pompey-第15章

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for　the　most　part　had　the　better。　Once　only　he　was　dangerously
overthrown；　and　was　within　a　little　of　losing　his　whole　army；　Pompey
having　fought　nobly；　routing　the　whole　force　and　killing　two
thousand　on　the　spot。　But　either　he　was　not　able；　or　was　afraid；　to　go
on　and　force　his　way　into　their　camp　with　them；　so　that　Caesar　made
the　remark；　that　〃To…day　the　victory　had　been　the　enemy's　had　there
been　any　one　among　them　to　gain　it。〃　Pompey's　soldiers　were　so
encouraged　by　this　victory　that　they　were　eager　now　to　have　all　put　to
the　decision　of　a　battle；　but　Pompey　himself；　though　he　wrote　to
distant　kings；　generals；　and　states　in　confederacy　with　him　as　a
conqueror；　yet　was　afraid　to　hazard　the　success　of　a　battle；
choosing　rather　by　delays　and　distress　of　provisions　to　tire　out　a
body　of　men　who　had　never　yet　been　conquered　by　force　of　arms；　and　had
long　been　used　to　fight　and　conquer　together；　while　their　time　of
life；　now　an　advanced　one；　which　made　them　quickly　weary　of　those
other　hardships　of　war；　such　as　were　long　marches　and　frequent
decampings；　making　trenches；　and　building　fortifications；　made　them
eager　to　come　to　close　combat　and　venture　a　battle　with　all　speed。
　　Pompey　had　all　along　hitherto　by　his　persuasions　pretty　well　quieted
his　soldiers；　but　after　this　last　engagement；　when　Caesar；　for　want　of
provisions；　was　forced　to　raise　his　camp；　and　passed　through　Athamania
into　Thessaly；　it　was　impossible　to　curb　or　allay　the　heat　of　their
spirits　any　longer。　For　all　crying　out　with　a　general　voice　that
Caesar　was　fled；　some　were　for　pursuing　and　pressing　upon　him；
others　for　returning　into　Italy；　some　there　were　that　sent　their
friends　and　servants　beforehand　to　Rome　hire　houses　near　the　forum；
that　they　might　be　in　readiness　to　sue　for　offices；　several　of　their
own　motion　sailed　off　at　once　to　Lesbos　to　carry　to　Cornelia　（whom
Pompey　had　conveyed　thither　to　be　in　safety）　the　joyful　news　that
the　war　was　ended。　And　a　senate　being　called　and　the　matter　being
under　debate；　Afranius　was　of　opinion　that　Italy　should　first　be
regained；　for　that　it　was　the　grand　prize　and　crown　of　all　the　war；
and　they　who　were　masters　of　that　would　quickly　have　at　their　devotion
all　the　provinces　of　Sicily；　Sardinia；　Corsica；　Spain；　and　Gaul；　but
what　was　of　greatest　weight　and　moment　to　Pompey；　it　was　his　own
native　country　that　lay　near；　reaching　out　her　hand　for　his　help；
and　certainly　it　could　not　be　consistent　with　his　honour　to　leave
her　thus　exposed　to　all　indignities；　and　in　bondage　under　slaves　and
the　flatterers　of　a　tyrant。　But　Pompey　himself；　on　the　contrary；
thought　it　neither　honourable　to　fly　a　second　time　before　Caesar；
and　be　pursued；　when　fortune　had　given　him　the　advantage　of　a　pursuit；
nor　indeed　lawful　before　the　gods　to　forsake　Scipio　and　divers　other
men　of　consular　dignity　dispersed　throughout　Greece　and　Thessaly；
who　must　necessarily　fall　into　Caesar's　hands；　together　with　large
sums　of　money　and　numerous　forces；　and　as　to　his　care　for　the　city
of　Rome；　that　would　most　eminently　appear　by　removing　the　scene　of　war
to　a　greater　distance；　and　leaving　her；　without　feeling　the　distress
or　even　hearing　the　sound　of　these　evils；　to　await　in　peace　the　return
of　whichever　should　be　the　victor。
　　With　this　determination；　Pompey　marched　forwards　in　pursuit　of
Caesar；　firmly　resolved　with　himself　not　to　give　him　battle；　but
rather　to　besiege　and　distress　him；　by　keeping　close　at　his　heels；　and
cutting　him　short。　There　were　other　reasons　that　made　him　continue
this　resolution；　but　especially　because　a　saying　that　was　current
among　the　Romans　serving　in　the　cavalry　came　to　his　ear；　to　the　effect
