pompey-第14节

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Ptolemy。　However；　it　is　certain　that　Canidius；　the　tribune；
preferred　a　law　to　despatch　Pompey　in　the　character　of　an
ambassador；　without　an　army；　attended　only　with　two　lictors；　as　a
mediator　betwixt　the　king　and　his　subjects　of　Alexandria。
　　Neither　did　this　proposal　seem　unacceptable　to　Pompey；　though　the
senate　cast　it　out　upon　the　specious　pretence　that　they　were　unwilling
to　hazard　his　person。　However；　there　were　found　several　writings
scattered　about　the　forum　and　near　the　senate…house　intimating　how
grateful　it　would　be　to　Ptolemy　to　have　Pompey　appointed　for　his
general　instead　of　Spinther。　And　Timagenes　even　asserts　that　Ptolemy
went　away　and　left　Egypt；　not　out　of　necessity；　but　purely　upon　the
persuasion　of　Theophanes；　who　was　anxious　to　give　Pompey　the
opportunity　for　holding　a　new　command　and　gaining　further　wealth。
But　Theophanes's　want　of　honesty　does　not　go　so　far　to　make　this　story
credible　as　does　Pompey's　own　nature；　which　was　averse；　with　all　its
ambition；　to　such　base　and　disingenuous　acts；　to　render　it　improbable。
　　Thus　Pompey；　being　appointed　chief　purveyor；　and　having　within　his
administration　and　management　all　the　corn　trade；　sent　abroad　his
factors　and　agents　into　all　quarters；　and　he　himself　sailing　into
Sicily；　Sardinia；　and　Africa；　collected　vast　stores　of　corn。　He　was
just　ready　to　set　sail　upon　his　voyage　home；　when　a　great　storm
arose　upon　the　sea；　and　the　ships'　commanders　doubted　whether　it
were　safe。　Upon　which　Pompey　himself　went　first　aboard；　and　bid　the
mariners　weigh　anchor；　declaring　with　a　loud　voice　that　there　was　a
necessity　to　sail；　but　no　necessity　to　live。　So　that　with　this
spirit　and　courage；　and　having　met　with　favourable　fortune；　he　made
a　prosperous　return；　and　filled　the　markets　with　corn；　and　the　sea
with　ships。　So　much　so　that　this　great　plenty　and　abundance　of
provisions　yielded　a　sufficient　supply；　not　only　to　the　city　of
Rome；　but　even　to　other　places　too；　dispersing　itself；　like　waters
from　a　spring；　into　all　quarters。
　　Meantime　Caesar　grew　great　and　famous　with　his　wars　in　Gaul；　and
while　in　appearance　he　seemed　far　distant　from　Rome；　entangled　in
the　affairs　of　the　Belgians；　Suevians；　and　Britons；　in　truth　he　was
working　craftily　by　secret　practices　in　the　midst　of　the　people；　and
countermining　Pompey　in　all　political　matters　of　most　importance。　He
himself；　with　his　army　close　about　him；　as　if　it　had　been　his　own
body；　not　with　mere　views　of　conquest　over　the　barbarians；　but　as
though　his　contests　with　them　were　but　mere　sports　and　exercises　of
the　chase；　did　his　utmost　with　this　training　and　discipline　to　make　it
invincible　and　alarming。　In　the　meantime　his　gold　and　silver　and　other
spoils　and　treasure　which　he　took　from　the　enemy　in　his　conquests；
he　sent　to　Rome　in　presents；　tempting　people　with　his　gifts；　and
aiding　aediles；　praetors；　and　consuls；　as　also　their　wives；　in　their
expenses；　and　thus　purchasing　himself　numerous　friends。　Insomuch；　that
when　he　passed　back　again　over　the　Alps；　and　took　up　his　winter
quarters　in　the　city　of　Luca；　there　flocked　to　him　an　infinite
number　of　men　and　women；　striving　who　should　get　first　to　him；　two
hundred　senators　included；　among　whom　were　Pompey　and　Crassus；　so　that
there　were　to　be　seen　at　once　before　Caesar's　door　no　less　than　six
score　rods　of　proconsuls　and　praetors。　The　rest　of　his　addressers　he
sent　all　away　full　fraught　with　hopes　and　money；　but　with　Crassus
and　Pompey　he　entered　into　special　articles　of　agreement；　that　they
should　stand　candidates　for　the　consulship　next　year；　that　Caesar　on
his　part　should　send　a　number　of　his　soldiers　to　give　their　votes　at
the　election；　that　as　soon　as　they　were　elected；　they　should　use　their
interest　to　have　the　command　of　some　provinces　and　legions　assigned　to
themselves；　and　that　Caesar　should　have　his　present　charge　confirmed
to　him　for　five　years　more。　When　these　arrangements　came　to　be
generally　known；　great　indignation　was　excited　among　the　chief　men
in　Rome；　and　Marcellinus；　in　an　open　assembly　of　the　people；
demanded　of　them　both；　whether　they　designed　to　sue　for　the　consulship
or　no。　And　being　urged　by　the　people　for　their　answer；　Pompey　spoke
first；　and　told　them；　perhaps　he　would　sue　for　it；　perhaps　he　would
not。　Crassus　was　more　temperate；　and　said；　that　he　would　do　what
should　be　judged　most　agreeable　with　the　interest　of　the　commonwealth；
and　when　Marcellinus　persisted　in　his　attack　on　Pompey；　and　spoke；
as　it　was　thought；　with　some　vehemence；　Pompey　remarked　that
Marcellinus　was　certainly　the　unfairest　of　men；　to　show　him　no
