Decline of the Roman Republic

Livy, Epit. 112; Caesar, B. C. iii. 102, &c.; Dion Cassius, 42, c. 1—5;
Appian, B. C. ii. 83, &c.; Plutarch, Pompeius, c, 80.

Caesar pursues Pompeius-King Deiotarus and others accompany
Pompeius in his flight, who passes the mouth of the Strymon and
arrives at Lesbos-Pompeius is joined there by his wife Cornelia and his
younger son-His talk on Providence with Cratippus-Pompeius passes
Attaleia and Syedrae and arrives at Cyprus-He resolves to go to Pto-
lemaeus, the young king of Egypt, and reaches Pelusium-The state of
affairs in Egypt-The message of Pompeius to Ptolemaeus, who returns a
favourable answer, but is persuaded by his advisers to kill Pompeius—
Pompeius leaves his ship and enters a fishing-boat brought by Achillas,
commander of the Egyptian forces-Pompeius is murdered in the boat,

his head cut off, and the body thrown naked ashore-Cornelia escapes in
the ship-The body of Pompeius is buried by his freedman Philippus
-The death of L. Lentulus-The cenotaph of Pompeius near Mount
Casius

PAGE

222

CHAPTER XIX.

GENERAL STATE OF AFFAIRS.

B.C. 48.

Livy, Epit. 112; Caesar, B. C. iii. 100, &c.; Dion Cassius, 42, c. 6, &c.,
c. 38; Bellum Alexandrinum, c. 42, &c.; Plutarch, Caesar, c. 49;
Cicero's Letters.

D. Laelius with his fleet before Brundisium-C. Cassius Longinus with
his fleet arrives in Sicily and burns Caesar's ships at Messana-He also
burns some of Caesar's ships at Vibo, but he is driven off by the sick
veterans who had been left at Vibo-Fufius Calenus takes Piraeus, the
port of Athens, and Athens also submits: he also takes Megara and Patrae
-After the battle of Pharsalia M. Octavius retires to Illyricum with
a large fleet--Q. Cornificius, Caesar's legatus in Illyricum, summons
Gabinius to help him-The unsuccessful campaign of Gabinius and his
sudden death-Q. Cassius Longinus left as propraetor of Further Spain
by Caesar-The bad administration of Cassius-Affairs at Rome during
the contest between Caesar and Pompeius-The news of Pompeius'
death confirmed-After the battle of Pharsalia Caesar sends M. Antonius
to Rome to look after affairs there, and Cicero returns to Italy- Cicero's
account of the behaviour of M. Antonius-The extraordinary honours
conferred on Caesar by the Romans-He assumes the dictatorship in
Egypt in September, B.C. 48—Caesar resumes his narrative of the Civil
War with his arrival in Asia-As he is crossing the Hellespont in small
boats, he falls in with C. Cassius and his fleet, who surrender to Caesar-
Caesar saves a second time the treasure in the temple of Diana at Ephesus
-Wonderful signs before the battle of Pharsalia-Caesar's behaviour
in the province Asia-He leaves Cn. Domitius to administer Asia, and
sails for Egypt with a small force-Before he lands at Alexandria the
embalmed head of Pompeius and the seal ring are brought to him—
Caesar and the Roman fasces are not well received at Alexandria—
Caesar orders other troops to be brought to him from Asia-Caesar
informs king Ptolemaeus and his sister Cleopatra that they must disband
their armies, and he would settle their disputes-The eunuch Pothinus
had the general administration of Egypt: he gives Achillas the com-
mand of the Egyptian forces-Achillas with his troops advances on
Alexandria from Pelusium-Cleopatra introduces herself into the palace
at Alexandria, where Caesar had his quarters, and captivates him-The

force under Achillas and the old soldiers of Gabinius-Achillas is in pos-

session of all Alexandria except the part occupied by Caesar and his sol-

diers-Caesar burns the ships in the port, and the fire reaches and

destroys the great library-The island Pharos and the tower-Caesar

seizes Pharos-Arsinoe, the younger sister of Cleopatra, escapes from the

palace to Achillas-Pothinus is put to death by Caesar-Here ends the

third and last book of the Civil War.

CHAPTER XX.

THE ALEXANDRINE WAR.

B.C. 48, 47.

Livy, Epit. 112; Bellum Alexandrinum, c. 1, &c.; Dion Cassius, 42, c. 34,

&c.; Appian, B. C. ii. c. 90; Suetonius, Caesar, c. 56; Cicero's

Letters; Caesar, B. C. iii. 112; Strabo, p. 791; Diodorus, xvii. c. 52;

Plinius, N. H. 5, c. 10; Plutarch, Caesar, c. 49; Josephus, Antiq.

xiv. 8.

The author of the history of the Alexandrine War-Description of
Alexandria-Caesar's preparation for defending himself in Alexandria—
The activity of the citizens in providing for the defence of their city-
Quarrel between Arsinoe and Achillas, who is murdered by the eunuch
Ganymedes-Arsinoe transfers the command of the army to Ganymedes-
Ganymedes attempts to deprive the Romans of water, but Caesar digs
wells on the shore-A legion, which was sent by Domitius Calvinus,
reaches the African shore west of Alexandria-Caesar goes with the
fleet to a place named Chersonesus to get water: he is attacked by the
enemy's ships and gains a victory-Ganymedes encourages the Egyptians
to repair their old vessels-A new fleet is equipped, and a naval battle
is fought between Caesar and the Egyptians: Caesar is victorious-The
skill and courage of the Rhodian captain Euphranor--Caesar makes
himself master of the island Pharos and of the causeway which con-
nects it with Alexandria-Caesar again attacks the enemy at the cause-
way bridge, which was nearer to Alexandria, and is defeated-Caesar saves
himself by swimming from a sinking vessel-The Alexandrines send com-
missioners to Caesar, and urge him to release the king-Caesar's reasons
for releasing the king, who begins to prosecute the war vigorously against
Caesar-The Alexandrines place light vessels at the Canopic mouth of the
Nile to intercept Caesar's expected supplies-The naval fight at Canopus,
and the death of the brave Rhodian Euphranor-Mithridates of Per-
gamum comes to the relief of Caesar-Mithridates takes Pelusium and
advances towards Alexandria-The king sends a large force to meet
Mithridates, who defends himself in a fortified camp-The king advances
against Mithridates, and Caesar sets out to join him-Caesar unites his
forces with Mithridates-The position of the king's camp, and Caesar's

