　how　much　more　in　the　sovereign　commander　of　such　an　army；　and　so
many　nations。　But　he；　though　he　had　often　commended　those　physicians
appetites　of　their　patients；　yet　himself　could　not　but　yield　to　the
malady　and　disease　of　his　companions　and　advisers　in　the　war；　rather
than　use　some　severity　in　their　cure。　Truly　who　could　have　said　that
health　was　not　disordered　and　a　cure　not　required　in　the　case　of　men
who　went　up　and　down　the　camp；　suing　already　for　the　consulship　and
office　of　praetor；　while　Spinther；　Domitius；　and　Scipio　made
friends；　raised　factions；　and　quarrelled　among　themselves　who　should
succeed　Caesar　in　the　dignity　of　his　high…priesthood；　esteeming　all　as
lightly　as　if　they　were　to　engage　only　with　Tigranes；　King　of　Armenia；
or　some　petty　Nabathaean　king；　not　with　that　Cae