were how he might take away from his People the fear they had of the Enemy and especially of their Elephants wherefore having some of them in his Camp he accustomed his Souldiers to approach them boldly he caused them to observe the place where those Beasts were most easily to be wounded and caused his Cavalry to assault them with blunted Lances by that means to inure the Horses to the sight of them At last when by these exercises he found they were grown no longer afraid of them he decamped seeking dayly how he might post himself with most advantage After many removings and some skirmishes wherein Labienus came by the worst observing that his Enemies began to fear the Valour of his Legions he went to attack the City of Thapsus where Virgilius Commanded for Scipio with a very strong Garrison Scipio who was afraid lest in loosing that City his Reputation might suffer came also to post himself about the nine miles from Caesar where he and Iuba entrenched themselves in two several Camps There was near to Thapsus a Pond of salt water about 1500 paces distant from the Sea Scipio's design was by that interval to put some Troops into the place but Caesar who had foreseen as much and expected it had built a Fort there and left a Garrison in three places which obliged Scipio to make some attacks but without success and after having passed a whole night and a day on the banks of the Pond set his Troops a work for retrenching themselves towards the Sea 1500 paces from Caesar's Fort. Caesar about break of day was informed of the proceeding so leaving Asprinas to guard his Camp he marched directly upon the Enemy by the interval which was between the Pond and the Sea He sent also orders to those who Commanded his Vessels that were before Thapsus that leaving onely some to defend the mouth of the Port they should advance with the rest on the other side of Scipio's Camp and at the first noise of Battel setting their Souldiers on shore make an attack upon that side with noise and shouting Caesar's Army marched upon three lines the four best Legions on the front and the five others making as it were a body of Reserve five Cohorts upon the Wings who were designed to engage the Elephants with all his Archers and Slingers and his light armed Foot mingled with his Cavalry For himself he was on foot going through the ranks and animating his Souldiers by his presence and his Exhortations He found Scipio drawn up in Battalia before his Retrenchments the works whereof he caused dayly to be continued but at the sight of Caesar's Army his Souldiers began to be much disordered It was easie to see how they ran about from one place to another sometimes into the Camp and sometimes out again in all manner of confusion which extremely animated Caesar's Men who nevertheless did what he could to oppose their impatience and ran to put a stop to such as he saw most eager when upon the right Wing a Trumpet contrary to his Orders sounded a Charge immediately the Cohorts upon the Wings in spight of their Commanders ran on which Caesar seeing gave for the word of Battel Felicitas and calling for his Horse was the first that charged the Enemy Scipio's Elephants were immediately put to flight by the Archers and Slingers upon the right Wing and overthrowing the Souldiers that were behind them ran into the entrance of the Camp The Moorish Cavalry being abandoned by the Elephants were easily dispersed and Caesar's Legions killing all that opposed their way got possession of the Enemies Trenches The Garrison of Thapsus had made one sally but were driven in again by the very Servants that belonged to Caesar's Camp so that nothing but disorder and fear appearing every where Scipio's Men had nothing to consider of but flying towards the Camp which for two days before they had quitted but seeing themselves without any Leader they threw down their Arms that they might run more lightly towards the Camp of Iuba which those of Caesar's Troops who had not been engaged had already forced so these poor Souldiers of Scipio retreated up to a hill where though they made sign that they would surrender themselves though they saluted Caesar's Men and had thrown down their Arms nevertheless the Veterans heated with bloud and transported with fury after having wounded and killed some Senatours of their own Party whom they did not love and who would have with-held them they cut them all in pieces though Caesar himself were present CHAP. LX. The death of Scipio and Juba Caesar marches towards Utica The death of Cato PLutarch reports that 50000 Men fell in this Battel Hirtius reckons onely 10000. This Victory so absolute as it was cost Caesar but 50 Souldiers All the heads of that Party seeing no hopes of farther relief perished by divers accidents Scipio endeavouring to save himself by Sea finding his Vessel taken ran upon his own Sword Iuba and Petreius fought one against the other where Petreius being slain by the King he also commanded a death from the hands of one of his slaves Afranius and Faustus the Sons of Silla were taken by Sittius who put them to death Onely Labienus escaped into Spain and all Africa submitted to Caesar except the City of Vtica Cato Commanded there with some Troops and had established a kind of a Senate composed of 300 Romans which he had gathered to him he received the news of the Battel by some of Scipio's Horsemen who had rallied together in a considerable number and as the Inhabitants of Vtica had always appeared inclined to Caesar Cato to secure them had put them into a Fortification without the City The Cavaliers would have taken this occasion to plunder but Cato went to them and by his Intercession and Authority persuaded them not to use any violence They offered him to follow him if he would make his retreat with them but he answered That his design was to hold out the siege though when he returned into the Town he found the minds of every body so divided and so unresolved that he soon quitted that design for another more agreeable to his Character and those Opinions of Philosophy whereof he had always made profession In the mean while he gave out his Orders with most admirable Prudence and Resolution He sent away the Cavaliers fearing lest they should commit some new disorder He persuaded several of his Friends to save themselves by Sea others as Lucius who was a Kinsman of Caesar's to rely upon his goodness this last thing he recommended to his Children and made a large discourse to the eldest exhorting him never to intermeddle with the affairs of the Republick At night according to his usual Custome he came to Supper that is to say sitting for since the death of Pompey he had never according to the Roman Custome lain down at his Meals Several of his particular Friends were with him and amongst
and what measures he was to take he well knew that the Consulary Dignity carried with it all Authority of Command he saw no Propositions of Rewards but to the deserting Legions Nevertheless as he thought himself engaged in Honour to the War and being willing to establish his Reputation by some Illustrious Action he resolved to dissemble all with a Prudence much surpassing his Age so that in all this affair he made not so much as one step against his true Interest Now it was the custome with Sacrifices to thank the Gods for any Honours received Caesar had publickly discharged that Duty and in a short discourse gave his Souldiers to understand That he thought himself obliged onely to them for his Dignity since the Senate would never have allowed it him but for their sakes and that therefore he would magnificently reward them So the Consuls divided their Charges Pansa went into Italy to raise new Troops and Hirtius came to Caesar to Command the Army with him He demanded of him by a private Order from the Senate those two Legions which had quitted Antonius and which Caesar without any more adoe gave him so their next business was to put their Troops into Quarters A Legion at that time was much the same thing as a Regiment is now but something stronger consisting of about six thousand Foot and six hundred Horse which always attended them a certain number of Archers which were called Launcers each Legion having its particular Engines and Ammunition The Constitution too which was called a Cohort consisted of about four or five hundred Men. Now the manner of sieges in those times was also very different from what is at this day in Practice they had no Artillery nor any other Engines of fire they always attacked a Town by Scalings Sappings or battering Rams their Scalings were of two sorts either with the help of Ladders or else when the Wall was not very high the Souldiers covered with their Bucklers made their approaches those who were nearest stood upright with their Bucklers upon their heads those who followed stooping a little till the rere Rank who were either upon their Knees or lay flat with their Bellies on the ground so the others mounted upon them and this was that which they called the Tortoise The Sapping is still in use and for the Ram it was a great Beam armed with a Head of Iron hanging by Cords upon four Joysts set upright and fastened together at the top This Engine was set in motion and forc't violently against the Wall which sometimes took effect accordingly but when the Wall was very thick and the Garrison strong the last recourse which the Besiegers usually had was to Famine And this was that which now pressed the Troops of Decimus he gave notice of it by Letters to Hirtius and Caesar who left their Quarters to go to his Relief and came and encamped themselves near Antonius's Lines He was much stronger than they but as it was a difficult Countrey full of Ditches and he having a River to pass over durst not attack them Cicero at this time governed in Rome with an absolute Authority and there it was that he made use of his great Talent of Wit which he employed chiefly in raising Money at the expence of Antonius's Friends who were called to account with the extremest Rigour Ventidius who was a Souldier of Fortune and a particular Friend to Antonius upon this Persecution quitted the City and being well known for his Valour and beloved by the Souldiers he raised two Legions in Italy where all Caesar's Souldiers were dispersed in a great number and with these he resolved to relieve Antonius But to doe him first one signal service he caused several Troops privately to enter into Rome where he design'd to have feiz'd upon Cicero this Enterprise occasioned great fear through all the City several fled with their whole Families and amongst the rest Cicero himself sufficiently affrighted so that by this means Ventidius failed of his design and that Man who afterwards so gallantly signalized himself by defeating the Parthians marched with his Army towards Modena but Hirtius and Caesar cut off his passage and forced him to retreat towards the Marsh of Ancona where he raised another Legion to those he had already which afterwards proved a great succour to Antonius CHAP. XXI A Battel between Antonius's Troops and Caesar's joined with the Consuls Pansa mortally mounded Caesar's Troops are beaten Hirtius comes to their relief and defeats Antonius IN this manner both Parties daily fortified themselves and Pansa who had raised four Legions of new Souldiers sent word to Hirtius and Caesar to take care for the safety of his passage he could not come to them but by narrow passes through the Woods which they sent the Martial Legion and their two Companies of Guards to take possession of there was a certain Causway which went a-cross a Marsh at the coming out of the Woods and at the end of the Causway a large Burrough Town called Forum Gallorum at present Castell Franco between Modena and Bulloigne Into this Town Antonius put his two best Legions which were the second and the thirty third and his Company of Guards together with that of Sillanus before him he placed his Cavalry and his Archers to intice on the Enemy and cover his Legions for he would not have had them known that he had brought them thither Galba Commanded the Consuls Van-Guard with Carsuleius the Colonel of the Martial Legion Their Souldiers were incouraged at the sight of the Cavalry and past the Causway briskly with the two Companies Pansa came galloping to the head of the Troops after having ordered the two new Legions softly to follow him he formed his order of Battel with twelve Cohorts of the Martial Legion and the Companies of Guards taking the left Wing where the Guards were with two Cohorts of the Legion and leaving the right with the other eight to Galba At the same time Antonius drew his Legions out of the Town and charged the Enemy e'er the new Legions could come up the place was blocked up and the Souldiers very much provoked Antonius's Legions were for revenging themselves upon the Martial who had deserted them and on the other side the Martials were as firmly resolved to maintain their Honour so that by this means the Battel became a particular Quarrel between the Souldiers who immediately fell on with all fierceness they could not open their Ranks but fought at Swords Point every blow they gave each other gave a wound too no cries of pain were heard but shouts of Fury and in the very moment that one man was knocked down or slain the body was carried off and another advanced into his place these being all old Souldiers who had no need of Commanders to make them understand their Duty At last the Consuls right Wing where Galba Commanded gave ground to the thirty third Legion for above a hundred paces But as Galba
