pompey-第9章

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of　great　value　of　which　he　accepted　only　such　as　he　thought　might
serve　to　adorn　the　temples　of　the　gods　and　add　to　the　splendour　of　his
triumph：　the　rest　he　left　to　Stratonice's　disposal；　bidding　her　please
herself　in　the　enjoyment　of　them。
　　And　in　the　same　manner　he　dealt　with　the　presents　offered　him　by　the
King　of　Iberia；　who　sent　him　a　bedstead；　table；　and　a　chair　of
state；　all　of　gold；　desiring　him　to　accept　of　them；　but　he　delivered
them　all　into　the　custody　of　the　public　treasurers；　for　the　use　of　the
commonwealth。
　　In　another　castle　called　Caenum；　Pompey　found　and　read　with　pleasure
several　secret　writings　of　Mithridates；　containing　much　that　threw
light　on　his　character。　For　there　were　memoirs　by　which　it　appeared
that；　besides　others；　he　had　made　away　with　his　son　Ariarathes　by
poison；　as　also　with　Alcaeus　the　Sardian；　for　having　robbed　him　of　the
first　honours　in　a　horse…race。　There　were　several　judgments　upon　the
interpretation　of　dreams；　which　either　he　himself　or　some　of　his
mistresses　had　had；　and　besides　these；　there　was　a　series　of　wanton
letters　to　and　from　his　concubine　Monime。　Theophanes　tells　us　that
there　was　found　also　an　address　by　Rutilius；　in　which　he　attempted
to　exasperate　him　to　the　slaughter　of　all　the　Romans　in　Asia；　though
most　men　justly　conjecture　this　to　be　a　malicious　invention　of
Theophanes；　who　probably　hated　Rutilius　because　he　was　a　man　in
nothing　like　himself；　or　perhaps　it　might　be　to　gratify　Pompey；
whose　father　is　described　by　Rutilius　in　his　history　as　the　vilest　man
alive。
　　From　thence　Pompey　came　to　the　city　of　Amisus；　where　his　passion　for
glory　put　him　into　a　position　which　might　be　called　a　punishment　on
himself。　For　whereas　he　had　often　sharply　reproached　Lucullus；　in　that
while　the　enemy　was　still　living　he　had　taken　upon　him　to　issue
decrees；　and　distribute　rewards　and　honours；　as　conquerors　usually
do　only　when　the　war　is　brought　to　an　end；　yet　now　was　he　himself；
while　Mithridates　was　paramount　in　the　kingdom　of　Bosphorus；　and　at
the　head　of　a　powerful　army；　as　if　all　were　ended；　just　doing　the　same
thing；　regulating　the　provinces；　and　distributing　rewards；　many
great　commanders　and　princes　having　flocked　to　him；　together　with　no
less　than　twelve　barbarian　kings；　insomuch　that　to　gratify　these　other
kings；　when　he　wrote　to　the　King　of　Parthia；　he　would　not
condescend；　as　others　used　to　do；　in　the　superscription　of　his　letter；
to　give　him　his　title　of　king　of　kings。
　　Moreover；　he　had　a　great　desire　and　emulation　to　occupy　Syria；　and
to　march　through　Arabia　to　the　Red　Sea；　that　he　might　thus　extend
his　conquests　every　way　to　the　great　ocean　that　encompasses　the
habitable　earth；　as　in　Africa　he　was　the　first　Roman　that　advanced　his
victories　to　the　ocean；　and　again　in　Spain　he　made　the　Atlantic　Sea
the　limit　of　the　empire：　and　then　thirdly；　in　his　late　pursuit　of
the　Albanians；　he　had　wanted　but　little　of　reaching　the　Hyrcanian　Sea。
Accordingly　he　raised　his　camp；　designing　to　bring　the　Red　Sea
within　the　circuit　of　his　expedition；　especially　as　he　saw　how
difficult　it　was　to　hunt　after　Mithridates　with　an　army；　and　that　he
would　prove　a　worse　enemy　flying　than　fighting。　But　yet　he　declared
that　he　would　leave　a　sharper　enemy　behind　him　than　himself；　namely；
famine；　and　therefore　he　appointed　a　guard　of　ships　to　lie　in　wait　for
the　merchants　that　sailed　to　Bosphorus；　death　being　the　penalty　for
any　who　should　attempt　to　carry　provisions　thither。
　　Then　he　set　forward　with　the　greatest　part　of　his　army；　and　in　his
march　casually　fell　in　with　several　dead　bodies；　still　uninterred；
of　those　soldiers　who　were　slain　with　Triarius　in　his　unfortunate