that　they　ought　to　beat　Caesar　as　soon　as　possible；　and　then　humble
Pompey　too。　And　some　report　it　was　for　this　reason　that　Pompey　never
employed　Cato　in　any　matter　of　consequence　during　the　whole　war；　but
now；　when　he　pursued　Caesar；　left　him　to　guard　his　baggage　by　sea；
fearing　lest；　if　Caesar　should　be　taken　off；　he　himself　also　by　Cato's
means　not　long　after　should　be　forced　to　give　up　his　power。
　　Whilst　he　was　thus　slowly　attending　the　motions　of　the　enemy；　he　was
exposed　on　all　sides　to　outcries　and　imputations　of　using　his
generalship　to　defeat；　not　Caesar；　but　his　country　and　the　senate；
that　he　might　always　continue　in　authority；　and　never　cease　to　keep
those　for　his　guards　and　servants　who　themselves　claimed　to　govern　the
world。　Domitius　Aenobarbus；　continually　calling　him　Agamemnon；　the
king　of　kings；　excited　jealousy　against　him；　and　Favonius；　by　his
unseasonable　raillery；　did　him　no　less　injury　than　those　who　openly
attacked　him；　as　when　he　cried　out；　〃Good　friends；　you　must　not　expect
to　gather　any　figs　in　Tusculum　this　year。〃　But　Lucius　Afranius；　who
had　lain　under　an　imputation　of　treachery　for　the　loss　of　the　army
in　Spain；　when　he　saw　Pompey　purposely　declining　an　engagement；
declared　openly　that　he　could　not　but　admire　why　those　who　were　so
ready　to　accuse　him　did　not　go　themselves　and　fight　this　buyer　and
seller　of　their　provinces。
　　With　these　and　many　such　speeches　they　wrought　upon　Pompey；　who
never　could　bear　reproach；　or　resist　the　expectations　of　his
friends；　and　thus　they　forced　him　to　break　his　measures；　so　that　he
forsook　his　own　prudent　resolution　to　follow　their　vain　hopes　and
desires：　weakness　that　would　have　been　blamable　in　the　pilot　of　a
ship；　how　much　more　in　the　sovereign　commander　of　such　an　army；　and　so
many　nations。　But　he；　though　he　had　often　commended　those　physicians
appetites　of　their　patients；　yet　himself　could　not　but　yield　to　the
malady　and　disease　of　his　companions　and　advisers　in　the　war；　rather
than　use　some　severity　in　their　cure。　Truly　who　could　have　said　that
health　was　not　disordered　and　a　cure　not　required　in　the　case　of　men
who　went　up　and　down　the　camp；　suing　already　for　the　consulship　and
office　of　praetor；　while　Spinther；　Domitius；　and　Scipio　made
friends；　raised　factions；　and　quarrelled　among　themselves　who　should
succeed　Caesar　in　the　dignity　of　his　high…priesthood；　esteeming　all　as
lightly　as　if　they　were　to　engage　only　with　Tigranes；　King　of　Armenia；
or　some　petty　Nabathaean　king；　not　with　that　Caesar　and　his　army
that　had　stormed　a　thousand　towns；　and　subdued　more　than　three　hundred
several　nations；　that　had　fought　innumerable　battles　with　the
Germans　and　Gauls；　and　always　carried　the　victory；　that　had　taken　a
million　of　men　prisoners；　and　slain　as　many　upon　the　spot　in　pitched
battles？
　　But　they　went　on　soliciting　and　clamouring；　and　on　reaching　the
plain　of　Pharsalia；　they　forced　Pompey　by　their　pressure　and
importunities　to　call　a　council　of　war；　where　Labienus；　general　of　the
horse；　stood　up　first　and　swore　that　he　would　not　return　out　of　the
battle　if　he　did　not　rout　the　enemies；　and　all　the　rest　took　the
same　oath。　That　night　Pompey　dreamed　that；　as　he　went　into　the
theatre；　the　people　received　him　with　great　applause；　and　that　he
himself　adorned　the　temple　of　Venus　the　Victorious　with　many　spoils。
This　vision　partly　encouraged；　but　partly　also　disheartened　him；
fearing　lest　that　splendour　and　ornament　to　Venus　should　be　made
with　spoils　furnished　by　himself　to　Caesar；　who　derived　his　family
from　that　goddess。　Besides　there　were　some　panic　fears　and　alarms　that
ran　through　the　camp；　with　such　a　noise　that　it　awakened　him　out　of
his　sleep。　And　about　the　time　of　renewing　the　watch　towards　morning；
there　appeared　a　great　light　over　Caesar's　camp　whilst　they　were　all