downright upon that of Menas who by his extreme courage seconded by the bravery of his Souldiers maintained a stout Fight though he had a pile through his Arm which he pulled out without quitting his post in this instant Menecrates was hurt in his Thigh by a barbed Dart which put him from fighting himself and though he still encouraged his men yet Menas's made more bold by this advantage boarded his Gally so vigorously that they soon made themselves Masters of it Menecrates in despair for his Defeat threw himself into the Sea rather than fall into the hands of his Enemy who sent the conquered Ship towards the shoar and he himself bore down to help Calvisius who fought in the starboard division or the right wing of the Battel This Lieutenant or Vice-admiral had at the beginning of the engagement broke the larboard division or left wing of Pompey but as he too closely persued those that ran Menecrates's Vice-admiral rallied and prest the remainder of Calvisius's squadron so warmly that he took some of them and forced the others to buldge upon the Rocks where he burn'd them Calvisius though a little of the latest perceived his errour came up to the assistence of his squadron and saved some of them and night coming on retired into the Bay of Cumes although the loss fell heaviest on Caesar's side Demochares astonished at the death of Menecrates retreated to Sicilia which gave opportunity to Calvisius to goe out of this Gulf in a very ill equipage Caesar was then with a powerfull Fleet at Tarentum from whence he went to Rhegium to attack Pompey who had onely four Sail in the Port of Messana Caesar against the Advice of his Officers would stay for Calvisius in the mean time Demochares joined Pompey who made Apollophanes his Rere-admiral they were both of them freed-men and certainly these fellows whom he preferred before so many noble Romans had either a great deal of gallantry and desert or a very great influence over him In this Place Caesar received the News of the Fight at Cumes and resolved to pass the Strait or Phare of Messina to meet Calvisius Pompey seeing him engaged in this narrow passage engaged the rere-most Vessels and forced the others to draw up close aboard the shoar to make head against him Demochares having a Port behind him attacked them with great advantage in this narrow strait where every Ship of Caesar's had two Enemies upon the Bow without being able to be relieved by the others several of them ran a-shoar either purposely or forced to it Caesar himself was constrained to throw himself a-shoar and never did he run more risque than at this time and as he went upon the coast to rally his men that saved themselves out of the shattered Vessels he perceived some Brigantines that came close along the shoar he imagined them to belong to his own Fleet and did not perceive his Errour till he was surrounded by the Enemies that landed The knowledge that he had of the turning ways of a neighbouring mountain at that time preserved him from that danger to throw him into another no less hazardous A Slave of Emilius Paulus who was then with Caesar and whose Father had been banished believed that a fit opportunity offered it self of revenging his Master He came near to Caesar as they marched in disorder and stroke at him with his Sword the darkness of the night made him miss his blow and he was immediately killed by the Souldiers upon the Place so that Fortune or to speak more properly Providence preserved in one day from three imminent dangers the Man that was destined for the Empire of the World When he had gained the top of the Mountain he rallied as many of his Souldiers as he could In the mean time Cornificius who commanded under him still maintained the Combat by his bravery and example he had given the Galley of Demochares so rude a shock that he sank it and as that freed man went aboard another he perceived Calvisius and Menas who came to Caesar's assistence This made him sound a Retreat to the great wonder of Caesar's Army who were reduced to extremity and did not see the arrival of this succour The weakness of the Souldiers and the ill plight of the Vessels hindred them from pursuing the Enemies They went a-shoar and there made great Fires This night was very painfull to the Souldiers but no body past it with more perplexity than Caesar himself in the disquiet to know the fate of his Fleet these Fires which he descryed from the top of the mountain gave him some Hopes which he endeavoured to inspire the Souldiers with that were with him But incertainty and doubt are very vexatious and the state he left his Fleet in gave him mortal apprehensions His Troops that were spread along the Coast had no less hearing no news of their General By good fortune the thirteenth Legion which was nearest him perceived the Fires he had lighted on the top of the mountain they were detached to know what it was and when they understood who it was the Souldiers of this Legion mounted the Rocks without following any Path and came to him he had then none of his houshold about him so that night he was waited on by the Souldiers he sent every where to learn news of his Troops and knowing Calvisius was safe arrived he passed the rest of the night with more tranquillity CHAP. XVIII The wreck of Caesar's Fleet. The arrival of Anthony at Brundusium He agreed with Caesar by means of Octavia THE day appearing Caesar saw his Vessels stranded upon the Coast some half burnt others quite consumed the Sea was all covered with the Wreck but that which afflicted him most was to see the Enemy approach to finish his Defeat He sent to Calvisius to put the remainders of his Fleet into a fighting posture and he himself prepared to assist him The Enemies were ready drawn up in battalia without moving waiting to engage Calvisius as soon as ever he began to work When immediately the Sea began to run very high with a Southerly wind Pompey retired into the Port of Messana Menas who had a perfect experience in Sea affairs stood into the Ossin with his Vessels where he rode with all his Anchors down and stemmed the head Sea with the force of his Oars so the greatest fury of the Storm fell upon Caesar's Gallies who were anchored close by the shoar and had ran out Booms betwixt them and it to hinder their striking But the Wind increasing and the Sea rolling upon them very furiously all fell into disorder and after the Cables broke and gave way some were buldged against the Rocks and others stranded The noise of the Storm hindred the Pilots from being heard they could no longer work the Ships so that in this confusion falling foul of one another the weakest were split by the stronger There one might see Souldiers Sailors and Officers swallowed by the
the most probable and having most resemblance to the modern Discipline The Romans therefore formed their first Battalions of their youngest raw Souldiers which they called Bo-Hastati the second were those who had served some years and were named Principes the old Souldiers were in the rere and there was the Post of the Eagles which were the Ensigns Colonel and the other Ensigns of the Legions These old Souldiers called Triarii waited the Success of the first Battalions with one Knee upon the ground and leaning upon their Bucklers and still as the first bodies were broke or gave way they retired into the intervals in the rere and then the third line rose up and closing the ranks the Battalions left no interval at all but marched up to the Enemies and charged in one continued front In all these occasions the Horse always acted separate detaches from the Legions and with the light-armed Foot was posted on the Wings or right and left of the Army they were armed almost like the legionary Foot onely their Javelins were longer and their Shields were lighter This is what hath been thought fit to be explained but here the Reader is desired to be so charitable as not to think it done to make any vain shew of reading or learning for every one knows these things are but trifles and very common amongst the learned what is done here is onely for the information of those whose business and emploiments will not permit them to make enquiry themselves among Books of this nature THE CONTENTS TO The First Volume CHap. I. The estate of the Roman Common-wealth after Cataline's Conspiracy Pag. 1. Caesar's design upon Cicero and Cicero's reply to Metellus Nepos p. 9. Chap. III. Concerning Clodius and the return of Pompey p. 14. Chap. IV. Pompey makes the Consuls He ruffles the Senate The Vnion of Caesar and Pompey p. 21. Caesar's Consulship and what follow'd p. 25. Chap. VI. The pursuit of Caesar's Consulship The Affair of Vettius Clodius admitted into the popular Order The Banishment of Cicero p. 29. Chap. VII The Departure of Caesar for the Gallick War and the return of Cicero p. 35. Chap. VIII Cicero unites himself with Pompey who is chosen Consul with Crassus Their union with Caesar after his first Triumvirate p. 40. Chap. IX Pompey and Crassus get themselves invested in Governments The Cause of Division between Caesar and Pompey p 46. Chap. X. The Death of Pompey's Wife Julia The Magnificent Shews he gave the People The Death of Clodius p. 49. Chap. XI Pompey sole Consul Caesar secures himself of the favour of the Roman People p. 54. Pompey's Laws Curio goes over to Caesar's Interest p. 59. Chap. XIII Curio declareth himself against Pompey Caesar returns the Legion that Pompey had lent him p. 63. Chap. XIV Caesar sends a Letter to the Senate They declare War against him Anthony and Curio the Tribunes of the People go to find out Caesar p. 66. Chap. XV. The Passage of the Rubicon and the taking of Rimini p. 70. Chap. XVI The amazement of the Senatours They leave Rome and retire to Capua p. 73. Chap. XVII Some Propositions of Peace between Caesar and Pompey but without any success p. 76. Chap. XVIII The Progress of Caesar. He seizes upon the March of Ancona The siege of Corfinium p. 79. Chap. XIX The taking of Corfinium Caesar gives Domitius and the other Senatours their liberty He writes to Cicero p. 83. Chap. XX. New Propositions for Peace Caesar besieges Pompey in Brundusium Pompey retires by Sea p. 87. Chap. XXI Caesar goes to Rome by the way sees Cicero He seizes upon the money of the publick Treasury and goes into Spain The Siege of Marseilles p. 92. Chap. XXII Pompey gathers together great Forces Fabius enters Spain with the Troops belonging to Caesar p. 96. Chap. XXIII Caesar joins his Army and marches against Petreius and Afranius p. 99. Chap. XXIV The Battel of Lerida p. 101. Caesar's Army reduced to great extremities by the overflowing of two Rivers Cicero and a great many other Senatours go to find out Pompey p. 104. Chap. XXVI Caesar passes the Segre and pursues Afranius and Petreius p. 108. Chap. XXVII Different motions of the two Armies Caesar besieges the Enemies two Generals p. 111. Chap. XXVIII Petreius causes several of Caesar's Souldiers to be slain He decampeth and Caesar follows him but without a design of defeating him utterly p. 116. Chap. XXIX Afranius and Petreius pressed for want of Provision surrender themselves to Caesar with all their Army p. 120. Chap. XXX The Continuation of the Siege of Marseilles and the taking of that City Caesar chosen Dictatour The Defeat and Death of Curio in Africa p. 123. Pompey's Forces The Defeat of Dolabella and Caesar's Lieutenants Brutus goes to find out Pompey p. 127. Chap. XXXII A Mutiny amongst Caesar's Troops He reduces them to their Duty by his Eloquence and Resolution He is chosen Consul with Servilius and makes new Laws p. 130. Chap. XXXIII Caesar with part of his Army goes into Greece some Discourse of Peace but to no purpose Two Armies draw towards one another near Durazzo p. 133. Chap. XXXIV Caesar exposes himself alone in a Skiff to go and find the rest of his Army p. 137. Chap. XXXV The happy arrival of Caesar's Troops in Greece Caelius and Milo raising disturbances in Italy are slain p. 140. Chap. XXXVI Marcus Antonius joins himself with Caesar in spight of Pompey who retreats to Aspargua near Durazzo p. 143. Chap. XXXVII Caesar offers Battel to Pompey who refuses it They both post themselves near Durazzo Caesar hemmed in by the lines of Pompey's Camp p. 146. Chap. XXXVIII A fight between Caesar and Pompey's Troops p. 150. Chap. XXXIX Pompey attacks Caesar's Fortifications The Valour of Sceva Pompey quits his Camp the Treason of Roscillus and Aegus p. 154. Chap. XL. Pompey attacks Caesar's Trenches great disorder amongst Caesar's Troops he confirms them by his Presence p. 158. Chap. XLI Caesar in a great Battel is overthrown Pompey loses the opportunity of totally routing him Caesar's opinion upon that occasion p. 161. Caesar's Discourse to his Troops to confirm them He decamps to march toward Thessaly Pompey follows him p. 165. Chap. XLIII Caesar goes into Apolonia Domitius joins himself with him The taking of Gomphes and Metropolis p. 169. Chap. XLIV Scipio joins his Troops with those of Pompey's They post themselves in the Plains of Pharsalia The approach of the two Armies Pompey's uneasiness p. 172. Chap. XLV Pompey forced to fight against his Opinion His Discourse with Labienus Some Presages p. 175. Chap. XLVI The order of the two Armies The two Generals speak to their Souldiers to encourage them to the Fight p. 178. Chap. XLVII The Battel of Pharsalia The Fierceness of Crastinus The Flight of Pompey and overthrow of his Troops p. 181. Chap. XLVIII Some other Presages reported to Caesar p. 187. Chap. XLIX Pompey puts to Sea and takes in King Dejotarus and goes
Cassius p. 407. Chap. XXXIX Cassius lays waste the City of Tharsus He joins himself with Brutus They take measures for carrying on the War p. 410. Chap. XL. Cassius attacks Rhodes The siege of that City The taking and desolation of Rhodes by Cassius p. 413. Chap. XLI Brutus enters into Lycia He besieges the City Xanthus p. 417. Chap. XLII The taking of Xanthus The fury and despair of the Xanthians p. 420. Chap. XLIII Caesar and Antonius caused their Troops to pass into Macedonia Cassius joins himself with Brutus Their interview p. 424. Chap. XLIV Brutus sees a Ghost Cassius satisfies him by his Reasons p. 426. Chap. XLV The Forces of Cassius and Brutus Those of Antonius and Caesar. Cassius speaks to his Souldiers p. 429. Chap. XLVI The two Armies draw near each other A description of the City of Philippi and its out-works p. 432. Chap. XLVII The two Armies retrench themselves Their different movements and some skirmishes The uneasiness of Cassius p. 434. Chap. XLVIII Antonius possesses himself of a Post behind the Enemies Camp Brutus resolves to fight contrary to the Opinion of Cassius p. 437. Chap. XLIX The Battel of Philippi Brutus overthrows Caesar's Troops Cassius being defeated by Antonius in despair kills himself p. 439. Brutus's Melancholy His Fleet defeats that of Caesar and Antonius and Brutus knows not of it He speaks to his Troops to confirm them p. 444. Chap. LI. Brutus utterly defeated by Antonius and Caesar p. 447. Brutus's last Words and Death Messala goes over to Caesar with all his Forces p. 452. THE CONTENTS TO THE CONTINUATION CHap. I. After the Battel of Philippi Anthony and Caesar bring their Enemies to punishment They part the Forces of Pompey Caesar goes into Italy p. 457. Chap. II. Anthony goes into Grecia he stays at Athens he goes into Asia where he is honourably received his Speech to the Deputies p. 463. Chap. III. Cleopatra Queen of Aegypt her Character she comes to Anthony their interview Anthony puts Arsinoe the Sister of Cleopatra to death p. 470. Caesar's Sickness He comes to Rome His difficulties in distributing Rewards The dangers he run upon this occasion p. 475. Chap. V. Misunderstandings between Caesar Fulvia and Lucius They come to open War The Negligence of Pompey p. 485. Chap. VI. Fagius Lieutenant of Caesar is overthrown in Africa by Anthony's Lieutenant Caesar and Lucius make preparations of war against each other p. 491. Chap. VII The Forces of the two Parties The