pompey-第12章

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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　discourse　tended　to　division；　now　that
death　had　put　an　end　to　that　relation　which　hitherto　had　been　a
disguise　rather　than　restraint　to　the　ambition　of　these　men。
Besides；　not　long　after　came　messengers　from　Parthia　with　intelligence
of　the　death　of　Crassus　there；　by　which　another　safeguard　against
civil　war　was　removed；　since　both　Caesar　and　Pompey　kept　their　eyes　on
Crassus；　and　awe　of　him　held　them　together　more　or　less　within　the
bounds　of　fair…dealing　all　his　lifetime。　But　when　fortune　had　taken
away　this　second；　whose　province　it　might　have　been　to　revenge　the
quarrel　of　the　conquered；　you　might　then　say　with　the　comic　poet…

　　　　　　　　　〃The　combatants　are　waiting　to　begin；
　　　　　　　　　　Smearing　their　hands　with　dust　and　oiling　each　his　skin。〃

So　inconsiderable　a　thing　is　fortune　in　respect　of　human　nature；　and
so　insufficient　to　give　content　to　a　covetous　mind；　that　an　empire
of　that　mighty　extent　and　sway　could　not　satisfy　the　ambition　of　two
men；　and　though　they　knew　and　had　read；　that…

　　　　　　　　　〃The　gods；　when　they　divided　out　'twixt　three；
　　　　　　　　　　This　massive　universe；　heaven；　hell；　and　sea；
　　　　　　　　　　Each　one　sat　down　contented　on　his　throne；
　　　　　　　　　　And　undisturbed　each　god　enjoys　his　own；〃

yet　they　thought　the　whole　Roman　empire　not　sufficient　to　contain
them；　though　they　were　but　two。
　　Pompey　once　in　an　oration　to　the　people　told　them　that　he　had　always
come　into　office　before　he　expected　he　should；　and　that　he　had
always　left　it　sooner　than　they　expected　he　would；　and；　indeed；　the
disbanding　of　all　his　armies　witnessed　as　much。　Yet　when　he
perceived　that　Caesar　would　not　so　willingly　discharge　his　forces；
he　endeavoured　to　strengthen　himself　against　him　by　offices　and
commands　in　the　city；　but　beyond　this　he　showed　no　desire　for　any
change；　and　would　not　seem　to　distrust；　but　rather　to　disregard　and
contemn　him。　And　when　he　saw　how　they　bestowed　the　places　of
government　quite　contrary　to　his　wishes；　because　the　citizens　were
bribed　in　their　elections；　he　let　things　take　their　course；　and
allowed　the　city　to　be　left　without　any　government　at　all。　Hereupon
there　was　mention　straightway　made　of　appointing　a　dictator。　Lucullus；
a　tribune　of　the　people；　was　the　man　who　first　adventured　to　propose
it；　urging　the　people　to　make　Pompey　dictator。　But　the　tribune　was
in　danger　of　being　turned　out　of　his　office　by　the　opposition　that
Cato　made　against　it。　And　for　Pompey；　many　of　his　friends　appeared　and
excused　him；　alleging　that　he　never　was　desirous　of　that　government；
neither　would　he　accept　of　it。　When　Cato　therefore　made　a　speech　in
commendation　of　Pompey　and　exhorted　him　to　support　the　cause　of　good
order　in　the　commonwealth；　he　could　not　for　shame　but　yield　to　it；　and
so　for　the　present　Domitius　and　Messala　were　elected　consuls。　But
shortly　afterwards；　when　there　was　another　anarchy；　or　vacancy　in
the　government；　and　the　talk　of　a　dictator　was　much　louder　and　more
general　than　before；　those　of　Cato's　party；　fearing　lest　they　should
be　forced　to　appoint　Pompey；　thought　it　policy　to　keep　him　from　that
arbitrary　and　tyrannical　power　by　giving　him　an　office　of　more　legal
authority。　Bibulus　himself；　who　was　Pompey's　enemy；　first　gave　his
vote　in　the　senate；　that　Pompey　should　be　created　consul　alone；
alleging；　that　by　these　means　either　the　commonwealth　would　be　freed
from　its　present　confusion；　or　that　its　bondage　should　be　lessened
by　serving　the　worthiest。　This　was　looked　upon　as　a　very　strange
opinion；　considering　the　man　that　spoke　it；　and　therefore　on　Cato's
standing　up；　everybody　expected　that　he　would　have　opposed　it；　but
after　silence　made；　he　said　that　he　would　never　have　been　the　author
of　that　advice　himself；　but　since　it　was　propounded　by　another；　his
advice　was　to　follow　it；　adding；　that　any　form　of　government　was
better　than　none　at　all；　and　that　in　a　time　so　full　of　distraction；　he
thought　no　man　fitter　to　govern　than　Pompey。　This　counsel　was
unanimously　approved　of；　and　a　decree　passed　that　Pompey　should　be
made　sole　consul；　with　this　clause；　that　if　he　thought　it　necessary　to
have　a　colleague；　he　might　choose　whom　he　pleased；　provided　it　were
not　till　after　two　months　expired。
　　Thus　was　Pompey　created　and　declared　sole　consul　by　Sulpicius；
regent　in　this　vacancy；　upon　which　he　made　very　cordial
acknowledgments　to　Cato；　professing　himself　much　his　debtor；　and
requesting　his　good　advice　in　conducting　the　government；　to　this
Cato　replied；　that　Pompey　had　no　reason　to　thank　him；　for　all　that
he　had　said　was　for　the　service　of　the　commonwealth；　not　of　Pompey；
but　that　he　would　be　always　ready　to　give　his　advice　privately；　if
he　were　asked　for　it；　and　if　not；　he　should　not　fail　to　say　what　he
thought　in　public。　Such　was　Cato's　conduct　on　all　occasions。
　　On　his　return　into　the　city　Pompey　married　Cornelia；　the　daughter　of
Metellus　Scipio；　not　a　maiden；　but　lately　left　a　widow　by　Publius；　the
son　of　Crassus；　her　first　husband；　who　had　been　killed　in　Parthia。　The
young　lady　had　other　attractions　besides　those　of　youth　and　beauty；
for　she　was　highly　educated；　played　well　upon　the　lute；　and　understood
geometry；　and　had　been　accustomed　to　listen　with　profit　to　lectures　on
philosophy；　all　this；　too；　without　in　any　degree　becoming　unamiable　or
pretentious；　as　sometimes　young　women　do　when　they　pursue　such
studies。　Nor　could　any　fault　be　found　either　with　her　father's
family　or　reputation。　The　disparity　of　their　ages　was；　however；　not
liked　by　everybody；　Cornelia　being　in　this　respect　a　fitter　match
for　Pompey's　son。　And　wiser　judges　thought　it　rather　a　slight　upon　the
commonwealth　when　he；　to　whom　alone　they　had　committed　their　broken
fortunes；　and　from　whom　alone；　as　from　their　physician；　they
expected　a　cure　to　these　distractions；　went　about　crowned　with
garlands　and　celebrating　his　nuptial　feasts；　never　considering　that
his　very　consulship　was　a　public　calamity；　which　would　never　have　been
given　him；　contrary　to　the　rules　of　law；　had　his　country　been　in　a
flourishing　state。　Afterwards；　however；　he　took　cognizance　of　the
case