engagement　with　Mithridates：　these　he　buried　splendidly　and
honourably。　The　neglect　of　whom；　it　is　thought；　caused；　as　much　as
anything；　the　hatred　that　was　felt　against　Lucullus；　and　alienated　the
affections　of　the　soldiers　from　him。　Pompey　having　now　by　his　forces
under　the　command　of　Afranius　subdued　the　Arabians　about　the
mountain　Amanus；　himself　entered　Syria；　and　finding　it　destitute　of
any　natural　and　lawful　prince；　reduced　it　into　the　form　of　a　province；
as　a　possession　of　the　people　of　Rome。　He　conquered　also　Judaea；　and
took　its　king；　Aristobulus；　captive。　Some　cities　he　built　anew；　and　to
others　he　gave　their　liberty；　chastising　their　tyrants。　Most　part　of
the　time　that　he　spent　there　was　employed　in　the　administration　of
justice；　in　deciding　controversies　of　kings　and　states；　and　where　he
himself　could　not　be　present　in　person；　he　gave　commissions　to　his
friends；　and　sent　them。　Thus　when　there　arose　a　difference　betwixt　the
Armenians　and　Parthians　about　some　territory；　and　the　judgment　was
referred　to　him；　he　gave　a　power　by　commission；　to　three　judges　and
arbiters　to　hear　and　determine　the　controversy。　For　the　reputation
of　his　power　was　great；　nor　was　the　fame　of　his　justice　and　clemency
inferior　to　that　of　his　power；　and　served　indeed　as　a　veil　for　a
multitude　of　faults　committed　by　his　friends　and　familiars。　For
although　it　was　not　in　his　nature　to　check　or　chastise　wrongdoers；　yet
he　himself　always　treated　those　that　had　to　do　with　him　in　such　a
manner　that　they　submitted　to　endure　with　patience　the　acts　of
covetousness　and　oppression　done　by　others。
　　Among　these　friends　of　his　there　was　one　Demetrius；　who　had　the
greatest　influence　with　him　of　all；　he　was　a　freed　slave；　a　youth　of
good　understanding；　but　somewhat　too　insolent　in　his　good　fortune；
of　whom　there　goes　this　story。　Cato；　the　philosopher；　being　as　yet　a
very　young　man；　but　of　great　repute　and　a　noble　mind；　took　a　journey
of　pleasure　to　Antioch；　at　a　time　when　Pompey　was　not　there；　having
a　great　desire　to　see　the　city。　He；　as　his　custom　was；　walked　on　foot；
and　his　friends　accompanied　him　on　horseback；　and　seeing　before　the
gates　of　the　city　a　multitude　dressed　in　white；　the　young　men　on　one
side　of　the　road　and　the　boys　on　the　other；　he　was　somewhat　offended
at　it；　imagining　that　it　was　officiously　done　in　honour　of　him；
which　was　more　than　he　had　any　wish　for。　However；　he　desired　his
companions　to　alight　and　walk　with　him；　but　when　they　drew　near；　the
master　of　the　ceremonies　in　this　procession　came　out　with　a　garland
and　a　rod　in　his　hand　and　met　them；　inquiring　where　they　had　left
Demetrius；　and　when　he　would　come？　Upon　which　Cato's　companions
burst　out　into　laughter；　but　Cato　said　only；　〃Alas；　poor　city！〃　and
passed　by　without　any　other　answer。　However；　Pompey　rendered　Demetrius
less　odious　to　others　by　enduring　his　presumption　and　impertinence
to　himself。　For　it　is　reported　how　that　Pompey；　when　he　had　invited
his　friends　to　an　entertainment；　would　be　very　ceremonious　in
waiting　till　they　all　came　and　were　placed；　while　Demetrius　would　be
already　stretched　upon　the　couch　as　if　he　cared　for　no　one；　with　his
dress　over　his　ears；　hanging　down　from　his　head。　Before　his　return
into　Italy；　he　had　purchased　the　pleasantest　country…seat　about
Rome；　with　the　finest　walks　and　places　for　exercise；　and　there　were
sumptuous　gardens；　called　by　the　name　of　Demetrius；　while　Pompey　his
master；　up　to　his　third　triumph；　was　contented　with　an　ordinary　and
simple　habitation。　Afterwards；　it　is　true；　when　he　had　erected　his
famous　and　stately　theatre　for　the　people　of　Rome；　he　built　as　a
sort　of　appendix　to　it　a　house　for　himself；　much　more　splendid　than
his　former；　and　yet　no　object　even　this　to　excite　men's　envy；　since　he
