good the town, whereby he might the easier
be master of the Adriatick sea, and command
both the utter parts of Italy, and the Regions
of Greece, and so to keep the warre on foot
on the one side and on the other; or whether
he staied there for want of shipping. Howso∣ever,
he would not endure that Pompey should
think he could not be forced to quit Italy;
and therefore resolved to stop up the mouth
of the Haven, and to take away the use
thereof: which he went about in this manner.
Where the mouth of the Haven was narrow∣est,
he raised great mounts of earth on ei∣ther
side near unto the shore; for there the
Sea was shallow: but going further into the
deep, where no such mounts could be raised,
he placed double slottes of wood, right against
the same mounts, of thirty foot square; and
at the corners cast out four Anchors to fasten
them, that they might not be tossed up and
down by the waves. These flottes being thus
placed, he then added other flottes of the same
scantling, and covered them with bavin and
earth, to the end men might come readily upon
them to defend them. He armed them in front
and on each side with hurdies and gabions;
and on every fourth flotte made a tower of two
stories high, the better to defend them from vio∣lence
of shipping, and from burning.
Against this work Pompey sent out great ships
of burthen, which he found in the Haven, armed
with towers of three stories high, full of muni∣tion,
and all sort of weapons, to hinder and di∣sturb
the same. So that every day they fought a∣farre
off each with other, with slings, arrows, and
other casting weapons. Which businesse Caesar so
carried, as being willing not to let fall the con∣ditions
of peace, if happily it might be effected.
And albeit he greatly wondered that Magius,
whom he had sent to Pompey, did not return a∣gain:
and that this Treatie so often attempted,
did hinder much his designes: yet he thought it
fit by all means to persevere therein: and there∣fore
sent Caninius Rebilus, one of his Legates,
an inward friend of, and near allied to Scribo∣nius
Libo, to speak with him: commanding
him to perswade Libo to mediate a reconcilia∣tion,
and that Caesar himself might speak
with Pompey. It might be, that thereupon
both of them would yield to lay down their
Arms upon equall conditions: the greatest
part of which honour would redound to Li∣bo,
if by his intercession the warre might
take an end.
Libo having heard Caninius, went streight
to Pompey; and within a while returning, told
him, That forasmuch as the Consuls were ab∣sent,
there could be nothing done touching an
agreement. Whereupon Caesar resolved to let
fall the matter of▪ Treaty, which he had so often
attempted, and to prepare for warre.
THE FIRST OBSERVATION.
THis accident of taking Cn. Magius, hath
made known an officer of great place
and use in the Roman Army, of whom otherwise
their Histories make little mention. For, howso∣ever
there is found in these Commentaries many
particular descriptions of admirable and incredi∣ble
works, such as may seem to be made rather by
Giants and Cyclopes, then any labour of man; yet
there is no mention of any Praefectus fabrûm,
or Master of the works in any of Caesar's Armies.
Howbeit Vegetius, expressing their singular care to
have in abundance all manner of provisions requi∣site
for an Army, saith; That to every legion did
belong Carpenters, Bricklayers, Smiths, Painters,
and other Artizans, skilfull and fit to build lodg∣ings
for their wintering Camps; to make En∣gines
and devices for warre; such as were their
portative, or ambulatory towers, targets, morions,
corslets, bows, arrows, darts, and piles, or what∣soever
else might serve, either for offence or de∣fence.
Which Artificers were all known by the
name of Fabri; and he that was Chief, and
had the command of them, was called Praefe∣ctus
Fabrûm. And in like manner Plutarch
sheweth, that there was such an officer; as also
that the place was given by the Generall; where
he saith, that Vibius a Sicilian refused to lodge
Cicero, as he passed to exile through Luca∣nia;
although that in his Consulship he had
bestowed upon him the place of Praefectus
Fabrûm. And albeit Caesar maketh no menti∣on
of any such officer; yet Catullus doth it
for him, in such biting Trimetres as will not be
forgotten:
Quis hoc potest videre, quis potest pati,
Nisi impudicus, & vorax & Helluo,
Mamurram habere, quod Comata Gallia
Habebat & ultima Britannia?
Who can this endure to see,
But must a wanton glutton be,
That Mamurra should have all
Fetch'd from Britan and from Gall?
Of which Mamurra Plinie thus writeth; Cor∣nelius
Nepos, saith he, writeth that Mamurra,
a Roman knight, born at Formia, and Ma∣ster
of the works under Caesar in Gallia, was
the first that covered all the walles of his house,
which he built in Mount Coelius, with leaves
of Marble. Neither let any man disdain the
Authour as a mean person; for this is that
Mamurra, whom Catullus doth note in his
verses; whose house was farre more stately then
Catullus did expresse, by saying he had gotten
all the wealth of Gallia Comata. For the
said Cornelius affirmeth, that he was the first
in Rome that made the pillars of his house
of solid Marble, even hewen out of the quar∣ries
of Caristus, or Luna. Thus farre go∣eth