pompey-第17章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


and　that　not　of　his　own。　The　young　lady　hearing　this；　fell　down　in　a
swoon；　and　continued　a　long　time　senseless　and　speechless。　And　when
with　some　trouble　she　was　brought　to　her　senses　again；　being　conscious
to　herself　that　this　was　no　time　for　lamentation　and　tears；　she
started　up　and　ran　through　the　city　towards　the　seaside；　where
Pompey　meeting　and　embracing　her；　as　she　sank　down；　supported　by　his
arms；　〃This；　sir；〃　she　exclaimed；　〃is　the　effect　of　my　fortune；　not　of
yours；　that　I　see　you　thus　reduced　to　one　poor　vessel；　who　before　your
marriage　with　Cornelia　were　wont　to　sail　in　these　seas　with　a　fleet　of
five　hundred　ships。　Why　therefore　should　you　come　to　see　me；　or　why
not　rather　have　left　to　her　evil　genius　one　who　has　brought　upon　you
her　own　ill　fortune？　How　happy　a　woman　had　I　been　if　I　had　breathed
out　my　last　before　the　news　came　from　Parthia　of　the　death　of　Publius；
the　husband　of　my　youth；　and　how　prudent　if　I　had　followed　his
destiny；　as　I　designed！　But　I　was　reserved　for　a　greater　mischief；
even　the　ruin　of　Pompey　the　Great。〃
　　Thus；　they　say；　Cornelia　spoke　to　him；　and　this　was　Pompey's；　reply：
〃You　have　had；　Cornelia；　but　one　season　of　a　better　fortune；　which；　it
may　be；　gave　you　unfounded　hopes；　by　attending　me　a　longer　time　than
is　usual。　It　behooves　us；　who　are　mortals　born；　to　endure　these
events；　and　to　try　fortune　yet　again；　neither　is　it　any　less
possible　to　recover　our　former　state　than　it　was　to　fall　from　that
into　this。〃　Thereupon　Cornelia　sent　for　her　servants　and　baggage　out
of　the　city。　The　citizens　also　of　Mitylene　came　out　to　salute　and
invite　Pompey　into　the　city；　but　he　refused；　advising　them　to　be
obedient　to　the　conqueror　and　fear　not；　for　that　Caesar　was　a　man　of
great　goodness　and　clemency。　Then　turning　to　Cratippus；　the
philosopher；　who　came　among　the　rest　out　of　the　city　to　visit　him；
he　began　to　find　some　fault；　and　briefly　argued　with　him　upon
Providence；　but　Cratippus　modestly　declined　the　dispute；　putting　him
in　better　hopes　only；　lest　by　opposing　he　might　seem　too　austere　or
unseasonable。　For　he　might　have　put　Pompey　a　question　in　his　turn　in
defence　of　Providence；　and　might　have　demonstrated　the　necessity　there
was　that　the　commonwealth　should　be　turned　into　a　monarchy；　because　of
their　ill　government　in　the　state；　and　could　have　asked；　〃How；　O
Pompey；　and　by　what　token　or　assurance　can　we　ascertain；　that　if　the
victory　had　been　yours；　you　would　have　used　your　fortune　better　than
Caesar？　We　must　leave　the　divine　power　to　act　as　we　find　it　do。〃
　　Pompey　having　taken　his　wife　and　friends　aboard；　set　sail；　making　no
port；　or　touching　anywhere；　but　when　he　was　necessitated　to　take　in
provisions　or　fresh　water。　The　first　city　he　entered　was　Attalia；　in
Pamphylia；　and　whilst　he　was　there；　there　came　some　galleys　thither　to
him　out　of　Cilicia；　together　with　a　small　body　of　soldiers；　and　he　had
almost　sixty　senators　with　him　again；　then　hearing　that　his　navy　was
safe　too；　and　that　Cato　had　rallied　a　considerable　body　of　soldiers
after　their　overthrow；　and　was　crossing　with　them　over　into　Africa；　he
began　to　complain　and　blame　himself　to　his　friends　that　he　had　allowed
himself　to　be　driven　into　engaging　by　land；　without　making　use　of
his　other　forces；　in　which　he　was　irresistibly　the　stronger；　and　had
not　kept　near　enough　to　his　fleet；　that　failing　by　land；　he　might　have
reinforced　himself　from　the　sea；　and　would　have　been　again　at　the　head
of　a　power　quite　sufficient　to　encounter　the　enemy　on　equal　terms。
And；　in　truth；　neither　did　Pompey　during　all　the　war　commit　a
greater　oversight；　nor　Caesar　use　a　more　subtle　stratagem；　than　in
drawing　the　fight　so　far　off　from　the　naval　forces。