Characters of the principal Officers as Agrippa Salvidienus Ventidius and Pollio Lucius is besieged in Perusia p. 496. Chap. VIII The Siege of Perusia Caesar in danger The extreme misery of the besieged p. 501. Chap. IX Lucius resolves to treat with Caesar He Harangues his Souldiers and sends Deputies to Caesar p. 507. Chap. X. Lucius Speech to Caesar his Answer p. 511. Chap. XI Lucius and Caesar part Lucius delivers up the Town Caesar speaks to the besieged Souldiers with indignation he punishes the Senatours of Perusia the Town is pillaged and by accident burnt Tiberius continues the War in the Kingdom of Naples from whence he is driven by Caesar p. 516. Chap. XII The diversions of Anthony and Cleopatra The Prodigality of their Entertainments The ingenuity of Cleopatra p. 521. Chap. XIII Anthony receives the news of his Brother's defeat He resolves for War and makes an alliance with Pompey Caesar marries Scribonia The death of Fulvia Anthony is Master of Domitius his Fleet which yields to him p. 526. Chap. XIV Anthony arrives at Brundusium He is refused entrance The Veterans force Caesar and him to agree They come to a Treaty by the mediation of Cocceius Anthony marries Octavia The punishment and Death of Salvidienus p. 531. Chap. XV. Rome afflicted with Famine the People mutiny against Anthony and Caesar they agree with Pompey his Generosity p. 541. Chap. XVI The People's Ioy upon the first News of the Peace Caesar goes into Gaul and Anthony stays at Athens p. 548. Chap. XVII New Causes of breach between Caesar and Pompey Caesar marries Livia Several Fights between the Lieutenants of Caesar and Pompey p. 552. Chap. XVIII The wreck of Caesar's Fleet. The arrival of Anthony at Brundusium He agreed with Caesar by means of Octavia p. 561. Chap. XIX Caesar puts a powerfull Fleet to Sea commanded by Agrippa He attacks Pompey in Sicilia Lepidus comes to Caesar's assistence Several Actions p. 568. Chap. XX. The Actions of Agrippa against Pompey who beats Caesar's Fleet p. 574. Chap. XXI Caesar gives new Orders for the fighting of Pompey who in a general battel is entirely defeated p. 580. Pompey's flight Lepidus endeavours to make himself Master of Sicily His Souldiers forsake him to serve Caesar who orders the Affairs of Rome with great prudence p. 585. Chap. XXIII Pompey goes into Asia where he makes War The Lieutenants of Anthony fight and take him The death of Pompey p. 593. Chap. XXIV The causes of the division between Anthony and Anthony's unfortunate expedition against the Parthians his return to Alexandria p. 599. Chap. XXV Caesar accuses Anthony in the Senate He declares War against Anthony His Forces p. 605. Chap. XXVI Anthony with Cleopatra goes to Athens Plancus and several others of his Friends forsake him p. 611. Chap. XXVII The Forces of Caesar and Anthony They write sharp Letters to each other Caesar approaches Anthony's Army which lay at Actium p. 617. Chap. XXVIII The battel of Actium The retreat of Cleopatra The flight of Anthony Caesar makes himself Master of Anthony's Navy and his Land-forces p. 623. Anthony's displeasure against Cleopatra He retires into Libya and returns into Aegypt p. 630. Chap. XXX Caesar goes into Italy He pacifies the Souldiers and besieges Alexandria p. 635. Chap. XXXI Anthony defeats Caesar s Cavalry He is forsaken by his men His Despair He wounds himself Is carried to Cleopatra His Death p. 639. Chap. XXXII Caesar enters into Alexandria He visits Cleopatra Her Death The Posterity of Anthony p. 663. THE HISTORY Of the first TRIVMVIRATE Volume I. CHAP. I. The estate of the Roman Commonwealth after Catiline's Conspiracy NEVER was the City of Rome in such danger since its being sack'd and burnt by the Gauls as it appeared to be in the Conspiracy of Catiline It is impossible in the account Salust gives of it without horrour to reade of the Rage the Madness the Debauchery and Ambition of that Man and yet at the same time his Address in managing a design that was to carry fire and sword ev'n into the very Bowels of his Countrey But the wisedom and vigilancy of Cicero hindred its taking effect and Catiline was slain at the Head of those Troops he was leading against the City But neither this man's defeat or death was sufficient to settle so firm a peace in that City but that still she lay exposed to the enterprises which some more Ambitious Senatours than the rest were always forming against her Liberty Nor could their
to the rout had not Fabius come up to their relief with all his Troops Caesar in the mean while marched to joyn him with eight hundred Horse and in two days made that Road which reaches from the Pyreneans down to the Segre After that he had understood the disposition of the places and of the Countrey and that the rest of his Troops were arrived he gave orders for the repairing of one of those Bridges which the River had broken down and left six Cohorts with all his Baggage to guard the Bridge and his Camp Marching embaâ—â—elled in three Lines till he came within view of the Enemy Afranius appeared with his Troops in Battalia upon an eminence where he was encamped and where Caesar could not attack him which oblig'd him to post himself four hundred paces onely from the foot of the Mountain The Romans never used to encamp without retrenching themselves within a Ditch and a Palisade which the Legionary Souldiers could throw up in an instant every one of them besides his Arms carrying a stake upon his Shoulders for the making of the Palisade This was their first work and this they supported with Earth and Turf for the forming of a Rampart Caesar that he might not be disturbed in intrenching left his two foremost lines to remain in Battalia while the third wrought under the shelter of the two others and threw up a Ditch of fifteen foot breadth so that face of the Camp which looked towards the Enemy was fortifi'd e'er Afranius could perceive it Then Caesar caused his Troops to retreat by the two ends of the Trench His whole Army were all that night at their Arms and the next day he drew up three Legions in Battalia behind the Ditch As it was a hard matter to get Turf he contented himself to cause a Trench to be thrown up upon the other sides of his Camp by the three Legions who were not at their Arms. The work was completed in a few days though Afranius and Petreius made some attempts to hinder it but unsuccessfully so that being in so good a condition as it was Caesar caused all his Equipage to come up with the Cohorts that were at the guard of the Bridge CHAP. XXIV The Battel of Lerida BEtween the Eminence where the Enemy was Encamped and the Town of Lerida there was a Plain of about three hundred paces and in the middle of that Plain a small advanced ground Caesar endeavoured to get possession of this Post and fortifie himself there by that means to take away from the Enemy the conveniency of their Bridge and their communication with the City from whence they furnished themselves with all their subsistence He caused three of his Legions to advance which he posted in three different places giving orders to the first Battalion of that Legion which was nearest to the advanced ground to run all together and possess themselves of it But the Cohorts of Afranius his advanced Guard who had less way to go got thither first and repulsed Caesar's Men. They were seconded with other Troops so that the Battel grew hot in that place The manner of fighting on both sides was very different Afranius his Souldiers accustomed to Wars against the Barbarians who never keep their ground charged fiercely at the first and advanced with a great deal of Courage but they took no care of their ranks but opened themselves in fighting and when ever they were pressed hard thought it no dishonour to give ground and abandon their Posts and this Caesar says happened in regard that Souldiers easily learn the Discipline of those places where they have longest served Caesar's Men on the contrary thought it was for their Honour to fight Embodied and to keep their ranks and never to quit their Colours nor their Posts In the mean time the manner of the Enemies fighting surprised them by its Novelty they believed that they should be hemm'd in and the whole Battalion moved with a great deal of disorder and the astonishment had certainly reached the rest of the Troops who were not accustomed to see themselves push't by their Enemies had not Caesar assured them by his presence He caused a Legion to go on entire and it was the ninth which put a stop to the Attempts of the Enemy and charged them so hotly that they retreated under the walls of Lerida But that Legion enraged with the affront they had received engaged themselves too inconsiderately in so dangerous a place upon the steep part of the rising ground upon which the City was built Afranius his Souldiers returned to the charge and as they had gotten the advantage of the place and Caesar also had recruited his Men the Battel lasted five hours upon that spot with great disadvantage to Caesar's Party who were forced to fight up hill and where every Dart from the Enemy did execution which last obliged them to run up with their Swords in their hands and with so much vigour that they pushed the Enemies Party which were in the Trenches and the others also in the same place By this time Caesar's Horse were with difficulty advanced to favour their retreat which they made without any disorder Both Parties attributed to themselves the Honour of the Victory Caesar because his Troops had maintained the fight for five hours in so disadvantageous a Post and that they had with their Swords in their hands put the Enemy to flight And Afranius for that his being less in number had had at first the advantage and that he still remained Master of the Post for which they fought and which he caused to be fortified CHAP. XXV Caesar's Army reduced to great extremities by the overflowing of two Rivers Cicero and a great many other Senatours go to find out Pompey AN Accident which happened two days after this Battel gave him still greater hopes The Rains which fell in abundance and melted the Snow upon the Mountains so swelled up the two Rivers that the Rapidity of the Waters carried away both Caesar's Bridges so that he saw himself shut up between two over-flown Rivers and could receive neither Convoys of Provisions nor those powerfull succours which he expected out of Gaul and Italy This was at the beginning of Summer when the Corn was not yet ripe enough for the making of Bread Besides Afranius his Spaniards being well acquainted with the Countrey and accustomed to pass the Rivers in Goat-skins which they always carried with them to the Wars continually met and fell upon Caesar's Men when ever any of them were stragling or out from the rest Afranius on the other side had great store of Corn and other Provisions which he still supply'd himself withall out of that part of the Countrey which lay behind his Camp and which had not yet been ravaged Caesar attempted to repair his Bridges but the largeness and violence of the Rivers rendered all his endeavours fruitless besides that the Enemy disturbed the Work with flights of Darts from the
discover that his Horse had joined the Enemy that they extremely pressed their Rere-guard and had put them into disorder which was easily to be guessed from the confusion of their motion The Souldiers ran about the Camp crying that the Enemy would escape and yet protract the War longer than there was necessity for it They desired their Officers to assure Caesar that they would refuse no Fatigue to come to a Battel and that they could easily foard over where the Horse had gone before them This eagerness of theirs was the reason that he left the weakest of his Men with one Legion to guard his Camp And after having disposed a great many Horse both above and below the Ford he caused his other Legions to pass over without their Baggage some of the Souldiers were carried away by the swiftness of the Stream but were saved by the horsemen So that all the Army got over without the loss of one Man Assoon as they came on the other side of the Ford they drew up in Battalia and Marched so fast that though they were forced to go six Miles about and had lost a great deal of time in passing the River they joined the Enemy before three a Clock in the Afternoon who had come away at midnight Afranius and Petreius drew up their Troops upon the hill Caesar kept his on the Plain being unwilling weary as they were to expose them to a Battel But in the moment that the two Generals moved towards a retreat he followed them without resting and forced them to Encamp much sooner than they had at first resolved CHAP. XXVII Different motions of the two Armies Caesar besieges the Enemies tow Generals FRom the place where they were Encamped there was a Plain of five Miles reaching to the Mountains and Defiles which they had a mind to possess themselves of to put a stop to Caesar's Cavalry and go without danger as far as the Ebre Caesar understood this design and that they intended silently to quit their Camp so he immediately ordered a cry in his Camp of Load the Baggage which was an usual Cry amongst the Roman Souldiers This noise kept the Enemy in their Trenches fearing lest they should be surprised in disorder upon their march but at break of day Petreius went to take an account of the Defiles with a small party of Horse Decidius Saxa had received the same orders from Caesar they both brought back word to their Camp that he who first got possession of those Defiles might cut off from the Enemy the passage to the Ebre Afranius and Petreius called a Council of War whether they should depart that night or stay till morning those that were of the opinion to stay till morning carried it by reason of the hazard they must run should they be ingaged to a Battel in the dark where the Souldiers especially in a Civil War as this was would not be retained by the example of their Officers nor any sense of their own shame At break of day Caesar left his Trenches and marched with all his Troops towards the Hills taking a great Circuit without keeping any certain Road. The Vallies were very difficult of passage being full of sharp Rocks and rough ways But the Souldiers persuaded that the price of the Victory and the end of all their Toils depended upon their diligence to ease themselves gave their Arms to those who were first got over and so supported one another in the passage Immediately Afranius's men having left their Trenches and observing the motion of Caesar's Army which was not toward the way which led to the Mountains by reason of their going about believed that prest for want of Forrage he was upon his retreat upon which they set up great hootings and their Commanders were very glad that they had stayed for