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

'194 GABINIUS.'GABINIUS.
clelaus pretended to be a son of Mithridates the in to sustain their charge. He was now attacked
Great, and had joined the Roman army with the on all sides. Cicero, especially, goaded him so
intention of accompanying Gabinius into Parthia. sharply, that he was unable to contain himself,
Gabinius opposed the ambitious design of Arche- and, with a voice almost choked with passion,
laus, who, nevertheless, made his escape from the called Cicero an exile. An nmette succeeded. The
Roman army, reached Alexandria, married Bere- senate to a man rose from their seats, pressed
nice, and was declared king. Dion Cassius thinks round Gabinius, and manifested their indignation
(xxxix. 57) that Gabinius, wishing to enhance the as clamorously as the warmest friend of Cicero
value of his own services by having.a general of could desire. (Ad Qu. Fr. iii. 2.)
some ability to contend against, connived at the Three accusations were brought against Gabiescape of Archelaus. nius. The first of these was for majestas, in leaving
Such was the state of affairs in Egypt when his province, and making war in favour of Ptolemy
Ptolemy came to Gabinius with recommendatory Auletes, in defiance of the Sibyl,'and the authority
letters from Pompey. Moreover, he promised' to of the senate. In this accusation Cicero gave
pay Gabinius a large sum of money (10,000 ta- evidence, but, at the instance of Pompey, did not
lents) if he were restored to his kingdom by the press severely upon Gabinius. Pompey prevailed
assistance- of the proconsul. The enterprise was upon him not to be the prosecutor, but could not,
displeasing to the greater part of the Roman offi-. with the most urgent solicitation, induce him to
cers, since it was forbidden by a decree of the undertake the defence. The prosecutor was L.
senate, and by an oracle of the Sibyl; but Gabinius Lentulus, who was slow and backward. The
was encouraged in his plan of assisting Auletes by judges, by a majority of 38 to 32, acquitted GabiM. Antony, the future triumvir, -who commanded nius, on the ground that the words of the Sibyl
the Roman cavalry; and he was supplied with applied to other times and another king. (Dionmoney, arms, and provisions, by Antipater of Idu- Cass. xxxix. 55.) The majority who voted for
snea, who required the friendship of the Romans his acquittal were suspected of corruption, as was
to assist him in the subjugation of the Maccabees. Lentulus of prevarication. An inundation of the
M. Antony, who was sent forward with the ca- Tiber, which occurred about this time, was attrivalry to seize the passes of Egypt, was put in pos- buted' to the anger of the gods at the escape of
session of Pelusium, the key of the kingdom. Gabinius. (Ad Qu. Fr. iii. 7.)
Archelaus was killed in action, and Gabinius re- The second prosecution was de repetundis ex leye
inained master of Alexandria, He now found the Julia, for the illegal receipt of 10,000 talents from
whole of Egypt at his disposal, and resigned the Ptolemy Auletes. Out of several candidates for
kingdom to Ptolemy, who not only put his daugh- the honour of conducting the accusation, M. Cato,
ter Berenice to death, but ordered the execution of the praetor, selected C. Memmius. Cicero now
the richest of the Alexandrians, that with their could no longer resist the importunity of.Pom-.
spoils he might the better satisfy the engagements pey, and undertook the defence, though he felt
he had entered into with Gabinius. that the part was sorely derogatory to his selfUpon the return of Gabinius to Judea, he found respect, and to his reputation for consistency; for
Alexander, the son of Aristobulus, again in arms, no one had laboured with greater assiduity than
and, after defeating him at Tabor, administered the he had, ever since his return from exile, to blacken!
government of the country, in conformity with the the character of Gabinius. A fragment from the
counsels of Antipater. (Joseph. Ant. xiv. 6.) notes of Cicero's speech for Gabinius has been preMeanwhile a storm had been brewing at Rome, served by Hieronymus (Adv. RufJi., ed. Paris,
where Gabinius knew that he would have to en- vol. iv. p. 351), but his advocacy was unsuccesscounter not only the hostility of the optimates, but ful, notwithstanding the favourable testimony of
all the unpopularity which his personal enemies the Alexandrine deputies and of Pompey, backed
could excite against him. He had given umbrage by a letter from Caesar. Dion Cassius indeed
to the Romans in Syria, especially to the publicani (xlvi. 8) makes Q. Fufius Calenus hint that the
of the equestrian order, whose profits were dimi- success of the prosecution was due to the mode of
nished by the depredations of the pirates along conducting the defence. Gabinius went into exile,
the. Syrian coast, which Gabinius had left un- and his goods were sold, to discharge the amount
guarded during his expedition to Egypt. at which the damages were estimated. As the
The recal of Gabinius from his province had produce of the sale was not sufficient, to cover the
been decreed in B. C. 55, but he did not depart.estimated sum, a suit was instituted, under the
until his successor, M. Crassus, had actually made same Lex Julia de repelundis, against C. Rabirius
his appearance, in B. C..54. He lingered on the Postumnus, who was liable to make up the deficiroad, and his gold travelled before him, to purchase ency, if it could be proved that the money illegally
favour or silence. To cover his disgrace, lie gave received by Gabinius had come to his hands. Thus
out that he intended to demand a triumph, and he the cause of C. Rabirius Postunmus (who was
remained some time without the city gates, but, also defended by Cicero) was a supplementary apfinding delay useless, on the 28th of September, pendage to the cause of Gabinius. [RABIsRmUS
B. C. 54, he stole into the city by night, to avoid PosTUMUS.].
the insults of the populace. For ten days he did Upon the exile of Gabinius the third accusanot dare to present himself before the senate. tion dropped, which charged him with ambitus, oi
When at length he came, and had made the usual illegal canvassing, and was entrusted to P. Sulla.
report as to the state of the Roman forces, and as as prosecutor, with the assistance of Caecilius and
to the troops of the enemy, he was about to go Memmlius.
away, when he was detained by the consuls, In B. C. 49 he returned from exile, upon the cal:
L. Domitius Ahenobarbus and App. Claudius, to of Caesar, but he took no.part in direct hostilities
answer the accusation of the publicani, who had against Pompey. After the. battle of Pharsalia.
-been in attendance at the doors, and were called he was despatched to Illyricuinum with the newl)