pompey-第11章

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　　Caesar　being　thus　elected　consul；　began　at　once　to　make　an
interest　with　the　poor　and　meaner　sort；　by　preferring　and　establishing
laws　for　planting　colonies　and　dividing　lands；　lowering　the　dignity　of
his　office；　and　turning　his　consulship　into　a　sort　of　tribuneship
rather。　And　when　Bibulus；　his　colleague；　opposed　him；　and　Cato　was
prepared　to　second　Bibulus；　and　assist　him　vigorously；　Caesar
brought　Pompey　upon　the　hustings；　and　addressing　him　in　the　sight　of
the　people；　demanded　his　opinion　upon　the　laws　that　were　proposed。
Pompey　gave　his　approbation。　〃Then；〃　said　Caesar；　〃in　case　any　man
should　offer　violence　to　these　laws；　will　you　be　ready　to　give
assistance　to　the　people？〃　〃Yes；〃　replied　Pompey；　〃I　shall　be　ready；
and　against　those　that　threaten　the　sword；　I　will　appear　with　sword
and　buckler。〃　Nothing　ever　was　said　or　done　by　Pompey　up　to　that　day
that　seemed　more　insolent　or　overbearing；　so　that　his　friends
endeavoured　to　apologize　for　it　as　a　word　spoken　inadvertently；　but　by
his　actions　afterwards　it　appeared　plainly　that　he　was　totally　devoted
to　Caesar's　service。　For　on　a　sudden；　contrary　to　all　expectation；
he　married　Julian；　the　daughter　of　Caesar；　who　had　been　affianced
before　and　was　to　be　married　within　a　few　days　to　Caepio。　And　to
appease　Caepio's　wrath；　he　gave　him　his　own　daughter　in　marriage；
who　had　been　espoused　before　to　Faustus；　the　son　of　Sylla。　Caesar
himself　married　Calpurnia；　the　daughter　of　Piso。
　　Upon　this　Pompey；　filling　the　city　with　soldiers；　carried　all　things
by　force　as　he　pleased。　As　Bibulus；　the　consul；　was　going　to　the
forum；　accompanied　by　Lucullus　and　Cato；　they　fell　upon　him　on　a
sudden　and　broke　his　rods；　and　somebody　threw　a　vessel　of　ordure
upon　the　head　of　Bibulus　himself；　and　two　tribunes　of　the　people；
who　escorted　him；　were　desperately　wounded　in　the　fray。　And　thus
having　cleared　the　forum　of　all　their　adversaries；　they　got　their　bill
for　the　division　of　lands　established　and　passed　into　an　act；　and
not　only　so；　but　the　whole　populace；　being　taken　with　this　bait；
became　totally　at　their　devotion；　inquiring　into　nothing　and　without　a
word　giving　their　suffrages　to　whatever　they　propounded。　Thus　they
confirmed　all　those　acts　and　decrees　of　Pompey　which　were　questioned
and　contested　by　Lucullus；　and　to　Caesar　they　granted　the　provinces　of
Gaul；　both　within　and　without　the　Alps；　together　with　Illyricum；　for
five　years；　and　likewise　an　army　of　four　entire　legions；　then　they
created　consuls　for　the　year　ensuing；　Piso；　the　father…in…law　of
Caesar；　and　Gabinius；　the　most　extravagant　of　Pompey's　flatterers。
　　During　all　these　transactions；　Bibulus　kept　close　within　doors；
nor　did　he　appear　publicly　in　person　for　the　space　of　eight　months
together；　notwithstanding　he　was　consul；　but　sent　out　proclamations
full　of　bitter　invectives　and　accusations　against　them　both。　Cato
turned　prophet；　and　as　if　he　had　been　possessed　with　a　spirit　of
divination；　did　nothing　else　in　the　senate　but　foretell　what　evils
should　befall　the　commonwealth　and　Pompey。　Lucullus　pleaded　old　age；
and　retired　to　take　his　ease；　as　superannuated　for　all　airs　of
state；　which　gave　occasion　to　the　saving　of　Pompey；　that　the
fatigues　of　luxury　were　not　more　seasonable　for　an　old　man　than
those　of　government。　Which　in　truth　proved　a　reflection　upon　himself
for　he　not　long　after　let　his　fondness　for　his　young　wife　seduce　him
also　into　effeminate　habits。　He　gave　all　his　time　to　her；　and　passed
his　days　in　her　company　in　country…houses　and　gardens；　paying　no