　　As　it　now　was；　however；　since　he　must　come　to　some　decision　and
try　some　plan　within　his　present　ability；　he　despatched　his　agents
to　the　neighbouring　cities；　and　himself　sailed　about　in　person　to
others；　requiring　their　aid　in　money　and　men　for　his　ships。　But；
fearing　lest　the　rapid　approach　of　the　enemy　might　cut　off　all　his
preparations；　he　began　to　consider　what　place　would　yield　him　the
safest　refuge　and　retreat　at　present。　A　consultation　was　held；　and
it　was　generally　agreed　that　no　province　of　the　Romans　was　secure
enough。　As　for　foreign　kingdoms；　he　himself　was　of　opinion　that
Parthia　would　be　the　fittest　to　receive　and　defend　them　in　their
present　weakness；　and　best　able　to　furnish　them　with　new　means；　and
send　them　out　again　with　large　forces。　Others　of　the　council　were
for　going　into　Africa；　and　to　King　Juba。　But　Theophanes　the　Lesbian
thought　it　madness　to　leave　Egypt；　that　was　but　at　a　distance　of　three
days'　sailing；　and　make　no　use　of　Ptolemy；　who　was　still　a　boy；　and
was　highly　indebted　to　Pompey　for　the　friendship　and　favour　he　had
shown　to　his　father；　only　to　put　himself　under　the　Parthian；　and　trust
the　most　treacherous　nation　in　the　world；　and　rather　than　make　any
trial　of　the　clemency　of　a　Roman；　and　his　own　near　connection；　to　whom
if　he　would　but　yield　to　be　second　he　might　be　the　first　and　chief
over　all　the　rest；　to　go　and　place　himself　at　the　mercy　of　Arsaces；
which　even　Crassus　had　not　submitted　to　while　alive；　and；　moreover；　to
expose　his　young　wife；　of　the　family　of　the　Scipios；　among　a　barbarous
people；　who　govern　by　their　lusts；　and　measure　their　greatness　by
their　power　to　commit　affronts　and　insolences；　from　whom；　though　she
suffered　no　dishonour；　yet　it　might　be　thought　she　did；　being　in　the
hands　of　those　who　had　the　power　to　do　it。　This　argument　alone；　they
say；　was　persuasive　enough　to　divert　his　course；　that　was　designed
towards　Euphrates；　if　it　were　so　indeed　that　any　counsel　of
Pompey's；　and　not　some　superior　power；　made　him　take　this　other　way。
　　As　soon；　therefore；　as　it　was　resolved　upon　that　he　should　fly
into　Egypt；　setting　sail　from　Cyprus　in　a　galley　of　Seleucia；　together
with　Cornelia；　while　the　rest　of　his　company　sailed　along　near　him；
some　in　ships　of　war；　and　others　in　merchant　vessels；　he　passed　over
sea　without　danger。　But　on　hearing　that　King　Ptolemy　was　posted　with
his　army　at　the　city　of　Pelusium；　making　war　against　his　sister；　he
steered　his　course　that　way；　and　sent　a　messenger　before　to　acquaint
the　king　with　his　arrival；　and　to　crave　his　protection。　Ptolemy
himself　was　quite　young；　therefore　Pothinus；　who　the　principal
administration　of　affairs；　called　a　council　of　the　chief　men；　those
being　the　greatest　whom　he　pleased　to　make　so；　and　commanded　them
every　man　to　deliver　his　opinion　touching　the　reception　of　Pompey。
It　was；　indeed；　a　miserable　thing　that　the　fate　of　the　great　Pompey
should　be　left　to　the　determinations　of　Pothinus　the　eunuch；　Theodotus
of　Chois；　the　paid　rhetoric　master；　and　Achillas　the　Egyptian。　For
these；　among　the　chamberlains　and　menial　domestics　that　made　up　the
rest　of　the　council；　were　the　chief　and　leading　men。　Pompey；　who
thought　it　dishonourable　for　him　to　owe　his　safety　to　Caesar；　riding
at　anchor　at　a　distance　from　shore；　was　forced　to　wait　the　sentence　of
this　tribunal。　It　seems　they　were　so　far　different　in　their　opinions
that　some　were　for　sending　the　man　away；　and　others；　again；　for
inviting　and　receiving　him；　but　Theodotus；　to　show　his　cleverness
and　the　cogency　of　his　rhetoric；　undertook　to　demonstrate　that　neither
the　one　nor　the　other　was　safe　in　that　juncture　of　affairs。　For　if
they　entertained　him；　they　would　be　sure　to　make　Caesar　their　enemy
and　Pompey　their　master；　or　if　they　dismissed　him；　they　might　render
