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

POMPEIUS. POMPEIUS. 487
that he should continue in possession of an army senate decreed that Caesar should disband his
after his rival had ceased to have one, by obtaining army by a certain day, or otherwise be regarded as
a senatusconsultum, by which his government of all enemy of the state. Two of the tribunes put
the Spains was prolonged for another five years. their veto upon the decree, but their opposition
And, in case Caesar should obtain the consulship, was set at nought, their lives were threatened, and
he caused a law to be enacted, in virtue of which they fled for refuge to Caesar's camp. Caesar heno one should have a province till five years had sitated no longer; he crossed the Rubicon, which
elapsed from the time of his holding a public office. separated his province from Italy, and at the head
Such were the precautions adopted against his of a single legion marched upon Rome. He was
great rival, the uselessness of which time soon received with enthusiasm by the Italian towns;
showed, his march was like a triumphal progress; city after
The history of the next four years (B. C. 51-48) city threw open their gates to him the troops of
is related at length in the life of CAESAR [Vol. I. the aristocracy went over to his side; and Pompey,
pp. 549-552]; and it is, therefore, only neces- after all his confident boasting, found himself
sary to give here a brief outline of the remaining unable to defend the capital. He fled, with all
events of Pompey's life. In B. C. 51 Pompey be- the leading senators, first to Capua, where he recame reconciled to the aristocracy, and was now mained for a short time, and subsequently to Brunregarded as their acknowledged head, though it disium. Caesar, however, gave hil no rest; by
appears that he never obtained the full confidence the 8th of March he was under the walls of Brunof the party. In the following year (B. c. 50) the disium; and as Pompey despaired of holding out
struggle between Caesar and the aristocracy came in that city, he embarked on the 15th of the month,
to a crisis. The latter demanded that Caesar and crossed over to Greece. As Caesar had no
should resign his province and come to Rome as a ships he could not follow him for the present, and
private man in order to sue for the consulship; but therefore marched against Pompey's legates in
it would have been madness in Caesar to place Spain, whom he conquered in the course of the
himself in the power of his enemies, who had an same year.
army in the neighbourhood of the city under the In the next year (n. c. 48) the war was decided.
command of Pompey. There was no doubt that he Early in January Caesar arrived in Greece, and
would immediately have been brought to trial, and forthwith commenced active operations. Pompey
his condemnation would have been certain, since meantime had collected a numerous army in Greece,
Pompey would have overawed the judges by his Egypt, and the East, the scene of his former glories.
soldiery as he had done at the trial of Milo. But although his troops far outnumbered Caesar's,
Caesar, however, agreed to resign his provinces, he well knew that they were no match for them
and disband his army, provided Pompey would do in the field, and therefore prudently resolved to
the same. This proposition, however, was rejected, decline a battle. His superiority in cavalry enand Caesar prepared for war. He had now corm- abled him to cut off Caesars's supplies, and gave
pleted the subjugation of Gaul, and could confi- him the complete command of all the provisions of
dently rely on the fidelity of his veteran troops, the country. The utmost scarcity began to prevail
whom he had so often led to victory and glory. in Caesar's camp; since not only could he obtain
At the same time lie lost no opportunity of strength- nothing from the country, but he was likewise
ening his interest at Rome; the immense wealth unable to receive any supplies from Italy, in consehe had acquired by the conquest of Gaul was la- quence of the fleet of Pompey, which had the
vishly spent in gaining over many of the most in- entire command of the sea. But Pompey was
fluential men in the city; the services of the con- prevented from carrying out the prudent plan
sul Aemilius Pauluis and of the tribune Curio, who which he had formed for conducting the campaign.
were reckoned devoted partizans of Pompey, were His camp was filled with a multitude of Roman
purchased by enormous bribes. Pompey, on the nobles, unacquainted with war, and anxious to
other hand, neglected to prepare for the coming return to their estates in Italy and to the luxuries
contest; he was firmly convinced, as we have al- of the capital. Their superior numbers made
ready remarked, that Caesar would never venture them sure of victory; and Pompey's success at
to march against the constituted authorities of the Dyrrhacium, when he broke through Caesar's
state; and if he were mad enough to draw the lines and compelled him to retire with considersword, Pompey believed that his troops would able loss, rendered them still more confident of
desert him in the desperate enterprize, while his success. Pompey's unwillingness to fight, which
own fame and the cause of the republic would at- only showed that he understood his profession far
tract to his standard a multitude of soldiers from better than the vain and ignorant nobles who
all parts of Italy. So confident was he of success would school him, was set down to his love
that he did not attempt to levy troops; and when of power and his anxiety to keep the senate
some of his friends remonstrated with him, and in subjection. Stung with the reproaches with
pointed out the defenceless condition of their party, which he was assailed, and likewise elated to
if Caesar advanced against the city, Pompey re- some degree by his victory at Dyrrhacium, he replied " that he had only to stamp with his foot in solved to bring the contest to an issue. Accordany part of Italy, and numbers of troops would ingly, he offered battle to Caesar in the plain of
immediately spring up." He was confirmed in the Pharsalia in Thessaly, on the 9th of August, and
conviction of his own popularity by the interest ex- the result justified his previous fears. His nupressed on his behalf during a dangerous illness by merous army was completely defeated by Caesar's
which he was attacked this year at Neapolis. Many veterans. This defeat by his great rival seems at
cities offered sacrifices for his restoration to health; once to have driven Pompey to despair. He made
and on his recovery public rejoicings took place in no attempt to rally his forces, though he might
numerous cowns of Italy. But he was soon cruelly still have collected a considerable army; but reundeceived. At the beginning of B. c. 49 the garding every thing as lost, he hurried to the seaii 1