the day without running any hazard in the night But when they perceived by their facing to the right that the first of the Troops were already got on the other side of their Camp they thought it high time for them to depart and prevent the Enemy so they cryed to Arms and marched after having left some Cohorts to guard the Camp and the Baggage It was their business to try who could first get possession of the Mountains The difficulty of the ways was a great hindrance to Caesar's Troops but his Cavalry as much incommoded those of Afranius So they already saw themselves necessitated to lose their Baggage to save themselves for Caesar's Horse had got between them and their Camp The matter of importance was who should make themselves Masters of the Defiles Caesar by the diligence of his Men carried it where after having passed the Rocks which were almost inaccessible found the Plain where he might draw up his Legions in Battalia The two Generals seeing the Infantry before them and the Horse behind them made a hault upon a hill from whence they detached four Cohorts of Spaniards who were disigned to get possession of a Mountain which seemed to be the highest and by that means to open themselves a way to the Ebre But they were hemmed in by Caesar's Horse who cut them all to pieces in sight of both Armies His Souldiers pressed him that he would take that occasions to complete the defeat of his Enemies whose fear appeared by the disorder their Colours were in but he would not doe it for he saw the Victory assured without fighting and was resolved to spare the bloud of his Souldiers so he caused his Cavalry to retreat and gave the Enemy liberty to return to their Camp which they had quitted in the morning Caesar leaving some Troops at the Defiles and having blockt up the passage to the Ebre came the next day and posted himself in sight of their Trenches They had but two things to chuse either to return to Lerida or go to Tarracona As they were consulting upon this news was brought them that Caesar's Cavalry had fallen upon theirs which were gone to get water which obliged them to send more Legionary Cohorts seconded with Cavalry to maintain a work they designed to make by throwing up a Trench as far as the Segre The two Generals divided themselves for this Design and as they were busying themselves about it their Souldiers left their Trenches and came to a Parley with Caesar's they almost all of them knew one another being of the same City and most of them either Friends or Relations They gave them thanks that the day before they had not fallen upon them in that disorder they were then in they bemoaned themselves that they should be forc't to carry Arms against Men who for so many reasons ought to be dear to them In short they demanded surety for their Generals promising in that case to surrender themselves to Caesar to whom also they deputed their Principal Centurions for a Treaty In the mean while inviting Caesar's Souldiers into their Camp and carrying them into their Tents where they
The next day he began to march hoping that he might prevent the Enemy by a shorter way than that which they had been forced to make use of But Caesar having foreseen what might happen and incouraging his Souldiers by his words and his own Example left them onely a small part of the night to rest themselves in and arrived the next morning under the Walls of Durazzo when they began to discover the Van of Pompey's Army who immediately calling a Council of War went and possessed himself of a Hill called Petra which commanded the Sea and under which there was a small shelter for Ships where very few winds could come to annoy them They both immediately intrenched themselves in the Posts they had taken Pompey caused a party of his Ships to come under his Camp and immediately sent into Asia and the other Countries which held for him to fetch Provisions and Ammunition Caesar perceiving then that the War might in all likelyhood last long that he had very little Corn and that his places of Retreat on the Coasts of Italy and Spain were very uncertain sent Canuleius one of his Lieutenants into Epirus He caused Magazines to be lodged from place to place in regard that Province was a great way off and ordered all the Neighbouring Towns to come out and work at the Carriages Moreover he caused what Corn could be found in the Island in the Burrough Towns of the Parthians and all the other Castles to be brought in to him But as that Soil could furnish him with very little Pompey having already ruined all those places and taken away the Corn the succours proved to be but very inconsiderable This put Caesar upon a design which he conceived might be feasible from the nature and disposition of the ground All round Pompey's Camp there were certain little Hills that were high and hard to climb these Caesar possessed himself of and built Towers upon them in the nature of Redoubts then causing lines of Communication to be drawn from Mountain to Mountain or other works according to the disposition of the place endeavoured by that circumvallation to block up Pompey Pompey on his part endeavoured to extend himself and take in as much of the Countrey as was possible with the length of his Works which he carried on very far fortifying from Hill to Hill so that with four and twenty Redoubts he possessed a space of 15000 paces where his Cavalry found Forrage and where also there were abundance of Fields sown with Corn We shall not undertake to judge of the Conduct of these great Men to rashly as other Authours have done who have declared that all those Works were of no use nor advantage for they had both of them their particular reasons for what they did and Caesar has reported some of his saying That his design was to cut off from Pompey 's Cavalry the liberty of going out in Parties for that they were more in number than his and might very much incommode his Convoy's take from him the conveniency of Forrage and by that means render them unfit for service Besides his business was to beat down that high esteem which kept up Pompey 's Party amongst the Nations that were Strangers when all the world should know that he was invested by Caesar and that he durst not venture the hazard of a Battel For it was that which Pompey could by no means be brought to nor to go far from the Sea from whence he had all his Provisions nor from Durazzo where were all his Engines his Darts and other Ammunitions of War and in fine it appears with great likelyhood that these Leaders both of them accomplished in the Art of War and instructed by long experience of the many advantages which a sudden occasion well managed might offer especially between two Armies so near to one another were both of them watchfull for the first opportunity In effect as Caesar's Men dayly carried on their Works to prevent their being attacked in their Rere those of Pompey did the same to enlarge themselves and hinder the Enemy from assaulting them upon the Flancks They had the advantage in number besides their 's being the innermost circumvallation was not extended so far as Caesar's And though Pompey avoided a general Battel nevertheless he dayly sent out his Archers and Slingers against the Enemy which obliged Caesar's Souldiers to make certain Blinds with Clothes and Skins for their defence against the Arrows CHAP. XXXVIII A fght between Caesar and Pompey's Troops CAesar applied himself principally to shut up the Enemy with his lines who on their part endeavoured the gaining more ground which was the reason that no day passed without some encounter or other Caesar's ninth Legion had taken possession of an advanced ground where they began to fortify themselves when from a Neighbouring eminence almost level with it Pompey sent his Lancers against that Legion and then caused his light armed Souldiers to advance with Engines wherewith he played upon those that wrought Therefore as it was a very hard task for Caesar's Souldiers to fight and work both at the same time and considering how they were battered on every side he resolved to draw them off but as he was to make his retreat by the steep part of the Mountain it proved a business very nice and dangerous The Enemy who believed that their fear was the occasion of their retreat became more fierce and prest them so much the closer and it has been observed that Pompey was so far transported as to say That he would be contended to be thought no Souldier if Caesar 's Legions got off from that place where they had so rashly engaged themselves without loss Nevertheless this was Caesar's design he caused a great many Hurdles to be brought and planted towards the front of the Enemy upon the bending of the hill behind these he ordered the throwing up of a little Ditch and all the Avenues to be intangled and filled up with cumbersome matter after this he drew up his Slingers to favour the retreat and marched his Legions through their intervals This proceeding augmented the fury of Pompey's Souldiers who had already thrown down the Hurdles to pass the Ditch when Caesar gave the word of Command to face about and after that Antonius who Commanded that Legion had exhorted them to behave themselves well he Commanded to sound a charge and attack those that were come over the Souldiers at their close order discharged their Javelins and running up with their Swords in their hands drove back those of Pompey and put them to flight The Ditch the Hurdles and the other incumbrances incommoded them very much and was the occasion that a great many of them perished but Caesar's Men being contented to have secured their Retreat returned back after having killed a great number of the Enemy and onely lost five Men of their own This manner of making War from Mountain to Mountain was doubtless very extraordinary
to shew the power which â—he usurpes over all things and especially in War had not proved unconstant The Cohorts of Caesar's Right Wing searching for the entrance into the Camp followed the outside of that Trench which led them to the River believing that it was the Rampart of the Camp when perceiving their Errour they put themselves upon the Rampart and as there was no body there to defend it passed easily all the Cavalry followed these Cohorts seeking for breaches to enter This unhappy proceeding gave Pompey time to come to their succour with the Fifth Legion putting all his Cavalry before him so that both parts of the Camp which was attacked at the same time discover'd Pompey Marching Embattelled with his legions At sight of this every thing began to change the Legion that was besieged by the hope of this Succour recovered so much courage as to make a Sally and Charge those of Caesar. His Cavalry finding themselves disordered in passing the Ramparts thought of nothing but how to save themselves and his right and left wing being separated were equally terrified with seeing the Horse upon the flight and fearing to be cut in pieces in that strait place hurried through the breaches of the Ramparts with so much disorder that a great many falling headlong into the Ditches the others passed over them to save themselves The Souldiers of the left wing seeing the Succours of Pompey the overthrow of their Friends and the Enemy before and behind them sought to return through the place where they entred At last nothing but disorder fear and a total rout was every where to be seen so that in spight of all Caesar's endeavours himself to retain the Ensigns which fled abundance of them forsook him their Colours Horses and all and run away on Foot One amongst the rest an able and strong Man but confounded with the fear he was in turned upon him the point of his Launce and had certainly killed him if his Master of the Horse at one blow had not cut off his arm At last a Party of Pompey's Horse appearing at the entrance of the Camp forced them to make head in that place Pompey pursued his Victory as far as Caesar's very Camp but durst not attack it in which he committed a fault which cost him dear in the consequence Caesar avouches That his Army might have been entirely overthrown upon that occasion and farther adds That he had been lost without redress could Pompey have known how to have made use of the Victory For this he gives three Reasons That Pompey was afraid of falling into an Ambuscade That his Cavalry amused themselves too long with desiring to force the entrance into the Trenches And that that defeat happening beyond his hopes he knew not immediately how to take the right course To this we may add That in all likelihood Pompey's Troops suffered themselves to be deluded that in spight of him they would follow the Runaways and that he would not engage himself to attack Caesar's Camp knowing well that he left behind him a brave and daring Enemy with a great part of his Forces CHAP. XLII Caesar's discourse to his Troops to confirm them he Decamps to March toward Thessaly Pompey follows him CAesar lost a great many Men upon these two occasions which happened both in the same day Some have given an account of Nine hundred and sixty Souldiers Thirty two Ensigns and a great many excellent Officers amongst others Tuticanus and Felginas who were both Gauls another Felginas of Plaisance Gravius Sacrativir and Thirty Tribunes or Centurions Pompey and his whole Party were much encouraged with the Victory and sent the News of it over all the World reporting That Caesar was totally routed and with what miserable Troops he had left fled before them It is true indeed that reflecting upon his conduct he passed the next night not very pleasantly But as he understood the valour of his Souldiers and knowing that the disorder was occasioned by themselves and not by the vigour of the Enemy having besides been used to the changeableness of Fortune and the effects of a panick Fear where an unseasonable apprehension intangles the greatest Armies and the disorders which the Imprudence of a General Officer or the negligence of any particular Commander may produce he would not suffer himself to lose either his courage or his hopes but he imagined that it might be proper wholly to change the manner of that War and to speak to his Souldiers Therefore he caused them to quit the Fortifications all at the same time and when he had re-assembled them I see nothing says he in this occasion which ought to trouble you and after so many Battels wherein ye have won glory and advantage gallant Men ought not to be discouraged with a little disgrace We ought to thank Fortune for our Conquest of all Italy which cost 〈◊〉 not a wound for our subduing Spain possessed by powerfull Armies under experienced and able Commanders and reducing so easily those rich and fertile Provinces which now lie round us Remember still the good Fortune ye had in passing the Sea to come hither even through the Fleets of your Enemies when not onely the Havens but the very Rivers too were taken up by their Troops If in this last encounter Fortune seemed to have forsaken us correct her Capricioâ—sness by your own Valour and Industry For it is easie to perceive that her fault and not your own has brought upon us the present misfortune the place of Battel was well chosen ye carried the Enemies Camp at the first onset ye beat and put them to flight with your Swords in your hands and if one little disorder one errour of Inadvertency or indeed if destiny it self has deprived us of the advantage we had gotten ye ought to endeavour to recover it by your proper virtue so this Misfortune shall turn to your glory as it did in Gergoria and those who in this Battel have shewn the least fear shall be the first to charge the Enemy in the next After this Harangue he Cashiered some Ensigns but he had not need to make any other examples For the Souldiers offered and would voluntarily have undertaken great Labours to punish themselves They desired a Battel where they might either all die or be revenged Some of the Chief Officers were of opinion that this eagerness ought to be made use of But Caesar thought otherwise so he commanded his Baggage with all the Sick and Wounded to March in the beginning of the night towards Apolonia He gave them one Legion for their Convoy with order to make no stop till they came to the place These orders being executed retaining two Legions in his Camp at Three a Clock in the Morning he caused all the other Legions to March out by the Avenues and follow the Baggage and a little while after making the usual Cries according to the Custome of Military Discipline at that time he departed at
