The Best of the Bureau/The_Best_of_the_Bureau_Bureau_Development_Inc._1992.iso/dp/0095/00956.txt

Text File | 1992-08-07 | 40KB | 594 lines

$Unique_ID{bob00956}
$Pretitle{}
$Title{Plutarch's Lives
Part III}
$Subtitle{}
$Author{Plutarch}
$Affiliation{}
$Subject{caesar
himself
upon
pompey
army
caesar's
enemy
battle
time
now
see
pictures
see
figures
}
$Date{c75}
$Log{See Cleopatra*0095601.scf
}
Title:       Plutarch's Lives
Book:        Caesar
Author:      Plutarch
Date:        c75
Translation: Dryden, Arthur Hugh Clough

Part III

     As soon as Ariminum was taken, wide gates, so to say, were thrown open,
to let in war upon every land alike and sea, and with the limits of the
province, the boundaries of the laws were transgressed. Nor would one have
thought that, as at other times, the mere men and women fled from one town of
Italy to another in their consternation, but that the very towns themselves
left their sites, and fled for succor to each other. The city of Rome was
overrun as it were with a deluge, by the conflux of people flying in from all
the neighboring place. Magistrates could no longer govern, nor the eloquence
of any orator quiet it; it was all but suffering shipwreck by the violence of
its own tempestuous agitation. The most vehement contrary passions and
impulses were at work every where. Nor did those who rejoiced at the prospect
of the change altogether conceal their feelings, but when they met, as in so
great a city they frequently must, with the alarmed and dejected of the other
party, they provoked quarrels by their bold expressions of confidence in the
event. Pompey, sufficiently disturbed of himself, was yet more perplexed by
the clamors of others; some telling him that he justly suffered for having
armed Caesar against himself and the government; others blaming him for
permitting Caesar to be insolently used by Lentulus, when he made such ample
concessions, and offered such reasonable proposals towards an accommodation.
Favonius bade him now stamp upon the ground; for once talking big in the
senate, he desired them not to trouble themselves about making any
preparations for the war, for that he himself, with one stamp of his foot,
would fill all Italy with soldiers. Yet still Pompey at that time had more
forces than Caesar; but he was not permitted to pursue his own thoughts, but
being continually disturbed with false reports and alarms, as if the enemy was
close upon him and carrying all before him, he gave way, and let himself be
borne down by the general cry. He put forth an edict declaring the city to be
in a state of anarchy, and left it with orders that the senate should follow
him, and that no one should stay behind who did not prefer tyranny to their
country and liberty.

     The consuls at once fled, without making even the usual sacrifices; so
did most of the senators, carrying off their own goods in as much haste as if
they had been robbing their neighbors. Some, who had formerly much favored
Caesar's cause, in the prevailing alarm, quitted their own sentiments, and
without any prospect of good to themselves, were carried along by the common
stream. It was a melancholy thing to see the city tossed in these tumults,
like a ship given up by her pilots, and left to run, as chance guides her,
upon any rock in her way. Yet, in spite of their sad condition, people still
esteemed the place of their exile to be their country for Pompey's sake, and
fled from Rome, as if it had been Caesar's camp. Labienus even, who had been
one of Caesar's nearest friends, and his lieutenant, and who had fought by him
zealously in the Gallic wars, now deserted him, and went over to Pompey.
Caesar sent all his money and equipage after him, and then sat down before
Corfinium, which was garrisoned with thirty cohorts under the command of
Domitius. He, in despair of maintaining the defence, requested a physician,
whom he had among his attendants, to give him poison; and taking the dose,
drank it, in hopes of being dispatched by it. But soon after, when he was told
that Caesar showed the utmost clemency towards those he took prisoners, he
lamented his misfortune, and blamed the hastiness of his resolution. His
physician consoled him, by informing him that he had taken a sleeping draught,
not a poison; upon which, much rejoiced, and rising from his bed, he went
presently to Caesar, and gave him the pledge of his hand, yet afterwards again
went over to Pompey. The report of these actions at Rome, quieted those who
were there, and some who had fled thence returned. Caesar took into his army
Domitius' soldiers, as he did all those whom he found in any town enlisted for
Pompey's service. Being now strong and formidable enough, he advanced against
Pompey himself, who did not stay to receive him, but fled to Brundisium,
having sent the consuls before with a body of troops of Dyrrhachium. Soon
after, upon Caesar's approach, he set to sea, as shall be more particularly
related in his Life. Caesar would have immediately pursued him, but wanted
shipping, and therefore went back to Rome, having made himself master of all
Italy without bloodshed in the space of sixty days. When he came thither, he
found the city more quiet than he expected, and many senators present, to whom
he addressed himself with courtesy and deference, desiring them to send to
Pompey about any reasonable accommodations towards a peace. But nobody
complied with this proposal; whether out of fear of Pompey, whom they had
deserted, or that they thought Caesar did not mean what he said, but thought
it his interest to talk plausibly. Afterwards, when Metellus, the tribune,
would have hindered him from taking money out of the public treasure, and
adduced some laws against it, Caesar replied, that arms and laws had each
their own time; "If what I do displeases you, leave the place; war allows no
free talking. When I have laid down my arms, and made peace, come back and
make what speeches you please. And this," he added, "I will tell you in
diminution of my own just right, as indeed you and all others who have
appeared against me and are now in my power, may be treated as I please."
Having said this to Metellus, he went to the doors of the treasury, and the
keys being not to be found, sent for smiths to force them open. Metellus again
making resistance, and some encouraging him in it, Caesar, in a louder tone,
told him he would put him to death, if he gave him any further disturbance.
"And this," said he, "you know, young man, is more disagreeable for me to say,
than to do." These words made Metellus withdraw for fear, and obtained speedy
execution henceforth for all orders that Caesar gave for procuring necessaries
for the war.

     He was now proceeding to Spain, with the determination of first crushing
Afranius and Varro, Pompey's lieutenants, and making himself master of the
armies and provinces under them, that he might then more securely advance
against Pompey, when he had no enemy left behind him. In this expedition his
person was often in danger from ambuscades, and his army by want of
provisions, yet he did not desist from pursuing the enemy, provoking them to
fight, and hemming them with his fortifications, till by main force he made
himself master of their camps and their forces. Only the generals got off, and
fled to Pompey.

     When Caesar came back to Rome, Piso, his father-in-law, advised him to
send men to Pompey, to treat of a peace; but Isauricus, to ingratiate himself
with Caesar, spoke against it. After this, being created dictator by the
senate, he called home the exiles, and gave back their rights as citizens to
the children of those who had suffered under Sylla; he relieved the debtors by
an act remitting some part of the interest on their debts, and passed some
other measures of the same sort, but not many. For within eleven days he
resigned his dictatorship, and having declared himself consul, with Servilius
Isauricus, hastened again to the war. He marched so fast, that he left all his
army behind him, except six hundred chosen horse, and five legions, with which
he put to sea in the very middle of winter, about the beginning of the month
January, (which