pompey-第4章

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calamities；　and　thereupon　fell　to　work；　so　that　the　army　was　useless
to　Pompey　for　many　days；　being　totally　engaged　in　digging　for　the
fancied　treasure；　he　himself　all　the　while　walking　up　and　down　only；
and　laughing　to　see　so　many　thousands　together；　digging　and　turning　up
the　earth。　Until　at　last；　growing　weary　and　hopeless；　they　came　to
themselves　and　returned　to　their　general；　begging　him　to　lead　them
where　he　pleased；　for　that　they　had　already　received　the　punishment　of
their　folly。
　　By　this　time　Domitius　had　prepared　himself　and　drawn　out　his　army　in
array　against　Pompey；　but　there　was　a　watercourse　betwixt　them；
craggy；　and　difficult　to　pass　over；　and　this；　together　with　a　great
storm　of　wind　and　rain　pouring　down　even　from　break　of　day；　seemed
to　leave　but　little　possibility　of　their　coming　together；　so　that
Domitius；　not　expecting　any　engagement　that　day；　commanded　his
forces　to　draw　off　and　retire　to　the　camp。　Now　Pompey；　who　was
watchful　upon　every　occasion；　making　use　of　the　opportunity；　ordered　a
march　forthwith；　and　having　passed　over　the　torrent；　fell　in
immediately　upon　their　quarters。　The　enemy　was　in　great　disorder　and
tumult；　and　in　that　confusion　attempted　a　resistance；　but　they　neither
were　all　there；　nor　supported　one　another；　besides；　the　wind　having
veered　about　beat　the　rain　full　in　their　faces。　Neither　indeed　was　the
storm　less　troublesome　to　the　Romans；　for　that　they　could　not
clearly　discern　one　another；　insomuch　that　even　Pompey　himself；
being　unknown；　escaped　narrowly；　for　when　one　of　his　soldiers　demanded
of　him　the　word　of　battle；　it　happened　that　he　was　somewhat　slow　in
his　answer；　which　might　have　cost　him　his　life。
　　The　enemy　being　routed　with　a　great　slaughter　（for　it　is　said　that
of　twenty　thousand　there　escaped　but　three　thousand）；　the　army　saluted
Pompey　by　the　name　of　Imperator；　but　he　declined　if；　telling　them　that
he　could　not　by　any　means　accept　of　that　title　as　long　as　he　saw　the
camp　of　the　enemy　standing；　but　if　they　designed　to　make　him　worthy　of
the　honour；　they　must　first　demolish　that。　The　soldiers　on　hearing
this　went　at　once　and　made　an　assault　upon　the　works　and　trenches；　and
there　Pompey　fought　without　his　helmet；　in　memory　of　his　former
danger；　and　to　avoid　the　like。　The　camp　was　thus　taken　by　storm；　and
among　the　rest　Domitius　was　slain。　After　that　overthrow；　the　cities　of
the　country　thereabouts　were　all　either　secured　by　surrender；　or　taken
by　storm。　King　Iarbas；　likewise；　a　confederate　and　auxiliary　of
Domitius；　was　taken　prisoner；　and　his　kingdom　was　given　to　Hiempsal。
　　Pompey　could　not　rest　here；　but　being　ambitious　to　follow　the　good
fortune　and　use　the　valour　of　his　army；　entered　Numidia；　and
marching　forward　many　days'　journey　up　into　the　country；　he
conquered　all　where…ever　he　came。　And　having　revived　the　terror　of　the
Roman　power；　which　was　now　almost　obliterated　among　the　barbarous
nations；　he　said　likewise；　that　the　wild　beasts　of　Africa　ought　not　to
be　left　without　some　experience　of　the　courage　and　success　of　the
Romans；　and　therefore　he　bestowed　some　few　days　in　hunting　lions　and
elephants。　And　it　is　said　that　it　was　not　above　the　space　of　forty
days　at　the　utmost　in　which　he　gave　a　total　overthrow　to　the　enemy；
reduced　Africa；　and　established　the　affairs　of　the　kings　and
kingdoms　of　all　that　country；　being　then　in　the　twenty…fourth　year
of　his　age。
　　When　Pompey　returned　back　to　the　city　of　Utica；　there　were　presented
to　him　letters　and　orders　from　Sylla；　commanding　him　to　disband　the
rest　of　his　army；　and　himself　with　one　legion　only　to　wait　there　the
coming　of　another　general；　to　succeed　him　in　the　government。　This；
inwardly；　was　extremely　grievous　to　Pompey；　though　he　made　no　show
of　it。　But　the　army　resented　it　openly；　and　when　Pompey　besought
them　to　depart　and　go　home　before　him；　they　began　to　revile　Sylla；　and
declared　broadly　that　they　were　resolved　not　to　forsake　him；　neither
did　they　think　it　safe　for　him　to　trust　the　tyrant。　Pompey　at　first
endeavoured　to　appease　and　pacify　them　by　fair　speeches；　but　when　he