gratitude　for　having　thus　made　him　an　orator　out　of　a　mute；　and
converted　him　from　a　hungry　starveling　into　a　man　so　full…fed　that
he　could　not　contain　himself。
　　Most　of　the　candidates　nevertheless　abandoned　their　canvass　for
the　consulship；　Cato　alone　persuaded　and　encouraged　Lucius　Domitius
not　to　desist；　〃since；〃　said　he；　〃the　contest　now　is　not　for　office；
but　for　liberty　against　tyrants　and　usurpers。〃　Therefore　those　of
Pompey's　party；　fearing　this　inflexible　constancy　in　Cato；　by　which　he
kept　with　him　the　whole　senate；　lest　by　this　he　should　likewise
pervert　and　draw　after　him　all　the　well…affected　part　of　the
commonalty；　resolved　to　withstand　Domitius　at　once；　and　to　prevent　his
entrance　into　the　forum。　To　this　end；　therefore；　they　sent　in　a　band
of　armed　men；　who　slew　the　torchbearer　of　Domitius；　as　he　was
leading　the　way　before　him；　and　put　all　the　rest　to　flight；　last　of
all；　Cato　himself　retired；　having　received　a　wound　in　his　right　arm
while　defending　Domitius。　Thus　by　these　means　and　practices　they
obtained　the　consulship；　neither　did　they　behave　themselves　with
more　decency　in　their　further　proceedings；　but　in　the　first　place；
when　the　people　were　choosing　Cato　praetor；　and　just　ready　with
their　votes　for　the　poll；　Pompey　broke　up　the　assembly；　upon　a　pretext
of　some　inauspicious　appearance；　and　having　gained　the　tribes　by
money；　they　publicly　proclaimed　Vatinius　praetor。　Then；　in　pursuance
of　their　covenants　with　Caesar；　they　introduced　several　laws　by
Trebonius；　the　tribune；　continuing　Caesar's　commission　to　another　five
years'　charge　of　his　province；　to　Crassus　there　were　appointed　Syria
and　the　Parthian　war；　and　to　Pompey　himself；　all　Africa；　together　with
both　Spains；　and　four　legions　of　soldiers；　two　of　which　he　lent　to
Caesar　upon　his　request　for　the　wars　in　Gaul。
　　Crassus；　upon　the　expiration　of　his　consulship；　departed　forthwith
into　his　province；　but　Pompey　spent　some　time　in　Rome；　upon　the
opening　or　dedication　of　his　theatre；　where　he　treated　the　people　with
all　sorts　of　games；　shows；　and　exercises；　in　gymnastics　alike　and　in
music。　There　was　likewise　the　hunting　or　baiting　of　wild　beasts；　and
combats　with　them；　in　which　five　hundred　lions　were　slain；　but　above
all；　the　battle　of　elephants　was　a　spectacle　full　of　horror　and
amazement。
　　These　entertainments　brought　him　great　honour　and　popularity；　but　on
the　other　side　he　created　no　less　envy　to　himself；　in　that　he
committed　the　government　of　his　provinces　and　legions　into　the　hands
of　friends　as　his　lieutenants；　whilst　he　himself　was　going　about　and
spending　his　time　with　his　wife　in　all　the　places　of　amusement　in
Italy；　whether　it　were　he　was　so　fond　of　her　himself；　or　she　so　fond
of　him；　and　he　unable　to　distress　her　by　going　away；　for　this　also
is　stated。　And　the　love　displayed　by　this　young　wife　for　her　elderly
husband　was　a　matter　of　general　note；　to　be　attributed；　it　would　seem；
to　his　constancy　in　married　life；　and　to　his　dignity　of　manner；
which　in　familiar　intercourse　was　tempered　with　grace　and
gentleness；　and　was　particularly　attractive　to　women；　as　even　Flora；
the　courtesan；　may　be　thought　good　enough　evidence　to　prove。
　　It　once　happened　in　a　public　assembly；　as　they　were　at　an　election
of　the　aediles；　that　the　people　came　to　blows；　and　several　about
Pompey　were　slain；　so　that　he；　finding　himself　all　bloody；　ordered　a
change　of　apparel；　but　the　servants　who　brought　home　his　clothes；
making　a　great　bustle　and　hurry　about　the　house；　it　chanced　that　the
young　lady；　who　was　then　with　child；　saw　his　gown　all　stained　with
blood；　upon　which　she　dropped　immediately　into　a　swoon；　and　was　hardly
brought　to　life　again；　however；　what　with　her　fright　and　suffering；
she　fell　into　labour　and　miscarried；　even　those　who　chiefly　censured
Pompey　for　his　friendship　to　Caesar　could　not　reprove　him　for　his
affection　to　so　attached　a　wife。　Afterwards　she　was　great　again；　and
brought　to　bed　of　a　daughter；　but　died　in　childbed；　neither　did　the
infant　outlive　her　mother　many　days。　Pompey　had　prepared　all　things
for　the　interment　of　her　corpse　at　his　house　near　Alba；　but　the　people
seized　upon　it　by　force；　and　performed　the　solemnities　in　the　field　of
Mars；　rather　in　compassion　for　the　young　lady；　than　in　favour　either
for　Pompey　or　Caesar；　and　yet　of　these　two；　the　people　seemed　at
that　time　to　pay　Caesar　a　greater　share　of　honour　in　his　absence；　than
to　Pompey；　though　he　was　present。
　　For　the　city　now　at　once　began　to　roll　and　swell；　so　to　say；　with
the　stir　of　the　coming　storm。　Things　everywhere　were　in　a　state　of
agitation；　and　everybody's　disco