pompey-第24章

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Salvius；　another　centurion；　with　three　or　four　attendants；　made　up
towards　Pompey　galley。　In　the　meantime；　all　the　chiefest　of　those
who　accompanied　Pompey　in　this　voyage　were　come　into　his　ship　to　learn
the　event　of　their　embassy。　But　when　they　saw　the　manner　of　their
reception；　that　in　appearance　it　was　neither　princely　nor
honourable；　nor　indeed　in　any　way　answerable　to　the　hopes　of
Theophanes；　or　their　expectation　（for　there　came　but　a　few　men　in　a
fisherman's　boat　to　meet　them）；　they　began　to　suspect　the　meanness
of　their　entertainment；　and　gave　warning　to　Pompey　that　he　should
row　back　his　galley；　whilst　he　was　out　of　their　reach；　and　make　for
the　sea。　By　this　time　the　Egyptian　boat　drew　near；　and　Septimius
standing　up　first；　saluted　Pompey；　in　the　Latin　tongue；　by　the　title
of　imperator。　Then　Achillas；　saluting　him　in　the　Greek　language；
desired　him　to　come　aboard　his　vessel；　telling　him　that　the　sea　was
very　shallow　towards　the　shore；　and　that　a　galley　of　that　burden　could
not　avoid　striking　upon　the　sands。　At　the　same　time　they　saw　several
of　the　king's　galleys　getting　their　men　on　board；　and　all　the　shore
covered　with　soldiers；　so　that　even　if　they　changed　their　minds；　it
seemed　impossible　for　them　to　escape；　and　besides；　their　distrust
would　have　given　the　assassins　a　pretence　for　their　cruelty。　Pompey；
therefore；　taking　his　leave　of　Cornelia；　who　was　already　lamenting　his
death　before　it　came；　bade　two　centurions；　with　Philip；　one　of　his
freedmen；　and　a　slave　called　Scythes；　go　on　board　the　boat　before　him。
And　as　some　of　the　crew　with　Achillas　were　reaching　out　their　hands　to
help　him；　he　turned　about　towards　his　wife　and　son；　and　repeated　those
iambics　of　Sophocles…

　　　　　　　　　〃He　that　once　enters　at　a　tyrant's　door
　　　　　　　　　　Becomes　a　slave；　though　he　were　free　before。〃