themselves　hereafter　obnoxious　to　Pompey；　for　that　inhospitable
expulsion；　and　to　Caesar；　for　the　escape；　so　that　the　most　expedient
course　would　be　to　send　for　him　and　take　away　his　life；　for　by　that
means　they　would　ingratiate　themselves　with　the　one；　and　have　no
reason　to　fear　the　other；　adding；　it　is　related；　with　a　smile；　that　〃a
dead　man　cannot　bite。〃
　　This　advice　being　approved　of；　they　committed　the　execution　of　it　to
Achillas。　He；　therefore；　taking　with　him　as　his　accomplices　one
Septimius；　a　man　that　had　formerly　held　a　command　under　Pompey；　and
Salvius；　another　centurion；　with　three　or　four　attendants；　made　up
towards　Pompey　galley。　In　the　meantime；　all　the　chiefest　of　those
who　accompanied　Pompey　in　this　voyage　were　come　into　his　ship　to　learn
the　event　of　their　embassy。　But　when　they　saw　the　manner　of　their
reception；　that　in　appearance　it　was　neither　princely　nor
honourable；　nor　indeed　in　any　way　answerable　to　the　hopes　of
Theophanes；　or　their　expectation　（for　there　came　but　a　few　men　in　a
fisherman's　boat　to　meet　them）；　they　began　to　suspect　the　meanness
of　their　entertainment；　and　gave　warning　to　Pompey　that　he　should
row　back　his　galley；　whilst　he　was　out　of　their　reach；　and　make　for
the　sea。　By　this　time　the　Egyptian　boat　drew　near；　and　Septimius
standing　up　first；　saluted　Pompey；　in　the　Latin　tongue；　by　the　title
of　imperator。　Then　Achillas；　saluting　him　in　the　Greek　language；
desired　him　to　come　aboard　his　vessel；　telling　him　that　the　sea　was
very　shallow　towards　the　shore；　and　that　a　galley　of　that　burden　could
not　avoid　striking　upon　the　sands。　At　the　same　time　they　saw　several
of　the　king's　galleys　getting　their　men　on　board；　and　all　the　shore
covered　with　soldiers；　so　that　even　if　they　changed　their　minds；　it
seemed　impossible　for　them　to　escape；　and　besides；　their　distrust
would　have　given　the　assassins　a　pretence　for　their　cruelty。　Pompey；
therefore；　taking　his　leave　of　Cornelia；　who　was　already　lamenting　his
death　before　it　came；　bade　two　centurions；　with　Philip；　one　of　his
freedmen；　and　a　slave　called　Scythes；　go　on　board　the　boat　before　him。
And　as　some　of　the　crew　with　Achillas　were　reaching　out　their　hands　to
help　him；　he　turned　about　towards　his　wife　and　son；　and　repeated　those
iambics　of　Sophocles…

　　　　　　　　　〃He　that　once　enters　at　a　tyrant's　door
　　　　　　　　　　Becomes　a　slave；　though　he　were　free　before。〃

These　were　the　last　words　he　spoke　to　his　friends；　and　so　he　went
aboard。　Observing　presently　that　notwithstanding　there　was　a
considerable　distance　betwixt　his　galley　and　the　shore；　yet　none　of
the　company　addressed　any　words　of　friendliness　or　welcome　to　him
all　the　way；　he　looked　earnestly　upon　Septimius；　and　said；　〃I　am　not
mistaken；　surely；　in　believing　you　to　have　been　formerly　my
fellow…soldier。〃　But　he　only　nodded　with　his　head；　making　no　reply
at　all；　nor　showing　any　other　courtesy。　Since；　therefore；　they
continued　silent；　Pompey　took　a　little　book　in　his　hand；　in　which
was　written　out　an　address　in　Greek；　which　he　intended　to　make　to　King
Ptolemy；　and　began　to　read　it。　When　they　drew　near　to　the　shore；
Cornelia；　together　with　the　rest　of　his　friends　in　the　galley；　was
very　impatient　to　see　the　event；　and　began　to　take　courage　at　last
when　she　saw　several　of　the　royal　escort　coming　to　meet　him；
apparently　to　give　him　a　more　honourable　reception；　but　in　the
meantime；　as　Pompey　took　Philip　by　the　hand　to　rise　up　more　easily。
Septimius　first　stabbed　him　from　behind　with　his　sword；　and　after
him　likewise　Salvius　and　Achillas　drew　out　their　swords。　He；
therefore；　taking　up　his　gown　with　both　hands；　drew　it　over　his
face；　and　neither　saying　nor　doing　anything　unworthy　of　himself；
only　groaning　a　little；　endured　the　wou