who　came　to　be　master　of　it　after　Pompey　could　not　but　express
wonder　and　inquire　where　Pompey　the　Great　used　to　sup。　Such　is　the
story　told　us。
　　The　king　of　the　Arabs　near　Petra；　who　had　hitherto　despised　the
power　of　the　Romans；　now　began　to　be　in　great　alarm　at　it；　and　sent
letters　to　him　promising　to　be　at　his　commands；　and　to　do　whatever
he　should　see　fit　to　order。　However；　Pompey　having　a　desire　to　confirm
and　keep　him　in　the　same　mind；　marched　forwards　for　Petra；　an
expedition　not　altogether　irreprehensible　in　the　opinion　of　many；
who　thought　it　a　mere　running　away　from　their　proper　duty；　the　pursuit
of　Mithridates；　Rome's　ancient　and　inveterate　enemy；　who　was　now
rekindling　the　war　once　more；　and　taking　preparations；　it　was
reported；　to　lead　his　army　through　Scythia　and　Paeonia　into　Italy。
Pompey；　on　the　other　side；　judging　it　easier　to　destroy　his　forces
in　battle　than　to　seize　his　person　in　flight；　resolved　not　to　tire
himself　out　in　a　vain　pursuit；　but　rather　to　spend　his　leisure　upon
another　enemy；　as　a　sort　of　digression　in　the　meanwhile。　But　fortune
resolved　the　doubt；　for　when　he　was　now　not　far　from　Petra；　and　had
pitched　his　tents　and　encamped　for　that　day；　as　he　was　taking　exercise
with　his　horse　outside　the　camp；　couriers　came　riding　up　from
Pontus；　bringing　good　news；　as　was　known　at　once　by　the　heads　of　their
javelins；　which　it　is　the　custom　to　carry　crowned　with　branches　of
laurel。　The　soldiers；　as　soon　as　they　saw　them；　flocked　immediately　to
Pompey；　who；　notwithstanding；　was　minded　to　finish　his　exercise；　but
when　they　began　to　be　clamorous　and　importunate；　he　alighted　from
his　horse；　and　taking　the　letters　went　before　them　into　the　camp。
　　Now　there　being　no　tribunal　erected　there；　not　even　that　military
substitute　for　one　which　they　make　by　cutting　up　thick　turfs　of　earth；
and　piling　them　one　upon　another；　they；　through　eagerness　and
impatience；　heaped　up　a　pile　of　pack…saddles；　and　Pompey　standing　upon
that；　told　them　the　news　of　Mithridates's　death；　how　that　he　had
himself　put　an　end　to　his　life　upon　the　revolt　of　his　son　Pharnaces；
and　that　Pharnaces　had　taken　all　things　there　into　his　hands　and
possession；　which　he　did；　his　letters　said；　in　right　of　himself　and
the　Romans。　Upon　this　news　the　whole　army；　expressing　their　joy；　as
was　to　be　expected；　fell　to　sacrificing　to　the　gods；　and　feasting　as
if　in　the　person　of　Mithridates　alone　there　had　died　many　thousands　of
their　enemies。
　　Pompey　by　this　event　having　brought　this　war　to　its　completion；　with
much　more　ease　than　was　expected；　departed　forthwith　out　of　Arabia；
and　passing　rapidly　through　the　intermediate　provinces；　he　came　at
length　to　the　city　Amisus。　There　he　received　many　presents　brought
from　Pharnaces；　with　several　dead　bodies　of　the　royal　blood；　and　the
corpse　of　Mithridates　himself；　which　was　not　easy　to　be　known　by　the
face；　for　the　physicians　that　embalmed　him　had　not　dried　up　his　brain；
but　those　who　were　curious　to　see　him　knew　him　by　the　scars　there。
Pompey　himself　would　not　endure　to　see　him；　but　to　deprecate　the
divine　jealousy　sent　it　away　to　the　city　of　Sinope。　He　admired　the
richness　of　his　robes　no　less　than　the　size　and　splendour　of　his
armour。　His　sword…belt；　however；　which　had　cost　four　hundred
talents；　was　stolen　by　Publius；　and　sold　to　Ariarathes；　his　tiara
also；　a　piece　of　admirable　workmanship；　Gaius；　the　foster…brother　of
Mithridates；　gave　secretly　to　Faustus；　the　son　of　Sylla；　at　his
request。　All　which　Pompey　was　ignorant　of；　but　afterwards；　when
Pharnaces　came　to　understand　it；　he　severely　punished　those　that
embezzled　them。
　　Pompey　now　having　ordered　all　things；　and　established　that　province；
took　his　journey　homewards　in　greater　pomp　and　with　more　festivity。
For　when　he　came　to　Mityle