The Hastaâ—i the Principes and Triarii the first Battalion seconding the second and the second the third The Battalions were each of them of sixteen hundred Men drawn up in half Cohorts that is to say two hunred Men in rank and eight Men in file The Legions of Syria were in the middle and Scipio Commanded them The Spanish Cohorts and Legion of Silicia whom Pompey principally relyed on were upon the Right under the Command of Domitius Enofarbus Pompey put himself upon the left where Lentulus Commanded with the two Legions that Caesar had restored in the beginning of the War The other Cohorts were in the same order between the Legions of Scipio and the two Wings The Auxiliary Troops at least those who fought in order as the Greeks did made the body of Reserve For the others Pompey had caused them to draw out without order upon the left with his Archers Slingers and all his Cavalry his Right being fortified with a River that was hard to pass Caesar had onely 24 Cohorts who made but twenty two thousand Men reckoning the two Cohorts which he had left to guard his Camp His Army was drawn up also upon three lines in the same order with Pompey's the tenth Legion was upon the Right and the ninth upon the Left and because that that Legion was weak the eighth was so near it that they both seemed to make but one Body with orders to second one another The rest of the Cohorts being drawn up between these Legions were in the Centre where Domitius Calvinus Commanded Sylla having the right Wing and Antonius the left Caesar put himself at the head of the tenth Legion whose Valour he had often experienced and also to be opposite to Pompey whose design was to fall upon the flanks of Caesar's Troops who soon observed it by his order of Battel so he drew six Cohorts out of all his Troops whereof he composed a body of Reserve he exactly instructed them in what they were to doe and above all gave them to understand that all the hopes of Victory depended upon their Valour Moreover he ordered his third line not to march till they should receive a siâ—nal from him In fine his Cavalry to the number of a thousand Horse covered the right of the tenth Legion The Armies being thus in sight of one another the two Generals went from Rank to Rank encouraging their Souldiers Pompey represented to his the Iustice and Merit of the Cause they defended The advantage of their number strengthened by the assistence of so many illustrious Senatours and the Victory of Durazzo Caesar was contented onely to demonstrate That he had endeavoured by all ways possible to obtain an honourable Peace and if his Enemies had been willing they might have spared the Republick the bloud of so many brave Men. So seeing the impatience of his Souldiers to fall on he gave the signal of Battel CHAP. XLVII The Battel of Pharsalia The fierceness of Crastinus The flight of Pompey and overthrow of his Troops HE had a Voluntier in his Army called Crastinus who the last year was eldest Brigadiere of the tenth Legion This man coming up to Caesar General said he I intend this day to give you reason to speak well of me whether I live or die And then calling to him the Souldiers he had Commanded Follow me he cryed this is the last occasion we shall ever have to acquit our selves of the duty we owe our General and recover our Liberty After these words he advanced and was followed with about twenty six Voluntiers there was onely so much space between the two Armies as was just sufficient for the place of Battel but Pompey had ordered his Men to remain firm at their Posts which Conduct Caesar blamed him for and we may depend upon his Opinion for it and the reasons which he has given in his Commentaries His Souldiers seeing that the Enemy would spare them no ground behaved themselves like Men who very well understood their business and of their own accord made a hault in the midst of their Carriere and after having taken breath a little ran on upon the Enemy where they first discharged their Javelins and then drew their Swords as Caesar had given them orders Pompey's Men received the Charge without the least disorder and then made their discharge and drew their Swords also their word of Battel was Hercules the Invincible and Caesar's Venus the Victorious The Battel was cruel and bloudy as it could not be otherwise between so many brave Men animated by their Glory and particular Interests both sides had an Ambition either to Conquer the Enemy or die upon the spot without appearing the least disordered either with the horrible noise of Arms or the cries of the wounded and dying Men that fell on both sides Crastinus with his little Troop routed the Rank that opposed him and had charged into the middle of the Battalion where he was stopped and born dead to the ground by a wound with a Sword which pierced his head through the mouth and came out at the nape of the neck by this means the Victory became doubtfull in that place when Pompey Commanded his Cavalry to go on It consisted of the chiefest of the Roman Nobility and the Allies all young handsome Men and such as had great care of their Persons At first they made Caesar's Men give ground and had got upon the flank of his Army when causing the six Cohorts to advance which were his body of Reserve he gave them order to march with their Pikes ported and in that manner to charge upon the face of their Enemies This contrivance disordered those young Men and the fear of spoyling their faces put them into confusion so that Caesar's Cavalry rallying charged upon them and brake them to pieces in a moment They had not the courage to rally but galloped full speed to the Neighbouring Mountains All the Slingers and Archers being thus abandoned by the Cavalry were cut to pieces and Caesar's Men following their advantage came and charged Pompey's Troops upon the naked flank They had maintained the fight with a great deal of resolution and though that Charge had disordered them the Allies defended themselves on every side when Casar gave the signal for his third Line to advance so those fresh Troops pouring in upon those of Pompey who were wearied and attacked on every side easily broke them The flight began amongst the Strangers who getting into their Camp and securing what they well could carry away fled full speed though Pompey's right Wing still stood and kept their ground but Caesar's causing a Cry to be given out Of kill the Strangers but save the Romans was the reason that the Romans laid down their Arms and demanded Quarter which was given them accordingly But there was a terrible slaughter amongst the Strangers Pompey seeing himself as he said afterwards betrayed by the Cowardise of those Troops on whom he most depended the
great Cruelty putting the men to death and castrating the Boys Caesar added moreover That he ought to quit Pontus and restore their Goods again to the Romans after which he might accept perhaps of his Present being a Crown of Gold which he had refused Pharnaces having received this answer desired time for the satisfying of these demands But Caesar seeing through his Artifices resolved to get nearer to him by that means either to bring him to Obedience or give him Battel He had with him onely four Legions one of old Troops by their fatigues and marches reduced to a little more than a thousand men one belonging to Dejotarus and two of those which had been beaten under Domitius With these Forces he advanced as far as Ziela a City of Pontus near to which Mithridates had heretofore got the better of the Romans This seemed a favourable Omen to Pharnaces who was the Son of that King Therefore as Caesar was causing a Hill to be fortified about 1000 paces from the Enemies Camp this Prince despising the small number of the Romans and the Troops which he had once beaten quitted his Trenches and came to attack them when Caesar seeing him in the Valley which separated the two Camps where his Battalions were one above another because the place was narrow and where says he no man of common sense would ever have engaged himself he despised his want of Experience but when at the same time he saw him coming up the Hill where he was posted admiring his Courage or indeed rather his Rashness he gave the signal of Battel This surprizal caused at first some disorder amongst the Romans which was augmented by those Chariots armed with Scithes which marched at the head of the Enemy and rendred the Battel very bloudy but when Caesar's People and especially the Veteran Legion had recovered their order they forced the Enemy to give ground and defeated them with so great a slaughter that Caesar several times could not forbear saying That Pompey was very happy to have gotten so much glory at so easie a rate against such an Enemy It was also for this Victory that when he Triumphed at Rome he bore this famous Inscription Veni Vidi Vici I came I saw I overcame In effect this absolutely put an end to the War for he took Pharnaces's Camp who fled into the remotest places of Asia he abandoned all the plunder to his Souldiers and after having restored Dejotarus his Troops again giving some necessary orders to the Neighbouring Provinces where he left two Legions under Cassius Vinicianus and establishing Mithridates of Pergama who had served him so well in Aegypt King of Bosphorus he embarked and went into Italy with a diligence which put all the world in Admiration CHAP. LVIII Caesar returns into Italy His Troops Mutiny he appeases them and returns into Africa More Battels UPON his arrival in Italy Cicero and a great many others of Pompey's Party came to meet him and were received by him as if they had always been of his Interest This his moderation and behaviour purchased him the favour of the people of Rome so that he very easily qualified all Divisions there and got himself chosen Consul but he found not matters in so good a condition amongst his Troops who were grown to that height of insolence that the tenth Legion whom for its Valour he had always particularly favoured openly revolted and killed Isconius and Galba two of the Senatours so he sent for other Troops into Rome to guard the City and notwithstanding the Counsel of his Friends to the contrary went to find out this Mutinous Legion which was drawn up in the field of Mars the pretence of their Revolt was the rewards which he had promised them before the Battel of Pharsalia Nevertheless when he appeared before them the presence of a General famous for so many Victories so brave as he was and of so noble a presence struck them with such respect that the most Insolent of them had not a word which he durst utter So he mounted upon a Tribunal and demanding of them What they had to say to him in relation to their rewards They onely begged of him to give them leave to quit their Arms alledging their age their wounds and their long service It is but just says he I do give you leave and ye may be gone This answer indeed surprized them for they believing that he had still need of their service expected that he would have given them Presents to have kept them together so that they continuing yet for some time without saying any thing As to your rewards says he those I will give you when I have triumphed over the rest of my Enemies This word rewards made them recollect themselves a little they began to believe that he would have forgotten their Revolt for they were ashamed to forsake him promising themselves yet great advantages under his Conduct besides they saw they should be but a laughing stock to both Parties there being no man in Italy who durst put himself at the head of them for this reason they expected with great apprehension how he would farther explain himself and his Friends about him very much importuned him When he began to speak to them he called them Citizens This word which seemed to degrade them was like a clap of Thunder in their Ears so they cryed out with confusion That they were Souldiers and as he made an offer to come down angrily from his Tribunal they threw themselves at his feet Conjuring him to inflict all those punishments upon them which their insolence deserved rather than disband them so shamefully This was the Point which he desired to bring them to so he remained a long time inflexible either to their prayers or their tears till at last pretending himself overcome by the importunity of his Friends he once more ascended the Tribunal and said That that Revolt so much the more surprized him for that it came from the Legion which he had distinguished by his particular favours that for all this he would not punish them after he had once so much loved them that he would allow all that he had promised them and more than that Lands too for their subsistence when he should have completed the War in Africa but that they should not follow him in that War but remain in Italy This last exception yet more and more afflicted them they offered themselves to be decimated for punishment of their fault And this submission so intirely appeased him that he consented they should have leave to follow him In this manner by his Resolution and his Address did he gloriously acquit himself in an undertaking of so much danger Caesar made but a short stay at Rome after this action and when he had re-established order and quiet in the City leaving Antonius to Command there he marched by great Journeys into Sicily He would not make his entry into any City but to
