A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

METELLUS. METELLUS. 1 063
6f which they had been deprived by Clodius, in- centre of the Pompeian troops, and was opposed by
tending thereby to expel Caesar's friends from the his old adversary, Domitius Calvinus.
senate; for that he was actuated by no desire to After the loss of the battle of Pharsalia, Mepreserve the purity and morality of the body, the tellus fled, first to Corcyra and then to Africa,
scandalous tale related by Valerius Maximus (ix. where it was hoped that the army of Attius Varus
1. ~ 8) is a sufficient proof. In the following year and the assistance of Juba, king of Numidia, might
(B. C. 51) Scipio proposed in the senate on the 1st restore the fallen fortunes of the Pompeian party.
of September that the senate should take into con- Through the influence of Cato, Scipio obtained the
sideration the Gallic provinces on the' lst of March supreme command, -as being of consular rank,
in the following year; butas this proposition was much to the chagrin of Varus, who laid claim to it.
considered rather too open a declaration of hostility As soon as Scipio had received the command, he
against Caesar, it was decreed that the consular attempted to destroy the important town of Uttica,
provinces in general should be brought before the in order to gratify Juba, and it.was with difficulty
senate on that day. When stronger measures that Cato prevented him from doing it. His conwere resolved upon by the aristocracy, Scipio again duct in Africa seems to have been as oppressive as
appeared foremost in urging their adoption. He it had been in Syria; in every direction he plunwarmly seconded the consul Lentulus when he dered the inhabitants and laid waste the country.
proposed in the senate at the beginning of January, At length Caesar landed in Africa, at the end of
B. c. 49, that Caesar should dismiss his army by a December, B. C. 47, and in the month of April in
certain day, or else be regarded as an enemy of the the following year, B. C. 46, he defeated Scipio and
state; and when the tribunes, M. Antonius and Juba at the decisive battle of Thapsus. Scipio
Q. Cassius, placed their veto upon the decree, immediately fled to the sea, and with a small
Scipio urged on matters to an open rupture, and squadron of ships steered first for Utica; but,
refused to listen to any overtures of peace. The learning from Cato that there would be no security
consequence was that the two tribunes fled from for him there, he put out to sea, intending to sail
the city, and Caesar took up arms against the over to Spain. Contrary winds, however, obliged
senate. In the division of the provinces, which him to put back to Hippo Regius, where he fell in
was made a few days afterwards, Syria fell to the with the fleet of P. Sittius, who fought on Caesar's
lot of Scipio, who hastened thither without delay. side. His small squadron was overpowered; and,
His conduct in the province is drawn by Caesar in as he saw that escape was impossible, he stabbed
the blackest colours (B. C. iii. 31, 32). Although himself and leaped into the sea.
lie suffered some loss in an engagement with the Scipio never exhibited any proofs of striking
inhabitants of Mount Amanus, he assumed the abilities either in war or in peace; and the protitle of imperator, and had it struck upon his coins. minent part which he played in these stormy times
His exactions and extortions were almost unparal- was chiefly owing to his high connections, being a
leled: new taxes of all kinds were imposed upon Scipio by birth, a Metellus by adoption, and, by
the inhabitants; Ronian officers were sent into the marriage of his daughter, the father-in-law of
every part of the province to collect them; and Pompey. The love of country and the freedom of
there was scarcely a village which escaped their the republic (the watchwords with which he
marauding visits: they plundered on their own fought against Caesar) were a mere sham; he was
account as well as on account of their general; and only anxious to obtain for himself and his party
they had the fullest licence given them for every the exclusive possession of the offices of the state
kind of oppression. After collecting large sums of and of the provinces, that they might realise fortunes
money and a considerable body of troops, he took to gratify their love of luxury and pomp. InI
up his winter-quarters at Pergamum, leaving his public, Scipio showed himself cruel, vindictive, and
province quite unprotected and exposed to a fresh oppressive; in private, he was mean, avaricious,
attack of the Parthians. At the beginning of the and.licentious, even bejyond most of his contemfollowing year, B. c. 48, he was preparing to poraries. A striking instance of his profligacy is
plunder the temple of Diana in Ephesus, when he given in the tale related by Valerius Maximus,
received a summons from Pompey to join him with which has already been referred to. (Plut. Cic. 15;
his troops, as Caesar had already crossed over to Dion Cass. xl. 51, xliii. 9; Appian, B. C. ii. 24, 25,
Greece. Caesar sent Domitius Calvinus into Mace- 60, 76, 87, 95-100; Caes. B. C. i. 1-4, iii. 31
donia, and L. Cassius Longinus into Thessaly to -33, 36, 57, 82, 83, B. Afrie. passim; Plut.
oppose Scipio, but no battle took place between Pomp. 55, Caes. 30, Cat. Min. 60; Liv. Epit. 113,
them, according to the statement of Caesar (B. C. 114; Val. Max. ix. 5. ~ 3; the passages of Cicero in
iii. 36-38), although a different account is given Orelli's Onom. Tull. vol. ii. p. 105, &c.)
by other writers. (Dion Cass. xli. 51; Appian, The two coins annexed were struck by MeB. C. ii. 60.) At all events Scipio was unable to tellus Scipio. On the obverse of the former is the
join Pompey till Caesar's repulse at Dyrrhachium legend Qo METEL. PlVS, but the head is uncertain;
obliged Calvinus to unite his forces with those of on the reverse is scIPIo IMP., with an elephant,
Caesar. Scipio thereupon took possession of La- which refers evidently to his command in Africa.
rissa, and shortly after joined Pompey, who divided The head on the obverse of the latter is also unthe command of the army with him. Confident of certain; beneath it is an eagle's head, and the
success, the nobles in Pompey's. camp began to legend is METEL. PIVS SC1P. IMP.: the reverse
quarrel with one another respecting the division of. represents a pair of scales hanging from a cornuthe spoil; and Scipio had a violent altercation, copia, with a sella curulis beneath, on one side of
which descended to personal abuse, with Domitius which is an ear of corn, and on the other side a
Ahenobarbus. and Lentulus Spinther, respecting hand grasping something. The legend CRASS.
the -office of pontifex maximus, which Caesar then IVN. LEG. PRO(PR). refers to Crassus Junianus,
held. The battle of Pharsalia annihilated these one of Scipio's legates, who served with the titleprospects.- In- this battle Scipio commanded the legatus propraetore. [CRAssus, No. 29, p..882, a.]
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