pompey-第7章

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relation　of　Pompey's　former　colleague　in　Spain；　had　been　sent
praetor　into　Crete；　before　this　province　of　the　seas　was　assigned　to
Pompey。　Now　Crete　was　the　second　source　of　pirates　next　to　Cilicia；
and　Metellus　having　shut　up　a　number　of　them　in　their　strongholds
there　was　engaged　in　reducing　and　extirpating　them。　Those　that　were
yet　remaining　and　besieged　sent　their　supplications　to　Pompey；　and
invited　him　into　the　island　as　a　part　of　his　province；　alleging　it
to　fall；　every　part　of　it；　within　the　distance　from　the　sea
specified　in　his　commission；　and　so　within　the　precincts　of　his
charge。　Pompey　receiving　the　submission；　sent　letters　to　Metellus；
commanding　him　to　leave　off　the　war；　and　others　in　like　manner　to
the　cities；　in　which　he　charged　them　not　to　yield　any　obedience　to　the
commands　of　Metellus。　And　after　these　he　sent　Lucius　Octavius；　one
of　his　lieutenants；　to　act　as　general；　who　entering　the　besieged
fortifications；　and　fighting　in　defence　of　the　pirates；　rendered
Pompey　not　odious　only；　but　even　ridiculous　too；　that　he　should　lend
his　name　as　a　guard　to　a　nest　of　thieves；　that　knew　neither　god　nor
law；　and　made　his　reputation　serve　as　a　sanctuary　to　them；　only　out　of
pure　envy　and　emulation　to　Metellus。　For　neither　was　Achilles
thought　to　act　the　part　of　a　man；　but　rather　of　a　mere　boy；　mad
after　glory；　when　by　signs　he　forbade　the　rest　of　the　Greeks　to　strike
at　Hector…

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃For　fear
　　　　　　　　　　Some　other　hand　should　give　the　blow；　and　he
　　　　　　　　　　Lose　the　first　honour　of　the　victory。〃

Whereas　Pompey　even　sought　to　preserve　the　common　enemies　of　the　world
only　that　he　might　deprive　a　Roman　praetor；　after　all　his　labours　of
the　honour　of　a　triumph。　Metellus；　however；　was　not　daunted；　but
prosecuted　the　war　against　the　pirates；　expelled　them　from　their
strongholds　and　punished　them；　and　dismissed　Octavius　with　the　insults
and　reproaches　of　the　whole　camp。
　　When　the　news　came　to　Rome　that　the　war　with　the　pirates　was　at　an
end；　and　that　Pompey　was　unoccupied；　diverting　himself　in　visits　to
the　cities　for　want　of　employment；　one　Manlius；　a　tribune　of　the
people；　preferred　a　law　that　Pompey　should　have　all　the　forces　of
Lucullus；　and　the　provinces　under　his　government；　together　with
Bithynia；　which　was　under　the　command　of　Glabrio；　and　that　he　should
forthwith　conduct　the　war　against　the　two　kings；　Mithridates　and
Tigranes；　retaining　still　the　same　naval　forces　and　the　sovereignty　of
the　seas　as　before。　But　this　was　nothing　less　than　to　constitute　one
absolute　monarch　of　all　the　Roman　empire。　For　the　provinces　which
seemed　to　be　exempt　from　his　commission　by　the　former　decree；　such
as　were　Phrygia；　Lycaonia；　Galatia；　Cappadocia；　Cilicia；　the　upper
Colchis；　and　Armenia；　were　all　added　in　by　this　latter　law；　together
with　all　the　troops　and　forces　with　which　Lucullus　had　defeated
Mithridates　and　Tigranes。　And　though　Lucullus　was　thus　simply　robbed
of　the　glory　of　his　achievements　in　having　a　successor　assigned　him；
rather　to　the　honour　of　his　triumph　than　the　danger　of　the　war；　yet
this　was　of　less　moment　in　the　eyes　of　the　aristocratical　party；
though　they　could　not　but　admit　the　injustice　and　ingratitude　to
Lucullus。　But　their　great　grievance　was　that　the　power　of　Pompey
should　be　converted　into　a　manifest　tyranny；　and　they　therefore
exhorted　and　encouraged　one　another　privately　to　bend　all　their　forces
in　opposition　to　this　law；　and　not　tamely　to　cast　away　their
liberty；　yet　when　the　day　came　on　which　it　was　to　pass　into　a
decree；　their　hearts　failed　them　for　fear　of　the　people；　and　all
were　silent　except　Catulus；　who　boldly　inveighed　against　the　law　and