Town with great slaughter At last Minutius who Commanded there in chief desired that he might Capitulate and surrendred the place almost in the sight of Cneius After this Caesar drew nearer with his Camp and they disputed for the ground by several Works which they caused to be thrown up and which at last occasioned a great Battel wherein Caesar's Cavalry were forced to give ground to those of the Enemy which advantage seeming a kind of reparation for the loss of Atecua very much raised the courage of Cneius some of his Letters being intercepted wherein he gave account That Caesar had onely with him raw and unexperienced Souldiers that he durst not put himself upon the hazard of Battel but that nevertheless means should be found to force him to it With this imagination he went to incamp himself near Hispalis In the mean while Caesar possessed himself of two Castles and knowing that Cneius was incamped in the Plain of Munda he marched his Army thither The two Generals were equally impatient to come to an ingagement so that Cneius drew up his Troops in Battalia by break of day he had posted himself very well upon a Hill both sides whereof were defended one by the City of Munda and the other by a little River and a Marsh the exactness of their order shewed his Troops to great advantage especially his Horse who were very well armed the River also being upon his right hand and separating the Hill where he was incamped from the Plain which was five Miles in length and reached as far as Caesar's Camp He also had drawn up his Troops in Battalia and expected when the Enemy should come down into the Plain to fight him But as they never stirred above a thousand paces from the City Caesar advanced as far as the Rivolet now according to the Rules of War Cneius ought to have ingaged him in his passage but his general Officers were obstinately of Opinion to defend the Hill Caesar well perceiving that he could not come at them without great disadvantage and that they prepared themselves to charge him as he came up caused his Army to hault as if he intended to fortify himself in that Post. His Army consisted of 24 Cohorts and 8000 Horse the tenth Legion were upon the Right the third and fifth upon the Left and the Cavalry upon the Wings Cneius had fourteen Leâ—gions the Cavalry and his light armed Foot amounted to 6000 Men with an equal number of Auxiliary Troops Caesar's Souldiers murmured that he would not let them make use of the occasion to ingage and the delay so incouraged those of Cneius that they advanced upon the declining part of the Hill so both sides gave a shout and the Battel began The first shock was managed on both parts with so much courage that Casar's Men who had been used to Conquer found themselves something abated of their fierceness The tenth Legion though extremely weakned in number nevertheless pressed hard upon that which it was ingaged withall But Cneius Commanded a Legion to march up upon the Right to its assistence During this proceeding Câ—sar's Cavalry charged Pompey's left Wing who received it in very good Order so that all the Troops on both sides being now ingaged every one was to expect his safety from his own proper Valour All Authours agree that Caesar was never in so great danger as now and he himself has since declared That ever before he fought for glory but at Munda for his life He threw himself several times amongst the midst of his Enemies crying out to his People That they ought to take him and deliver him to those Children to save themselves the shame of being beaten so well did he encourage them by his speeches but much better by a thousand actions of bravery which he performed that at last with much adoe he overthrew Cneius's Troops and killed thirty thousand upon the place but he lost a thousand of his own Men and had five hundred wounded All the Ensigns were taken and Varus and Labienus slain in the Battel Cneius with 150 Horse escaped to Carteia from whence thinking to get away by Sea he was forced by the arrival of Caesar's Lieutenant to return to Land He was immediately besieged within a Tower and attacked so vigorously that being wounded in the Shoulder and the Thigh having his Heel put out of joint he was forsaken by his People and slain in a Cave where he had hid himself The young Sextus had better fortune for escaping from Cordova where he had been during the time of the Battel he concealed himself so well that Caesar could not find him or at least because he was so young mistook him After this Victory which put an end to that famous War there nothing appeared to make resistence so Caesar having given out several Orders and exacted great Contributions from the Enemies Cities under pretence of punishing their Rebellion he returned to Rome not a little glad that he had at last brought under submission that Commonwealth which gave Laws to the greatest part of the World CHAP. LXIII Caesar's return to Rome He makes several Laws The extreme Honours which were done him draw upon him the Envy of the Senate HE would needs Triumph at his return but that Triumph was by no means attended with any joyfull Acclamations of the People who were grieved to see the Memory of their beloved Pompey insulted over After this Caesar applyed himself to regulate the state of the Commonwealth and pardoned all those who had born Arms against him He caused also Pompey's Statues to be set up again and Cicero observed very properly upon that occasion saying That Caesar by restoring Pompey 's Statues secured his own He published several Laws as that which limited the expences of Feasts which he caused to be observed with all severity Another touching the use of Litters embroidered Robes and Pearls which he confined onely to certain Persons That which allowed the right of a free Citizen to all People of Quality of whatsoever profession besides a great many other very good Ordinances He sate in Judgment with wonderfull diligence and application and without suffering himself to be balanced in favour of any of the Criminals Moreover to shew that nothing should escape his care he undertook to regulate the Roman Year which was at that time very much confounded and as it consisted but of ten months according to the establishment of Romulus and Numa had taken care to add two others consisting of sixty five days nevertheless the year wanted eleven days and a quarter and though several remedies had been sought for the reforming of that Errour it happened out in succession of time that the Festivals came in seasons quite contrary to their Institution as for example those for the Vintages in Spring and those of the Harvest in Winter Caesar after having consulted upon this occasion the most able Astronomers and being himself very well instructed in that
for himself against his Enemies He was heard to say That he had rather fall by Treason once than be so miserable as to be always afraid of it And another time That the Republick had more interest than himself in his preservation that he had gotten Glory and Power enough but that after his death the Commonwealth would be more harassed with Civil Wars than ever yet it had been And one day before his death being at Supper with Lepidus as his Friends disputed amongst themselves whilst he was writing what death was easiest It is that said he turning towards them which is the most sudden and the least foreseen He disbanded his Company of Spanish Guards and contented himself to be defended with the protection of his Friends which facilitated an enterprise upon his life Above threescore Senatours entred into this Conspiracy the Principals whereof were Brutus whose life Caesar had saved after the Battel of Pharsalia and Cassius who had surrendred Pompey's Fleet to him in the Hellespont they were both Pretors and Enemies because that Caesar had named Brutus for the eldest Pretor to the prejudice of Cassius who was above him in Age and Dignity the name of Brutus had been famous in Rome ever since the Consul so called who had banished the Kings There was found written at the foot of his Statue WOVLD TO GOD THOV WERT ALIVE And certain Billets were thrown into the Pretors Tribunal wherein were written these words Brutus thou art asleep and not a true Brutus Cassius was Authour of most of these things He hated Caesar for several reasons but chiefly because he had taken from him the Lions wherewith he intended to have given a shew to the People so Caesar mistrusted him and when his Friends advised him to look narrowly into the Conduct of Antonius and Dolabella It is not said he those perfumed and plump Sparks that I distrust but those meagre and pale Gentlemen He omitted not nevertheless to prepare his Expedition against the Parthians and caused sixteen Legions to march and Ten Thousand Horse for his going into Asia His design was to depart four days after to put himself at the head of them when the Conspiratours caused a report to be spread that according to the Sybill's Oracles the Parthians could not be overcome but by a King and that upon this pretence Cotta was to propose to the Senate the giving of him that Title Cassius took this occasion to go and visit Brutus demanding of him If he would go to the Senate upon the Ides of March when Caesar's Friends were to propose the declaring of him King Brutus said That he would not be there But replyed Cassius if you should be called thither Then said Brutus I shall think it my Duty to speak contradict and dye rather than lose our liberty Ah answered Cassius what Roman is there that would suffer you to dye for his Liberty you are ignorant Brutus who you are if you believe that those Billets which are thrown into the Tribunal come from any mean People and not from the most Illustrious and bravest Men of Rome They demand from other Pretors Games Shews and Gladiatours but they expect from you as a debt of Succession the ruine of Tyranny being ready to expose themselves to all hazards for your sake if you can find in your heart to dispose your self to their Wishes After this Conversation they parted and the Name of Brutus whose Person was very much Esteemed ingaged a great many in the Conspiracy so they resolved to put their design in execution upon the very Ides of March and in the Hall of the Senate A great many Prodigies foretold this misfortune to Caesar there was found in an old Tomb at Cappua a place of Brass whereon it was written in Greek Letters that when the Bones of Capys should be found a Man of the Race of Iülus should be slain by the hands of his Kinsmen and that his death should be â—evenged by the desolation of all Italy Word was brought him that those Horses which he had Consecrated and let loose at the passage of the Rubicon had not eaten for several days and were seen to weep Spurina a very able Diviner told him when he Sacrificed that great dangers threatned him upon the Ides of March and upon the Eve of that day a Wren flying into the Hall of Pompey with a Branch of Laurel in her Mouth was torn to pieces by other Birds who pursued her from a Neighbouring Wood. He dreamt the same Night that he was carried above the Clouds and that he shook hands with Iove and his Wife Calphurnia dreamt also that the top of her House fell down and that her Husband was Assassinated in her Armes the Doors of the Chamber opening at the same time of their own accord with great noise This last accident something confounded him and his Wife by her Prayers and Tears prevailed that he would not go abroad that day But another Brutus sirnamed Decimus who was one of the Conspiratours though of the number of his nearest Friends caused him to change his resolution in remonstrating to him He was expected at the Senate and that it would be a shame for him not to venture out of doors but when it should please Calphurnia to dream favourably so Deâ—imus carried him almost by force out of his Lodgings and as every thing seemed to contribute to his destruction a Slave who came to give him advice of the Conspiracy could never get up through the croud of People that surrounded him Artimedorus of Cnidus his Host and Friend having presented him with a Memorial to the same purpose he mingled it without reading amongst other Papers that were given him and Lena who was one of the Conspiratours entertaining him a great while in private as he came out of his Litter The others who believed themselves discovered thought already of killing themselves with the Daggers which they had under their Robes when Lena quitting Caesar and kissing his hand gave them to understand that he thanked him for some favour which he came to obtain The Assembly of the Senate was held in a place which Pompey had caused to be built for that purpose and which for that reason was called the Court or Hall of Pompey where was to be seen his Statue in Marble raised upon a Pedestal Caesar as he was entring met Spurina and smiling told him The Ides of March were come Yes answered the Divinor but they are not past When he had taken his place the Conspiratours turned towards him under pretence of saluting him and Tullius Cymber approached to ask pardon for his Brother who was then in Exile Caesar deferred the matter and put back Cymber who pressed upon him so far as to take hold on both sides of his Robe and when Caesar cryed out It was a violent Proceeding Casca who was behind him gave him the first stab with a Poniard near the Shoulder the wound glanced and was not