attack on it-The king's army is routed, and he takes refuge in one of his

vessels on the Nile, which sinks from being overcrowded, and the king is

drowned-Caesar returns to Alexandria, which surrenders to him-He

establishes Cleopatra and the younger brother of Ptolemaeus in the

kingdom-He leaves three legions in Egypt to maintain the royal au-

thority-Caesar rewards the Jews for their services to him during the

war-Dion states that the young king becomes Cleopatra's husband—

Report that Cleopatra was with child by Caesar-Appian says that Caesar

was nine months in Egypt-Caesar sails up the Nile with the queen to

see the country-Date of the surrender of Alexandria-Caesar apparently

detained after the surrender about three months in Egypt by the charms

Livy, Epit. 112; Bellum Alexandrinum, cc. 34, &c.; Appian, B. C.

ii. 91.

Deiotarus complains to Cn. Domitius of the attacks of Pharnaces on the

Less Armenia and on Cappadocia, the kingdom of Ariobarzanes-Domitius

marches against Pharnaces, and arrives at the Pontic Comana-He

advances eastward into Armenia, and approaches Nicopolis-Domitius is

defeated by Pharnaces, and retreats to the province Asia-The cruelty

of Pharnaces-Affairs in Illyricum-Vatinius is summoned from Brun-

disium to the aid of Cornificius in Illyricum-He prepares a fleet and

crosses the Hadriatic to Illyricum-Vatinius fights a naval battle near

Tauris with M. Octavius, and defeats him-Vatinius returns to Brun-

disium with his victorious fleet-Contrast between Vatinius and Cicero,

who had once abused Vatinius unmercifully-Affairs in Further Spain

under Q. Cassius, Caesar's governor- Caesar's orders before the battle of

Pharsalia to Cassius to take his army into Numidia--Attempt to assas-

sinate Cassius at Corduba-Cassius escapes death and punishes the con-

spirators-He receives news from Caesar of the result of the battle of

Pharsalia-He extorts money from the provincials, and pretends that

he is going to conduct a force into Africa-Corduba revolts, and M.

Marcellus joins the townsmen-M. Marcellus is chosen their commander

by some of the insurgents-Cassius writes to Bogud, king of Mauritania,

and to M. Lepidus, proconsul of Hispania Citerior, to come to his aid-

Marcellus avoids a battle with Cassius, who retires to Ulia, and is shut

up by Marcellus-King Bogud arrives, and Lepidus also-Marcellus sub-

mits to Lepidus, who acts in concert with Marcellus-Cassius asks for

permission to retire, which is granted-C. Trebonius arrives to take the

government of the Further province-Cassius packs up his property and

retires to Malaga, where he sets sail in bad weather-Cassius reaches

the mouth of the Ebro, where his ship founders, and Cassius perishes

with all his treasures-Lepidus has a triumph in B. C. 47 for his ser-

vices in putting an end to the civil war in Spain

Livy, Epit. 113; Bellum Alexandrinum, c. 33, 65, &c.; Dion Cassius,

42, c. 45, &c.; Appian, Mithridat. c. 120.

Caesar sails from Egypt to Seleucia Pieria-He visits Antioch, and
settles the affairs of Syria-He rewards Antipater the Idumaean for
his services in the Alexandrine war, and confirms Hyrcanus in the Jewish
priesthood-Caesar sails to Tarsus, whence he marches over the Taurus to
Mazaca―The position of Mazaca, now Kaisariyeh—The Pylae Ciliciae—
Remarks on the statement that Caesar went from Mazaca to Comana of
Cappodocia-Caesar approaches the borders of Pontus and Galatia, where
he is met by Deiotarus in the guise of a criminal and a suppliant-Caesar
pardons Deiotarus and requires the aid of his troops-Caesar's forces: he
enters Pontus and receives a submissive message from Pharnaces-
Caesar's answer and demands-He discovers the tricks of Pharnaces,
who occupies a hill near Zela--Caesar takes possession of the spot where
Mithridates had defeated the Roman Triarius-Pharnaces rashly attacks
Caesar, and is defeated on the 2nd of August-The king escapes with
some horsemen to Sinope, and thence sails to the Bosporus, where he
loses his life-Mithridatus of Pergamum is rewarded by Caesar, but loses
his life in attempting to gain the kingdom of Bosporus-Caesar gives the
Less Armenia to Ariobarzanes-Amisus made a free city-Caesar leaves
a force in Pontus, and advances through Galatia and Bithynia to the
province Asia-Caesar's gifts to Ilion-Dion's statement of the money
which Caesar carried home-Caesar passes through Greece to Italy.. 290

CHAPTER XXIII.

CAESAR IN ROME.

B.C. 47.

Livy, Epit. 113; Dion Cassius, 42, cc. 21, &c., 49, &c.; Appian, B. C.,
ii. 92, &c.; Cicero's Letters; Suetonius, Caesar, c. 38.

Cicero receives at Brundisium what he calls a satisfactory letter from
Caesar-Dolabella, a tribune of the Plebs, and Cicero's son-in-law, in

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Decline of the Roman Republic, Volume 5