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

478 POMPEIUS. POMPEIUS.
of the Marian generals gave him the wished-for he was seized and brought in chains to Pompey,
opportunity; he was surrounded by three armies, at Lilybaeum, who put him to death, and sent
commanded respectively by M. Brutus, C. Caelius his head to Sulla. He likewise executed several
Caldus. and C. Carrinas, whose great object seems others of the Marian party; but he can scarcely
to have been to prevent his escape to Sulla. Pom- be reproached with cruelty for so doing, as he had
pey now displayed for the first time the great no other alternative, even if he had wished to
military abilities for which he became afterwards save them; and he treated the cities which had
so conspicuous; he concentrated all his forces in one espoused the popular side with greater leniency
spot, and then fell upon M. Brutus at a time when than might have been expected. Next year, B. c.
he could receive no assistance from the other ge- 81, Pompey left Sicily, and passed over to Africa,
nerals, and completely defeated him. Pompey also in order to oppose Cn. Domitius Ahenobarbus, the
distinguished himself by his personal bravery in son-in-law of Cinna, who, with the assistance of
this engagement, charging at the head of his ca- Hiarbas, had collected a formidable army. But
valry, and striking down a Celtic horseman with his troops, chiefly consisting of Numidians, were
his own hand. The Marian generals, after the no match for the veterans who had conquered the
loss of this battle, quarrelled among themselves, and well-disciplined Italian allies. Still they fought
withdrew from the country. Pompey, who had with great bravery, and out of 20,000 only 3000
no longer an enemy to oppose him, set out to join are said to have survived the decisive battle.
Sulla, and was hailed as a deliverer by the towns Their camp was taken, and Domitius fell. In a
of Picenum, who had now no other alternative but few months Pompey reduced the whole of Nusubmission. He was proscribed by the senate, midia; Hiarbas was taken prisoner and put to
but his troops proved faithful to him, and he death, and his throne was given to Hiempsal.
joined Sulla in safety, having already gained for But it was not only his military achievements that
himself a brilliant reputation. He was received gained him great renown at Rome; unlike other
by Sulla with still greater distinction than he had Roman governors, he abstained from plundering:anticipated; for when he leapt down from his the province, which seemed the more extraordinary,
horse, and saluted Sulla by the title of Imperator, since the disturbed state of the country afforded
the latter returned the compliment by addressing him particular facilities for doing so. Intent upon
him by the same title. Pompey was only twenty- triumphing, he collected a great number of elephants
three, and had not held any public office when he and lions in Numidia, and returned to Rome, in the
received this unprecedented mark of honour. same year, covered with glory. As he approached
Next year, B. c. 82, the war was prosecuted with Rome, numbers flocked out of the city to meet
vigour against the Marian party. Pompey took a him; and the dictator himself, who formed one of
prominent part in it as one of Sulla's legates, and the crowd, greeted him with the surname of
by his success gained still further distinction. The MAGNUS, which he bore ever afterwards, and
younger Marius, who was now consul, was block- handed down to his children.* But Pompey did
aded in Praeneste, and his colleague, Carbo, was not find it easy to obtain his wished-for triumph.u
making every effort to relieve him. Sulla himself Hitherto no one but a dictator, consul, or praetor,
fought an indecisive battle against Carbo; but his had enjoyed this distinction, and it seemed a
legates, Marcius and Carrinas, were defeated by monstrous thing for a simple eques, who had not
Pompey. Carbo then retreated to Ariminum, and yet obtained a place in the senate, to covet this
sent Marcius to the relief of Praeneste; but Pom- honour. Sulla at first tried to dissuade Pompey
pey defeated the latter again in the Apennines, from pressing his request; and as he would not
and compelled him to retire. Despairing of suc- relinquish his design, the matter was referred to
cess, Carbo then abandoned Marius to his fate, and the senate, and there Sulla positively opposed it.
set sail for Africa. Praeneste shortly afterwards Pompey was not, however, to be cowed, and utsurrendered. Sulla thus became the master of tered a threat about the rising and the setting
Italy, and was proclaimed dictator. He then pro- sun; whereupon Snlla, indignant at his impudence,
ceeded to reward his partizans, and to take ven- shouted out contemptuously, " Let him triumph
geance on his enemies; and in order to connect then! " It is true that Sulla's dominion was too
Pompey more closely with himself, he compelled firmly established to be overthrown by Pompey;
him to marry his step-daughter Aemilia, the but he probably could not have put him down
daughter of his wife Caecilia Metella, by her for- without a struggle, and therefore thought it better
mer husband Aemilius Scaurus. To effect this to let him have his own way. Pompey therefore
marriage two divorces had to take place: Pompey entered Rome in triumph as a simple eques in the
was obliged to put away his wife Antistia, though month of September B.C. 81, and before he had
her father had been murdered by Marius as a completed his twenty-fifth year. Pompey's conpartizan of Sulla, simply on account of his connec- duct in insisting upon. a triumph on this occasion
tion with Pompey; and Aemilia was obliged to has been represented by many modern writers as
leave her husband M'. Glabrio, although she was vain and childish: but it should be recollected
pregnant at the time. Aemilia died shortly after- that it was a vanity which all distinguished
wards in child-birth. Romans shared, and that to enter Romne dravwn in
But although the war in Italy was brought to a.
close, the Marian party still held out in other
parts of Europe; and Pompey, who was now re- There can be little doubt that this surnamle
garded as one of the principal leaders of the aristo- was given to Pompey on this occasion, though
cracy, was sent against them by Sulla. He first many writers assign it to a different time. The
proceeded to Sicily, to which island Carbo had question is discussed at length by Drumann, vol. iv.
crossed over from Africa, but here met with no p. 335. Pompey did not use it himself till he
opposition; as soon as he landed, Carbo fled from was appointed to the command of the war against
the island, intending to take refuge in Egypt. but Sertorius (Plut. Pomp. 13).