their Provisions CHAP. XLVII The two Armies retrench themselves Their different movements and some skirmishes The uneasiness of Cassius THE danger which Norbanus was in caused Antonius to make such extraordinary haste that even Brutus himself was surprized at it The occasion of this quick dispatch was the City of Amphipolis where the Triumviri designed to place their Magazines and Antonius when he understood that Norbanus was retreated thither was very much rejoyced at it he left a Legion there under the Command of Pinarius and then went and posted himself boldly in the sight of the Conspiratours they had very much the advantage of him by the situation of their Camp Wood the Water of the River and abundance of Provisions Antonius on the contrary had no Water but what he drew out of Pits which he had caused to be digged on purpose and his Wood from the Marsh his Provisions came to him very far and were also very scarce In the mean time his boldness amazed the Enemies Army and forced the Generals to make new Works wherewith Cassius filled up all the ground which lay between his Camp and the Marsh by which means the whole front of their Camp was well fortified and their flanks covered Brutus's by the declining of the hill and Cassius's by the Marsh and Sea These Works produced dayly some skirmish or other between the Cavalry that guarded the Pioneers wherein the Conspiratours Party had generally the advantage At last Caesar who had lain sick at Dyrrachium came to the Army and his Troops in Testimony of their joy drew out of their Camp in Battalia Brutus puffed up with the good success which his Cavalry had had in little skirmishes or as he himself said impatient to put an end to the miseries of Mankind by a glorious Victory or a noble Death drew up his Troops also but Cassius persuaded him to stay in his Trenches It is but a vain thing to flatter our selves with that resolution which we pretend to be furnished withall from Reason and Philosophy for it evermore abandons us when we have most need of it and two Presages were able to overthrow all Cassius's Epicurean Principles and which is a greater discovery of humane frailty those Presages which appeared so dreadfull to him would seem but very ridiculous to a great many Men. One of his Officers presented him a wreath of flowers which he was to wear when he sacrificed with the inside outward And he who as the Custome was carried a golden figure of Victory at the head of Cassius's Ensigns stumbled with the Image and fell upon his Nose There were moreover Crows and other Birds of that kind seen flying about the Camp a swarm of Bees was found there too which a Man would think should be no very surprizing thing near Woods and Meadows Nevertheless these Remarks which a man of common sense would now despise were at that time so very considerable that they utterly confounded the mind of Cassius and infected his whole Army with the same frailty which occasioned the loss of that Battel upon which the fate of the Roman Empire depended CHAP. XLVIII Antonius possesses himself of a Post behind the Enemies Camp Brutus resolves to fight contrary to the Opinion of Cassius ANTONIVS very well understood the reason why the Conspiratours avoided fighting he knew that Asia being behind them furnished them with Provisions in abundance whilst Aegypt harassed with Famine could afford none to the Forces of the Triumvirate that Pompey would hinder them from fetching any out of Spain and that Marcus and Domitius defended the passage into Italy so that their onely recourse was to Macedonia and Thessaly which must be soon exhausted Cassius also represented the same thing dayly to Brutus and his Officers but at last the Courage of Antonius overcame all those difficulties he was drawn up against Cassius as Brutus was against Caesar and indeavoured to get possession of a Post which was on the other side of the Marsh behind Cassius's Camp He gave orders for the throwing of Earth upon the Reeds and upon this Earth spread Stones and this kind of Causway he caused to be supported by pieces of Wood driven cross-ways into the Marsh and where the Water was too high made Bridges Antonius every day covered this Work with Skirmishes and as it was secretly carried on a-cross the Reeds the Enemies could perceive nothing but the Towers and Fortifications which they saw upon that Post which lay on the other side of the Marsh Cassius admired the work and Antonius's boldness and that he might in nothing give place to him extended his Lines along the Marsh as far as the Sea and by that proceeding meeting with Antonius's Causway cut it off by which means those of the Triumviri's Forces who were already gotten on the other side of the Marsh became very much exposed It was not doubted in the Conspiratours Camp but that Antonius would doe all that in him lay to disingage his Troops The onely question was how they should receive him whether out of their Lines in Battalia or onely by defending their Lines Brutus carried the dispute for a general Battel chiefly because some of the Souldiers had already deserted This reason prevailed also with all the rest of the Officers except Atellius who still insisted for staying till Winter was over Brutus asked him What advantage he hoped for from such a prolongation what said he to live a year longer This answer added to the disorder of Cassius who heard it and who after the Council broke up went to Supper with Messala This Messala was a young Man of Noble birth who had a great deal of Wit and was very learned for a Man of Quality he became afterwards as I have already observed in great favour with Augustus and had the Command of the best and bravest Legion of that Army Cassius was sad and thoughtfull all the Supper time though he was naturally very gay and as he rose from the Table taking Messala by the hand Messala said he you must bear me witness that I am forc't in the same manner as Pompey once was to expose the liberty of the Roman People to the hazard of a Battel nevertheless we ought to hope well from fortune but we have taken ill Counsel So he retired after having invited Messala to Supper with him the next night the morrow being his birth-day CHAP. XLIX The Battel of Philippi Brutus overthrows Caesar's Troops Cassius being defeated by Antonius in despair kills himself AT break of day there appeared the Coat Armour of Purple upon the two Generals Tents which amongst the Romans was the signal of Battel so whilst that the Troops were putting themselves in a readiness Cassius was desirous to know Brutus's opinion of what they ought to doe in case matters should miscarry Brutus said That he had heretofore in his Writings condemned the death of Cato and maintained what was indeed very true that that manner of avoiding such
the giving him any account of the matter and his own vexation and impatience hastened on his ruine or to speak more properly the Divine Providence did it which now seemed resolved to put an end to the Civil Wars by appointing a Master over the Roman Empire The next day after the fight Brutus called together the Souldiers of both Armies where after having praised the Valour of his own men and the Victory they had gotten he exhorted them To shew once more how obedient they could be and observe their Generals better than they had done before He gave them to understand the necessities the Enemies were reduced to And that that was the onely cause of their boldness and courage since they would never have sought to have fallen in Battel had they not been afraid of being starv'd by Famine He caused also 1000 Drachma's to be given to every Souldier with a promise That after the Victory they should have the liberty of plundering the two Cities of Lacedemon and Thessalonica by which in the judgment even of those Authours who have appeared most zealous for his memory he strayed very wide of those sentiments of humanity and moderation which he had all his life time affected Antonius also having occasion to speak to his men made a good use of the death of Cassius It is said he an unanswerable proof that our Enemies are defeated they can never dare to dispute the Victory with us since the bravest and most able of their Generals has been driven to so desperate a proceeding but it is our business to force them themselves to this Confession and offer them Battel If they shall be so faint-hearted as to refuse it ye shall see that they will acknowledge themselves Conquered He did not moreover forget to speak of Rewards and promised 5000 Drachma's to every Souldier after which he marched his Troops in Battalia till they came in sight of Brutus's Lines who did not draw out so that though Antonius were himself at the point of despair he omitted not to make his Souldiers sensible how fearfull their Enemies were and dayly to indeavour the bringing of them to a Battel Brutus had moreover other troubles in his Camp Cassius's Troops would hardly obey him and the shame of their having been beaten began to make them Mutinous this forc't him to rid himself of what Prisoners he had taken so the Romans he set at liberty and put the Slaves to the Sword At last Antonius and Caesar who now began to be fit for action being pressed by the ill condition that their Troops were in who by the Rains and the Frost that followed suffered extremely in those deep places where they were encamped made an attempt which succeeded to their wishes and decided the matter CHAP. LI. Brutus utterly defeated by Antonius and Caesar. BRVTVS had since the last Battel quitted an advanced ground which was within the compass of Cassius's Camp Caesar immediately took possession of that Post with two of his Legions who fortified themselves there Afterwards he sent ten other Legions about a quarter of a League from thence towards the Sea with a design to cut off any Provisions from coming to the Conspiratours Brutus on his part caused divers Works to be carried on by which means they were several days disputing for the ground foot to foot by their Works At last Brutus's Souldiers mutined they got together in Troops up and down the Field and demanded What Cowardliness their General had lately observed in them that he could suffer the Enemy dayly to come and brave them with safety that he would give them leave to make use of those Arms and that Courage which their Enemies had been so often made sensible of Brutus for some time dissembled his resentment and afterwards fearing lest they should forsake him which he began already to have strong suspicions of he all of a sudden gave way to the impatience of his People and resolved to put an end to his as well as the Romans inquietudes by the fortune of Arms. It is reported that the Spectre which had appeared to him came to him again the night before this great Battel but that it onely appeared without saying any thing That the Eagle which belonged to his first Legion was covered with Bees and that a certain sweat in the nature of Oil which had the perfume of Roses came from the Arme of one of his Captains in such quantity that it wet several handkerchiefs The Authours of those times also report that the first man whom Brutus's Troops met withall as they drew out of their Camp was a Negro whom they cut to pieces with their Swords The Souldiers of both parties were encouraged from different reasons those of the Triumviri saw that they must either Conquer or die with Famine And Brutus's men were resolved to maintain the honour of their first Victory and that boldness wherewith they had demanded Battel contrary to the Opinion of their General Brutus was in the foremost rank very well mounted Fellow Souldiers said he to his People ye have desired to fight contrary to my Opinion when the miseries which our Enemies were reduced to might have assured us the Victory without any hazard but that did not appear honourable enough for you ye are for buying glory at the price of your bloud and now it lies upon you to complete the business and not to deceive that trust which I have reposed in your Valour On the other side Caesar and Antonius said to their Souldiers Thus ye see now our Enemies in a place where we have a long time wished them they are now no longer covered with those Fortifications which made them so bold before so that their destiny is in your own hands though ye have but one thing to chuse which is to overcome or perish by the most miserable of deaths which is that of Famine After this the two Armies advanced within the reach of their Darts when in the very moment appeared two Eagles in the Air who began a cruel fight together and drew the admiration of all the Troops that which was on Brutus's side was beaten and fled away which so animated the Souldiers of the Triumviri that they gave a great shout and marched on with fury they lanced their Javelins as it had been onely for fashion sake and the Legions came immediately hand to hand The fight was long and bloudy the right Wing which Brutus led drove back that of Antonius but at the same time his left recoiled before Caesar's Legions There was afterwards no more giving of ground and what was won was won by force of Arms like a heavy Engine that can hardly be removed At last Caesar's Cavalry having repulsed those of Cassius who behaved themselves very ill gained the flank of the Conspiratour's left Wing the fear of being hemmed in made them open their Battalions to the right and left that they might make head every way Caesar's Men charged into intervals
in that action and at his death Several have reported circumstances otherwise but all agree in this that Messala a long time afterwards presenting Strato to Augustus said See here Caesar the Man who paid the last offices to my Brutus and that Augustus extremely cherished Strato who afterwards served him very faithfully Antonius hearing the next day of Brutus's death went to the place where the Body still lay and covered it himself with a rich Coat of Armour which he wore and when news was brought him afterwards that some body had stripped him he caused the Thief to be taken and put to death The Body was burnt by his orders and the ashes sent to Servilia Brutus's Wife whose name was Porcia and was Cato of Vtica's Daughter so that having such a Father and such a Husband we may easily imagine what were the maxims of that Vertue which she so openly made profession of and she was resolved to give proofs of it by a death by which she out-did the fury of those two Men whom she most tenderly loved And though since the death of her Husband she was so strictly observed that it was impossible for her either to make use of Poison or Dagger she swallowed so many hot Coals and Ashes that she choaked her self Though to speak the truth of the matter there is a great deal of reason to believe that this kind of death was rather invented by the Wits who were desirous to report that tragical adventure in all its circumstances and make as they have done a Subject for a good Epigram since Plutarch assures us that he had seen some of Brutus's Letters wherein he complains of his friends at Rome for suffering Porcia to die of Melancholy Brutus's Friends and his Officers took different parties all those who knew themselves guilty of Caesar's death slew themselves with their own hands the others rallying with Messala Bibulus and Cornificius sent Deputies to Caesar and Antonius for an honourable composition which the two Generals frankly allowed of so they went into their Army with 14000 Men who yet might have made a great deal of disturbance in a fortified Camp and that was the reason which facilitated the Capitulation And the Camp was afterwards given up to be plundered By this famous overthrow the Triumviri at last established themselves in an authority which none were found powerfull enough to dispute with them and which gave the last blow