saw　that　his　persuasions　were　vain；　he　left　the　bench；　and　retired
to　his　tent　with　tears　in　his　eyes。　But　the　soldiers　followed　him；　and
seizing　upon　him；　by　force　brought　him　again；　and　placed　him　in　his
tribunal；　where　great　part　of　that　day　was　spent　in　dispute；　they　on
their　part　persuading　him　to　stay　and　command　them；　he；　on　the　other
side；　pressing　upon　them　obedience　and　the　danger　of　mutiny。　At
last；　when　they　grew　yet　more　importunate　and　clamorous；　he　swore　that
he　would　kill　himself　if　they　attempted　to　force　him；　and　scarcely
even　thus　appeased　them。　Nevertheless；　the　first　tidings　brought　to
Sylla　were　that　Pompey　was　up　in　rebellion；　on　which　he　remarked　to
some　of　his　friends；　〃I　see；　then；　it　is　my　destiny　to　contend　with
children　in　my　old　age；〃　alluding　at　the　same　time　to　Marius；　who；
being　but　a　mere　youth；　had　given　him　great　trouble；　and　brought　him
into　extreme　danger。　But　being　undeceived　afterwards　by　better
intelligence；　and　finding　the　whole　city　prepared　to　meet　Pompey；
and　receive　him　with　every　display　of　kindness　and　honour；　he　resolved
to　exceed　them　all。　And；　therefore；　going　out　foremost　to　meet　him　and
embracing　him　with　great　cordiality；　he　gave　him　his　welcome　aloud
in　the　title　of　Magnus；　or　the　Great；　and　bade　all　that　were　present
call　him　by　that　name。　Others　say　that　he　had　this　title　first　given
him　by　a　general　acclamation　of　all　the　army　in　Africa；　but　that　it
was　fixed　upon　him　by　this　ratification　of　Sylla。　It　is　certain　that
he　himself　was　the　last　that　owned　the　title；　for　it　was　a　long　time
after；　when　he　was　sent　proconsul　into　Spain　against　Sertorius；　that
he　began　to　write　himself　in　his　letters　and　commissions　by　the　name
of　Pompeius　Magnus；　common　and　familiar　use　having　then　worn　off　the
invidiousness　of　the　title。　And　one　cannot　but　accord　respect　and
admiration　to　the　ancient　Romans；　who　did　not　reward　the　successes
of　action　and　conduct　in　war　alone　with　such　honourable　titles；　but
adorned　likewise　the　virtue　and　services　of　eminent　men　in　civil
government　with　the　same　distinctions　and　marks　of　honour。　Two　persons
received　from　the　people　the　name　of　Maximus；　or　the　Greatest；
Valerius　for　reconciling　the　senate　and　people；　and　Fabius　Rullus；
because　he　put　out　of　the　senate　certain　sons　of　freed　slaves　who
had　been　admitted　into　it　because　of　their　wealth。
　　Pompey　now　desired　the　honour　of　a　triumph；　which　Sylla　opposed；
alleging　that　the　law　allowed　that　honour　to　none　but　consuls　and
praetors；　and　therefore　Scipio　the　elder；　who　subdued　the
Carthaginians　in　Spain　in　far　greater　and　nobler　conflicts；　never
petitioned　for　a　triumph；　because　he　had　never　been　consul　or　praetor；
and　if　Pompey；　who　had　scarcely　yet　fully　grown　a　beard；　and　was　not
of　age　to　be　a　senator；　should　enter　the　city　in　triumph；　what　a
weight　of　envy　would　it　bring；　he　said；　at　once　upon　his　government
and　Pompey's　honour。　This　was　his　language　to　Pompey；　intimating
that　he　could　not　by　any　means　yield　to　his　request；　but　if　he　would
persist　in　his　ambition；　that　he　was　resolved　to　interpose　his　power
to　humble　him。　Pompey；　however；　was　not　daunted；　but　bade　Sylla
recollect　that　more　worshipped　the　rising　than　the　setting　sun；　as
if　to　tell　him　that　his　power　was　increasing　and　Sylla's　in　the
wane。　Sylla　did　not　perfectly　hear　the　words；　but　observing　a　sort
of　amazement　and　wonder　in　the　looks　and　gestures　of　those　that　did
hear　them；　he　asked　what　it　was　that　he　said。　When　it　was　told　him；　he
seemed　astounded　at　Pompey's　boldness；　and　cried　out　twice　together；
〃Let　him　triumph；〃　and　when　others　began　to　show　their
disapprobation　and　offence　at　it；　Pompey；　it　is　said；　to　gall　and
vex　them　the　more；　designed　to　have　his　triumphant　chariot　drawn
with　four　elephants　（having　brought　over　several　which　belonged　to　the
African　kings）；　but　the　gates　of　the　city　being　too　narrow；　he　was
forced　to　desist　from　that　project；　and　be　content　with　horses。　And
when　his　soldiers；　who　had　not　received　as　large　rewards　as　they　had
expected；　began　to　clamour；　and　interrupt　the　triumph；　Pompey　regarded
these　a