These　were　the　last　words　he　spoke　to　his　friends；　and　so　he　went
aboard。　Observing　presently　that　notwithstanding　there　was　a
considerable　distance　betwixt　his　galley　and　the　shore；　yet　none　of
the　company　addressed　any　words　of　friendliness　or　welcome　to　him
all　the　way；　he　looked　earnestly　upon　Septimius；　and　said；　〃I　am　not
mistaken；　surely；　in　believing　you　to　have　been　formerly　my
fellow…soldier。〃　But　he　only　nodded　with　his　head；　making　no　reply
at　all；　nor　showing　any　other　courtesy。　Since；　therefore；　they
continued　silent；　Pompey　took　a　little　book　in　his　hand；　in　which
was　written　out　an　address　in　Greek；　which　he　intended　to　make　to　King
Ptolemy；　and　began　to　read　it。　When　they　drew　near　to　the　shore；
Cornelia；　together　with　the　rest　of　his　friends　in　the　galley；　was
very　impatient　to　see　the　event；　and　began　to　take　courage　at　last
when　she　saw　several　of　the　royal　escort　coming　to　meet　him；
apparently　to　give　him　a　more　honourable　reception；　but　in　the
meantime；　as　Pompey　took　Philip　by　the　hand　to　rise　up　more　easily。
Septimius　first　stabbed　him　from　behind　with　his　sword；　and　after
him　likewise　Salvius　and　Achillas　drew　out　their　swords。　He；
therefore；　taking　up　his　gown　with　both　hands；　drew　it　over　his
face；　and　neither　saying　nor　doing　anything　unworthy　of　himself；
only　groaning　a　little；　endured　the　wounds　they　gave　him；　and　so　ended
his　life；　in　the　fifty…ninth　year　of　his　age；　the　very　next　day
after　the　day　of　his　birth。
　　Cornelia；　with　her　company　from　the　galley；　seeing　him　murdered；
gave　such　a　cry　that　it　was　heard　on　the　shore；　and　weighing　anchor
with　all　speed；　they　hoisted　sail；　and　fled。　A　strong　breeze　from
the　shore　assisted　their　flight　into　the　open　sea；　so　that　the
Egyptians；　though　desirous　to　overtake　them；　desisted　from　the
pursuit。　But　they　cut　off　Pompey's　head；　and　threw　the　rest　of　his
body　overboard；　leaving　it　naked　upon　the　shore；　to　be　viewed　by　any
that　had　the　curiosity　to　see　so　sad　a　spectacle。　Philip　stayed　by　and
watched　till　they　had　glutted　their　eyes　in　viewing　it；　and　then
washing　it　with　sea…water；　having　nothing　else；　he　wrapped　it　up　in
a　shirt　of　his　own　for　a　winding…sheet。　Then　seeking　up　and　down　about
the　sands；　at　last　he　found　some　rotten　planks　of　a　little
fisher…boat；　not　much；　but　yet　enough　to　make　up　a　funeral　pile　for
a　naked　body；　and　that　not　quite　entire。　As　Philip　was　busy　in
gathering　and　putting　these　old　planks　together；　an　old　Roman　citizen；
who　in　his　youth　had　served　in　the　wars　under　Pompey；　came　up　to　him
and　demanded　who　he　was　that　was　preparing　the　funeral　of　Pompey　the
Great。　And　Philip　making　answer　that　he　was　his　freedman；　〃Nay；　then；〃
said　he；　〃you　shall　not　have　this　honour　alone；　let　even　me；　too；　I
pray　you；　have　my　share　in　such　a　pious　office；　that　I　may　not
altogether　repent　me　of　this　pilgrimage　in　a　strange　land；　but　in
compensation　of　many　misfortunes　may　obtain　this　happiness　at　last；
even　with　mine　own　hands　to　touch　the　body　of　Pompey；　and　do　the
last　duties　to　the　greatest　general　among　the　Romans。〃　And　in　this
manner　were　the　obsequies　of　Pompey　performed。　The　next　day　Lucius
Lentulus；　not　knowing　what　had　passed；　came　sailing　from　Cyprus
along　the　shore　of　that　coast；　and　seeing　a　funeral　pile；　and　Philip
standing　by；　exclaimed；　before　he　was　yet　seen　by　any　one；　〃Who　is
this　that　has　found　his　end　here？〃　adding　after　a　short　pause；　with
a　sigh；　〃Possibly　even　thou；　Pompeius　Magnus〃　and　so　going　ashore；
he　was　presently　apprehended　and　slain。　This　was　the　end　of　Pompey。
　　Not　long　after；　Caesar　arrived　in　the　country　that　was　polluted　with
this　foul　act；　and　when　one　of　the　Egyptians　was　sent　to　present　him
with　Pompey's　head；　he　turned　away　from　him　with　abhorrence　as　from
a　murderer；　and　on　receiving　his　seal；　on　which　was　engraved　a　lion
holding　a　sword　in　his　paw；　he　burst　into　tears。　Achillas　and　Pothinus
he　put　to　death；　and　King　Ptolemy　himself；　being　overthrown　in
battle　upon　the　banks　of　the　Nile；　fled　away　and　was　never　heard　of
afterwards。　Theodotus；　the　rhetorician；　flying　out　of　Egypt；　escaped
the　hands　of　Caesar's　justice；　but　lived　a　vagabond　in　banishment；
wandering　up　and　down；　despised　and　hated　of　all　men；　till　at　last
Marcus　Brutus；　after　he　had　killed　Caesar；　finding　him　in　his　province
of　Asia；　put　him　to　death　with　every　kind　of　ignominy。　The　ashes　of
Pompey　were　carried　to　his　wife　Cornelia；　who　deposited　them　at　his
country…house　near　Alba。





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