its　proposer；　and　when　he　found　that　he　could　do　nothing　with　the
people；　turned　to　the　senate；　crying　out　and　bidding　them　seek　out
some　mountain　as　their　forefathers　had　done；　and　fly　to　the　rocks
where　they　might　preserve　their　liberty。　The　law　passed　into　a　decree；
as　it　is　said；　by　the　suffrages　of　all　the　tribes。　And　Pompey；　in
his　absence；　was　made　lord　of　almost　all　that　power　which　Sylla　only
obtained　by　force　of　arms；　after　a　conquest　of　the　very　city　itself。
　　When　Pompey　had　advice　by　letters　of　the　decree；　it　is　said　that
in　the　presence　of　his　friends；　who　came　to　give　him　joy　of　his
honour；　he　seemed　displeased；　frowning　and　smiting　his　thigh；　and
exclaimed　as　ore　over…burdened　and　weary　of　government；　〃Alas；　what
a　series　of　labours　upon　labours！　If　I　am　never　to　end　my　service　as　a
soldier；　nor　to　escape　from　this　invidious　greatness　and　live　at
home　in　the　country　with　my　wife；　I　had　better　have　been　an　unknown
man。〃　But　all　this　was　looked　upon　as　mere　trifling；　neither　indeed
could　the　best　of　his　friends　call　it　anything　else；　well　knowing　that
his　enmity　with　Lucullus；　setting　a　flame　just　now　to　his　natural
passion　for　glory　and　empire；　made　him　feel　more　than　usually
gratified。
　　As　indeed　appeared　not　long　afterwards　by　his　actions；　which　clearly
unmasked　him；　for；　in　the　first　place；　he　sent　out　his　proclamations
into　all　quarters；　commanding　the　soldiers　to　join　him；　and　summoned
all　the　tributary　kings　and　princes　within　his　charge；　and　in　short；
as　soon　as　he　had　entered　upon　his　province；　he　left　nothing　unaltered
that　had　been　done　and　established　by　Lucullus。　To　some　he　remitted
their　penalties；　and　deprived　others　of　their　rewards；　and　acted　in
all　respects　as　if　with　the　express　design　that　the　admirers　of
Lucullus　might　know　that　all　his　authority　was　at　an　end。
　　Lucullus　expostulated　by　friends；　and　it　was　thought　fitting　that
there　should　be　a　meeting　betwixt　them；　and　accordingly　they　met　in
the　country　of　Galatia。　As　they　were　both　great　and　successful
generals；　their　officers　bore　their　rods　before　them　all　wreathed　with
branches　of　laurel；　Lucullus　came　through　a　country　full　of　green
trees　and　shady　woods；　but　Pompey's　march　was　through　a　cold　and
barren　district。　Therefore　the　lictors　of　Lucullus；　perceiving　that
Pompey's　laurels　were　withered　and　dry；　helped　him　to　some　of　their
own；　and　adorned　and　crowned　his　rods　with　fresh　laurels。　This　was
thought　ominous；　and　looked　as　if　Pompey　came　to　take　away　the
reward　and　honour　of　Lucullus's　victories。　Lucullus　had　the　priority
in　the　order　of　consulships；　and　also　in　age；　but　Pompey's　two
triumphs　made　him　the　greater　man。　Their　first　addresses　in　this
interview　were　dignified　and　friendly；　each　magnifying　the　other's
actions；　and　offering　congratulations　upon　his　success。　But　when
they　came　to　the　matter　of　their　conference　or　treaty；　they　could
agree　on　no　fair　or　equitable　terms　of　any　kind；　but　even　came　to
harsh　words　against　each　other；　Pompey　upbraiding　Lucullus　with
avarice；　and　Lucullus　retorting　ambition　upon　Pompey；　so　that　their
friends　could　hardly　part　them。　Lucullus　remaining　in　Galatia；　made
a　distribution　of　the　lands　within　his　conquests；　and　gave　presents　to
whom　he　pleased；　and　Pompey　encamping　not　far　distant　from　him；　sent
out　his　prohibitions；　forbidding　the　execution　of　any　of　the　orders　of
Lucullus；　and　commanded　away　all　his　soldiers；　except　sixteen　hundred；
whom　he　thought　likely　to　be　unserviceable　to　himself；　being
disorderly　and　mutinous；　and　whom　he　knew　to　be　hostile　to　Lucullus；
and　to　these　acts　he　added　satirical　speeches；　detracting　openly
from　the　glory　of　his　actions；　and　giving　out　that　the　battles　of
Lucullus　had　been　but　with　the　mere　stage…shows　and　idle　pictures　of