at　rest；　and　from　thence　a　ball　of　flaming　fire　was　carried　into
Pompey's　camp；　which　Caesar　himself　says　he　saw　as　he　was　walking
his　rounds。
　　Now　Caesar　having　designed　to　raise　his　camp　with　the　morning　and
move　to　Scotussa；　whilst　the　soldiers　were　busy　in　pulling　down
their　tents；　and　sending　on　their　cattle　and　servants　before　them　with
their　baggage；　there　came　in　scouts　who　brought　word　that　they　saw
arms　carried　to　and　fro　in　the　enemy's　camp；　and　heard　a　noise　and
running　up　and　down　as　of　men　preparing　for　battle；　not　long　after
there　came　in　other　scouts　with　further　intelligence；　that　the　first
ranks　were　already　set　in　battle　array。　Thereupon　Caesar；　when　he
had　told　them　that　the　wished…for　day　was　come　at　last；　when　they
should　fight　with　men；　not　with　hunger　and　famine；　instantly　gave
orders　for　the　red　colours　to　be　set　up　before　his　tent；　that　being
the　ordinary　signal　of　battle　among　the　Romans。　As　soon　as　the
soldiers　saw　that；　they　left　their　tents；　and　with　great　shouts　of　joy
ran　to　their　arms；　the　officers　likewise；　on　their　part；　drawing　up
their　companies　in　order　of　battle；　every　man　fell　into　his　proper
rank　without　any　trouble　or　noise；　as　quietly　and　orderly　as　if　they
had　been　in　a　dance。
　　Pompey　himself　led　the　right　wing　of　his　army　against　Antony；　and
placed　his　father…in…law；　Scipio；　in　the　middle　against　Lucius
Calvinus。　The　left　wing　was　commanded　by　Lucius　Domitius；　and
supported　by　the　great　mass　of　the　horse。　For　almost　the　whole　cavalry
was　posted　there　in　the　hope　of　crushing　Caesar；　and　cutting　off　the
tenth　legion；　which　was　spoken　of　as　the　stoutest　in　all　the　army；　and
in　which　Caesar　himself　usually　fought　in　person。　Caesar　observing　the
left　wing　of　the　enemy　to　be　lined　and　fortified　with　such　a　mighty
guard　of　horse；　and　alarmed　at　the　gallantry　of　their　appearance；　sent
for　a　detachment　of　six　cohorts　out　of　the　reserves；　and　placed　them
in　the　rear　of　the　tenth　legion；　commanding　them　not　to　stir；　lest
they　should　be　discovered　by　the　enemy；　but　when　the　enemy's　horse
should　begin　to　charge；　and　press　upon　them；　that　they　should　make
up　with　all　speed　to　the　front　through　the　foremost　ranks　and　not
throw　their　javelins　at　a　distance；　as　is　usual　with　brave　soldiers；
that　they　come　to　a　close　fight　with　their　swords　the　sooner；　but　that
they　should　strike　them　upwards　into　the　eyes　and　faces　of　the
enemy；　telling　them　that　those　fine　young　dancers　would　never　endure
the　steel　shining　in　their　eyes；　but　would　fly　to　save　their
handsome　faces。　This　was　Caesar's　employment　at　that　time。　But　while
he　was　thus　instructing　his　soldiers；　Pompey　on　horseback　was
viewing　the　order　of　both　armies；　and　when　he　saw　how　well　the　enemy
kept　their　ranks；　expecting　quietly　the　signal　of　battle；　and；　on
the　contrary；　how　impatient　and　unsteady　his　own　men　were；　waving　up
and　down　in　disorder　for　want　of　experience；　he　was　very　much　afraid
that　their　ranks　would　be　broken　upon　the　first　onset；　and　therefore
he　gave　out　orders　that　the　van　should　make　a　stand；　and　keeping　close
in　their　ranks　should　receive　the　enemy's　charge。　Caesar　much　condemns
this　command；　which；　he　says；　not　only　took　off　from　the　strength　of
the　blows；　which　would　otherwise　have　been　made　with　a　spring；　but
also　lost　the　men　the　impetus；　which；　more　than　anything；　in　the
moment　of　their　coming　upon　the　enemy；　fills　soldiers　with　impulse　and
inspiration；　the　very　shouts　and　rapid　pace　adding　to　their　fury；　of
which　Pompey　deprived　his　men；　arresting　them　in　their　course　and
cooling　down　their　heat。
　　Caesar's　army　consisted　of　twenty…two　thousand；　and　Pompey's　of
somewhat　above　twice　as　many。　When　the　signal　of　battle　was　given　on
both　sides；　and　the