64
POMPEY ELEES TO EGYPT.
remarkable for great events, and is known fιom Foggini’s
Calendaria, the tenth of August3, according to the old calendar,
which was reformed by Caesar two years later; so that it is
impossible to say what day it really was, though it must have
been in June.
Pompey fled from the battle-field of Pharsalus to Larissa,
and embarked with his generals either there or at Thessalonica.
He sailed to Mitylene, where he met his wife Cornelia; his
intention was to go to Cilicia and Cyprus, and thence to the
Parthians. This most cowardly plan, however, was opposed
by his friends; and he saw no place of refuge except Egypt.
He should have gone to his fleet, which was yet complete,
have sailed to Africa, and have continued the war there ; but
Pompey was quite broken down, and resolved to take refuge
with the king of Egypt, Ptolemy Auletes, who had once been
expelled in an insurrection of his people, but had been restored
by Gabinius through the connivance of Pompey, to whom he
was accordingly under great obligations. He had sent a fleet
to Pompey, but had withdrawn it after the battle of Pharsalus.
He had since died, leaving two daughters, Cleopatra and Ar-
sinoe, and two younger sons, one of whom bore the name of
Ptolemy Dionysus, and was not advanced beyond the age of
boyhood. Cleopatra, his ambitious sister, was ordered by the
will of her father to marry her elder brother, according to the
common custom of incest among the Macedonian kings at
Alexandria, and to rule over Egypt conjointly with him. But
as he was very domineering and endeavoured to deprive her
of her share in the government, he, or rather his guardians,
Achillas and Pothinus, had expelled her. She had fled to Syria,
where she was collecting an army to effect her return by force
of arms. Young Ptolemy and his guardians were at this time
encamped near Mount Casius, on the frontier of Syria, to op-
pose Cleopatra. Pompey’s evil genius led him to the camp of
Ptolemy. There was at that time in Egypt a Roman of the
name of L. Septimius, whom Gabinius had left behind as com-
mander, at the time when he led Ptolemy Auletes back to
Egypt. This Septimius advised the young king to have
3 v. id. Sextil, that is, the 9th of August, according to the Calendanuni of
Amitemum in Foggmi, pp. 112, 153. Not havmg the book at hand, I take the
reference from Fischer’s Rom Zeittafdn, p 272, which agrees with that in
Orellι,s Inscript ioɪ iɪ p 397
JDEATH OF POMPEY.
65
Pompey put to death, in order to secure by this sacrifice tlιe
favour of Caesar, who would reward him with the crown of
Egypt. Such advice was just suited to the mind of an Alex-
andrian prince. Septimius was sent out with a boat to receive
Pompey. All his companions were suspicious, and he himself
had some presentiment of the fate which awaited him ; but he
was so confused and bewildered, that he resolved to enter the
boat and follow Septimius. He was murdered before he
reached the coast, and his body was cast away unburied.
Caesar had continued his pursuit without ceasing, and with
a few companions he arrived in Egypt, which again was one
of the boldest undertakings. The account of the Egyptians
surrendering to him Pompey’s head and ring is well known ;
and history has not forgotten Caesar’s tears. I will not deny
that the issue of the war had delivered him from great anxiety ;
for however much he might have been inclined to make peace,
it would probably never have been established, and the war
could not terminate otherwise than with the destruction of
Pompey ; but if I consider Caesar’s kind heart, I feel con-
vinced that his tears were sincere. He had the body of
Pompey buried, but in the tumult and confusion of the
moment the erection of a monument was not thought of; and
if Caesar had erected one, it would almost have looked like
a farce. Pompey’s family, however, which continues to be
mentioned in history even in the time of Tiberius, caused a
humble monument to be raised to him. In the reign of
Hadrian it was buried in sand, and the statue had been
removed to a temple, but Hadrian had it restored.4 There is
an epigram consisting of two distichs relating to Pompey’s
tomb. It cannot be otherwise than a genuine ancient poem,
and is in my opinion one of the most beautiful epigrams that
have come down to us: —
Maniioico Licinus tuπnιlo jacet, at Cato nuɪlo,
Pompciufe parvo. Quis putet esse deos?
Saxa premunt Licinum, levât altum faɪna Catonem,
Pompcium tιtulι. Credimus esse deos5.
Caesar now proceeded to Alexandria, whither he was to be
4 Appian, De Bell. Cιvtl. ɪi. 86; Spartianus, Hadrian, c. 14.
5 H Meyer, Anthologia Veterum Latinorum Epigram, et Poemat. No. 77,
where the epigram is escribed to P. TerentiusVarroAtacinus. (The Licmus
here mentioned was a barber, an upstart, who had become very rich, and had a
magnificent monument erected to himself.—N )
VOL. III. E