royal　pomp；　whereas　the　real　war　against　a　genuine　army；　disciplined
by　defeat；　was　reserved　to　him；　Mithridates　having　now　begun　to　be
in　earnest；　and　having　betaken　himself　to　his　shields；　swords；　and
horses。　Lucullus；　on　the　other　side；　to　be　even　with　him；　replied；
that　Pompey　came　to　fight　with　the　mere　image　and　shadow　of　war；　it
being　his　usual　practice；　like　a　lazy　bird　of　prey；　to　come　upon　the
carcass　when　others　had　slain　the　dead；　and　to　tear　in　pieces　the
relics　of　a　war。
　　Thus　he　had　appropriated　to　himself　the　victories　over　Sertorius；
over　Lepidus；　and　over　the　insurgents　under　Spartacus；　whereas　this
last　had　been　achieved　by　Crassus；　that　obtained　by　Catulus；　and　the
first　won　by　Metellus。　And　therefore　it　was　no　great　wonder　that　the
glory　of　the　Pontic　and　Armenian　war　should　be　usurped　by　a　man　who
had　condescended　to　any　artifices　to　work　himself　into　the　honour　of　a
triumph　over　a　few　runaway　slaves。
　　After　this　Lucullus　went　away；　and　Pompey　having　placed　his　whole
navy　in　guard　upon　the　seas　betwixt　Phoenicia　and　Bosphorus；　himself
marched　against　Mithridates；　who　had　a　phalanx　of　thirty　thousand
foot；　with　two　thousand　horse；　yet　durst　not　bid　him　battle。　He　had
encamped　upon　a　strong　mountain　where　it　would　have　been　hard　to
attack　him；　but　abandoned　it　in　no　long　time　as　destitute　of　water。　No
sooner　was　be　gone　but　Pompey　occupied　it；　and　observing　the　plants
that　were　thriving　there；　together　with　the　hollows　which　he　found
in　several　places；　conjectured　that　such　a　plot　could　not　be　without
springs；　and　therefore　ordered　his　men　to　sink　wells　in　every
corner。　After　which　there　was；　in　a　little　time；　great　plenty　of　water
throughout　all　the　camp；　insomuch　that　he　wondered　how　it　was　possible
for　Mithridates　to　be　ignorant　of　this；　during　all　that　time　of　his
encampment　there。　After　this　Pompey　followed　him　to　his　next　camp；　and
there　drawing　lines　round　about　him；　shut　him　in。　But　he；　after　having
endured　a　siege　of　forty…five　days；　made　his　escape　secretly；　and　fled
away　with　all　the　best　part　of　his　army；　having　first　put　to　death　all
the　sick　and　unserviceable。　Not　long　after　Pompey　overtook　him　again
near　the　banks　of　the　river　Euphrates；　and　encamped　close　by　him；
but　fearing　lest　he　should　pass　over　the　river　and　give　him　the　slip
there　too；　he　drew　up　his　army　to　attack　him　at　midnight。　And　at
that　very　time　Mithridates；　it　is　said；　saw　a　vision　in　his　dream
foreshowing　what　should　come　to　pass。　For　he　seemed　to　be　under　sail
in　the　Euxine　Sea　with　a　prosperous　gale；　and　just　in　view　of
Bosphorus；　discoursing　pleasantly　with　the　ship's　company；　as　one
overjoyed　for　his　past　danger　and　present　security；　when　on　a　sudden
he　found　himself　deserted　of　all；　and　floating　upon　a　broken　plank
of　the　ship　at　the　mercy　of　the　sea。　Whilst　he　was　thus　labouring
under　these　passions　and　phantasms；　his　friends　came　and　awaked　him
with　the　news　of　Pompey's　approach；　who　was　now　indeed　so　near　at　hand
that　the　fight　must　be　for　the　camp　itself；　and　the　commanders
accordingly　drew　up　the　forces　in　battle　array。
　　Pompey　perceiving　how　ready　they　were　and　well　prepared　for
defence　began　to　doubt　with　himself　whether　he　should　put　it　to　the
hazard　of　a　fight　in　the　dark；　judging　it　more　prudent　to　encompass
them　only　at　present；　lest　they　should　fly；　and　to　give　them　battle
with　the　advantage　of　numbers　the　next　day。　But　his　oldest　officers
were　of　another　opinion；　and　by　entreaties　and　encouragements　obtained
permission　that　they　might　charge　them　immediately。　Neither　was　the
night　so　very　dark；　but　that；　though　the　moon　was　going　down；　it　yet
gave　light　enough　to　discern　a　body；　and　indeed　this　was　one
especial　disadvantage　to　the　king's　army。　For　the　Romans　coming　upon
them