heed　to　what　was　going　on　in　the　forum。　Insomuch　that　Clodius；　who　was
then　tribune　of　the　people　began　to　despise　him；　and　engage　in　the
most　audacious　attempts。　For　when　he　had　banished　Cicero；　and　sent
away　Cato　into　Cyprus　under　pretence　of　military　duty；　and　when　Caesar
was　gone　upon　his　expedition　to　Gaul；　finding　the　populace　now　looking
to　him　as　the　leader　who　did　everything　according　to　their　pleasure；
he　attempted　forthwith　to　repeal　some　of　Pompey's　decrees；　he　took
Tigranes；　the　captive；　out　of　prison；　and　kept　him　about　him　as　his
companion；　and　commenced　actions　against　several　of　Pompey's
friends；　thus　designing　to　try　the　extent　of　his　power。　At　last；
upon　a　time　when　Pompey　was　present　at　the　hearing　of　a　certain　cause；
Clodius；　accompanied　with　a　crowd　of　profligate　and　impudent　ruffians；
standing　up　in　a　place　above　the　rest；　put　questions　to　the　populace
as　follows：　〃Who　is　the　dissolute　general？　who　is　the　man　that　seeks
another　man？　who　scratches　his　head　with　one　finger？〃　and　the
rabble；　upon　the　signal　of　his　shaking　his　gown；　with　a　great　shout　to
every　question；　like　singers　making　responses　in　a　chorus；　made
answer；　〃Pompey。〃
　　This　indeed　was　no　small　annoyance　to　Pompey；　who　was　quite
unaccustomed　to　hear　anything　ill　of　himself；　and　unexperienced
altogether　in　such　encounters；　and　he　was　yet　more　vexed　when　he　saw
that　the　senate　rejoiced　at　this　foul　usage；　and　regarded　it　as　a　just
punishment　upon　him　for　his　treachery　to　Cicero。　But　when　it　came　even
to　blows　and　wounds　in　the　forum；　and　that　one　of　Clodius's
bond…slaves　was　apprehended　creeping　through　the　crowd　towards
Pompey　with　a　sword　in　his　hand；　Pompey　laid　hold　of　this　pretence；
though　perhaps　otherwise　apprehensive　of　Clodius's　insolence　and　bad
language；　and　never　appeared　again　in　the　forum　during　all　the　time　he
was　tribune；　but　kept　close　at　home；　and　passed　his　time　in　consulting
with　his　friends　by　what　means　he　might　best　allay　the　displeasure
of　the　senate　and　nobles　against　him。　Among　other　expedients；　Culleo
advised　the　divorce　of　Julian；　and　to　abandon　Caesar's　friendship　to
gain　that　of　the　senate；　this　he　would　not　hearken　to。　Others　again
advised　him　to　call　home　Cicero　from　banishment；　a　man　who　was
always　the　great　adversary　of　Clodius；　and　as　great　a　favourite　of　the
senate；　to　this　he　was　easily　persuaded。　And　therefore　he　brought
Cicero's　brother　into　the　forum；　attended　with　a　strong　party；　to
petition　for　his　return；　where；　after　a　warm　dispute；　in　which　several
were　wounded　and　some　slain；　he　got　the　victory　over　Clodius。
　　No　sooner　was　Cicero　returned　home　upon　this　decree；　but　immediately
he　used　his　efforts　to　reconcile　the　senate　to　Pompey；　and　by　speaking
in　favour　of　the　law　upon　the　importations　of　corn；　did　again；　in
effect；　make　Pompey　sovereign　lord　of　all　the　Roman　possessions　by　sea
and　land。　For　by　that　law　there　were　placed　under　his　control　all
ports；　markets；　and　storehouses；　and；　in　short；　all　the　concerns
both　of　the　merchants　and　the　husbandmen；　which　gave　occasion　to　the
charge　brought　against　it　by　Clodius；　what　the　law　was　not　made
because　of　the　scarcity　of　corn；　but　the　scarcity　of　corn　was　made
that　they　might　pass　a　law；　whereby　that　power　of　his；　which　was　now
grown　feeble　and　consumptive；　might　be　revived　again；　and　Pompey
reinstated　in　a　new　empire。　Others　look　upon　it　as　a　politic　device　of
Spinther；　the　consul；　whose　design　it　was　to　secure　Pompey　in　a
greater　authority；　that　he　himself　might　be　sent　in　assistance　to　King
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　b