to the Roman liberty The death of Caesar was revenged and by this Victory did his Son begin to lay the foundations of an Empire which at last for its grandeur and extent has never yet been equalled THE CONTINUATION OF THE HISTORY OF THE Second Triumvirate CHAP. I. After the Battel of Philippi Anthony and Caesar bring their Enemies to punishment They part the Forces of Pompey Caesar goes into Italy AS the love of Liberty was the most predominant passion the Romans had so never any people defended with more vigour that good which they valued more than their Lives It was this that bred so many divisions among them and was the cause of such bloudy Wars in which one of the parties always had the specious pretence of upholding the publick Liberty But as the last sighs and groans are usually most violent so the Battel of Philippi which was the last effort of the dying Commonwealth was the greatest struggle that ever she had for the maintaining her authority The Sedition of the Gracchi was the first where the Bloud of Roman Citizens was shed however that seemed to be but onely a Popular Commotion seeing it was decided in the Forum in an hours time The Wars that were kindled afterwards between Marius and Sylla had longer and more fatal consequences But then Italy or rather Rome onely was the Theatre of them and what animosity soever appeared between the two Parties the rest of the World felt nothing of it The division of Caesar and Pompey went much farther the whole Roman Empire was shaken by it But although all its Forces had fought at Pharsalia they were not comparable to those that appeared afterwards at the Battel of Philippi where above 200000 effective Men were in Arms commanded by the greatest Generals of that time Besides too in the forementioned Commotions several Senatours thought they might very well stand neuters out of their respect to the Commonwealth whose name at least in appearance was still reverenced whereas in this last occasion the mask being laid aside by the proceeding and declarations of the Triumvirs all management and conduct was useless and there was an absolute necessity of taking one side or t'other for Liberty or against it But that was utterly ruined by the defeat of Brutus and from that moment Caesar and Anthony began to act as Sovereigns and divide the Roman Empire as theirs by Conquest for though Lepidus had his share of the Government yet as he had had none in the danger of the Wars he was but very little considered all the love of the Souldiers which was the firmest prop of their Empire being turned in favour of those that had headed them upon all occasions The following days after the Victory were employ'd by the Triumvirs in punishing their foes Anthony sacrificed Hortensius to the memory of his Brother Caius and put Varro to death who reproach'd him with his debauches and in some sort did then foretell the miserable end he himself should come to Livius Drusus the Father of that Livia who was afterwards married to Augustus killed himself in his Tent and Quintilius Varus adorned with all the marks of the honours and dignities he had passed through made himself be slain by his freedman Caesar upon this occasion appeared much more cruel than Anthony whether it were that the pain and uneasiness of his sickness had sowred his humour or that he really had a bent to cruelty or what is more likely had his temper so much at command that he put on gentleness or severity as in policy was necessary He sent the Head of Brutus to Rome to be thrown at the Feet of his Father's statue and forced a Senatour and his Son to draw Lots for their lives but they both refused it the Father voluntarily gave up himself to execution and the Son stab'd himself before Caesar's face To another that beg'd of him that he might have the Rites of Burial he said that that would soon be at the disposal of the Ravens these and such like bitter words joined to the rigour of his punishments rendred him so odious to the rest of the Prisoners that were brought fettered before them that they saluted Anthony with respect but loaded Caesar with injuries and bloudy reproaches which none did with more violence than Favonius who at his death took all the liberty of speech and railing freedom of a Cynick Philosopher After having thus satisfied their revenge the Triumvirs thought upon establishing their authority Anthony undertook to go into Asia to gather Money in
with four hundred Vessels Agrippa contriving all ways to get the Victory invented a kind of Engine which succeeded very well This was a Grappling hook made of a piece of Timber five cubits long covered over with Plates of Iron at each end whereof was a Ring of Iron to one end was fastned a Scyth or rather a great Hook to the other several Cables to draw it home when any Vessel was grappled The impatience of the Generals made them come very betime to the place of Battel between Myles and Naulocus Their Souldiers carried on by an equal ardor soon came to handy-blows and as they had sufficient leisure to prepare for it Darts Piles Stones Arrows and Fire-pots were all employed That which more particularly appears in Civil wars you may be sure happened here where the animosity of particular persons made the Combate more bloudy than if between neighbouring Nations onely for the motive of Glory and Conquest All the Gallies were grappled by this Invention of Agrippa nor could those of Pompey avoid this disadvantageous way of fighting The land Forces of both Parties stood as Spectators on the shoar waiting for the event of it with a great deal of apprehension The Victory was long dubious but at last by the bravery of Agrippa it turned in favour of Caesar. None could behave themselves better than he did upon this occasion He was every where He over-set the Enemies Gallies with the shock of his which was the best and strongest of the Fleet and put several of them out of condition of fighting and performed such gallant actions that Anthony afterwards reproached Caesar that he had not the courage so much as to see the Navies in Battel order but lay down in his Gally with his eyes to Heaven as one besides himself and frighted out of his senses and did not rise to shew himself to the Souldiers till after Agrippa had put his Enemies to flight The truth of the story is that at the time of the Engagement Caesar was overcome with so profound a Sleep that his familiars were forced to wake him to give the word and the signal for the Charge and this is the ground of Anthony's reproach Caesar upon this occasion behaved himself like a man of prudence and courage Nevertheless he gave all the honour of it to Agrippa whom he honoured with a blew Standard and a rostral Crown This was so total a Defeat that Pompey had onely seventeen Gallies left of all that great Fleet with which he fled to Messina Caesar onely lost three that were sunk but there were sunk of Pompey's twenty eight the others were either burnt or taken This great Victory had this remarkable in it that the same day it was published at Rome by a Souldier who no doubt inspired proclaimed it aloud and ran to the Capitol and laid his Sword at the Feet of Iupiter's Image as if he had no more need of it Pompey who had so often neglected his advantages in prosperity and had no more good conduct in adversity left his land Forces at the discretion of the Conquerour instead of going to them and reassuring them by his presence so that Tistenus who commanded them went with all his Troops into Caesar's service Upon this Pompey forsook the marks and habit of a General and sent to those of Messina that if they intended to retire and save themselves they should speedily embark Pliny had eight Legions at Lilybaeum and was marching to assist him according to the Orders he had received Pompey was in Messina a very strong place and able to maintain a long Siege but he not staying for his Lieutenant bore through the strait to throw himself into the Power of Anthony whose protection he hoped for in requital of that he had formerly given his Mother Iulia. CHAP. XXII Pompey's flight Lepidus endeavours to make himself Master of Sicily His Souldiers forsake him to serve Caesar who orders the Affairs of Rome with great prudence LEpidus as we have already mentioned quietly watched the success of this War at the head of fourteen Legions in very good quarters As soon as he heard of Pompey's defeat he came near to Messina which had been already assaulted by Agrippa Pliny had put himself and Forces into it after Pompey's departure but seeing there was no way but surrendring he sent to the two Generals to capitulate Agrippa intreated Lepidus to stay till Caesar's arrival which at farthest would be next morning which Lepidus refused and as he was the strongest upon the place he received Pliny upon Composition and added his Troops to his Army after which he abandoned the Town to the pillage of the Souldiers Caesar arriving at break of day sent to Lepidus to complain of these proceedings as also for his seizing upon several places in Sicilia Lepidus fiercely answered that Caesar had taken upon him all the authority of the Triumvirate whereto he had as much right as himself but the event shewed that if he ever had he knew not how to maintain it Caesar was one of those extraordinary Persons whose wit and gallantry in so high Advancement keep firm and still raise them higher whereas in men of vulgar Spirits it often happeneth that either their wit prejudices their courage or their valour their understanding He went alone to Lepidus his Camp without any other assistence than that of his own merit and the Authority he had gained by his Victories The Souldiers of Pompey looked upon him with respect and drew round about him Lepidus being told of it makes haste thither and scatters the Souldiers and made them charge Caesar who was hurt by a Dart thrown at him which yet did not hinder him from going to the place where the Eagles of the Legions were planted taking one of them which he advanced in the Air whereupon all the Legionary Souldiers ran in crowds and saluted him as their General Lepidus being the second time abandoned by his Souldiers quitted all the marks of his Authority which he could no longer keep took a mourning Gown and after he had remained a good while unregarded in the throng of those who flocked to salute Caesar he came and threw himself at his feet This was a terrible mortifying spectacle worthy of reflexion to see a Triâ—â—viâ— who had disposed of the Lives of many noble Persons to be reduced to beg his own of one whom he had so lately insulted over Caesar desâ—ised him too much to take it from him he pardoned him but took from him the Rank and Authority and onely left him his Estate and the Dignity of sovereign Priest The Greek Historians to give more honour to Caesar's prudence take from his Courage they report that he was already assured of the greatest part of Lepidus his Officers before he went into his Camp and that he had with him a Troop of Horse and that being charged by Lepidus he was hurt and his Esquire killed close by him and that in his retreat
made All these were explained very justly but 't was after Anthony's Defeat The Forces of the two Triumviri were answerable to the Empire they shared between them nor were there ever seen two so great Powers oppose each other Anthony commanded over all the Provinces from Armenia and the Red-sea to the Adriatick Gulph and the Euxine Sea and Caesar had all those from Sicily to the Ocean All the Kings of Asia that were Allies to the Romans followed the fortune of Anthony namely Tarcondemus King of Cilicia Archelaus of Cappadocia Philadelphus of Paphlagonia Mithridates of Comagena of Thrace these Princes were in person in his Army But Polemon King of Pontus Malchus King of Arabia Herod King of the Iews and Amintas King of Galatia onely sent their Troops besides these Bacchus King of Mauritania who brought his along with him all these together made an hundred thousand Foot and twelve thousand Horse The Navy was composed of five hundred Ships of War whereof some had eight or ten Banks of Oars Caesar in his Party had no foreign Princes and his Army amounted to bâ—t eighty thousand but he was as strong in Cavalry as his Enemy He had but two hundred and fifty Vessels all light and very well manned with Sailers Rowers and Souldiers whereas those of Anthony were vast high and heavy and wanted Rowers so that he was forced to take up all the Artisans and Labourers of Greece to employ them at the Oar. Then their Hatred shewed it self by very bitter Letters and when Caesar reproached Anthony with his Love for Cleopatra and the Prodigality of his Feasts he on the other side put him in mind of the famous Feasts of the twelve Gods where Caesar and the other Guests were clad as they represented the Deities they adored To this he added his hasty marriage with Livia and the shamefull divorcing of Scribonia because she would not bear with the Insolence of that new Mistress and all the Roman Ladies with whom Caesar had ever had any Gallantry or Intrigue were brought upon the Stage He even proceeded to tax him with Cowardise at the Battels of Modena and Sicily with all those scandalous Circumstances that were mentioned before whereupon Caesar wrote to him That it was needless to fight any longer with the Pen. That if he would advance with his Army he should have Ports in Italy where he should land without any molestation and that Caesar would draw his Troops far enough from the Sea-side to give Anthony the liberty of encamping and putting his Army into Battalia To make a return to this Bravade Anthony though he were much older challenged Caesar to fight a single combat or if he liked not this he offer'd to give him Battel in the Plain of Pharsalia where I. Caesar and Pompey had formerly decided their Differences So each of the Generals endeavoured to manage it to his own advantage in striving to make his own Dominions the field of Combat But Fortune ordered it should be otherwise At that time Anthony was at Actium where while he spent his time to no purpose Caesar went from Tarentum where his Fleet lay and surprized Toryne a City near Actium This Exploit astonished Anthony's Souldiers because his Legions were not yet arrived But Cleopatra to re-assure them made flight of it and said What matter is it if Caesar has taken the Scummer alluding to the word Toryne which signifies so The Town of Actium which this action has made so famous was seated upon a point at the entrance of the Gulf of Ambracia on the Coast of Epirus between the Islands of Corcyra and Cephalonia Anthony had retired all his Ships into the Gulf whither Caesar the next day after the taking of Toryne came and offered him Battel Anthony was at a grievous plunge because his Vessels wanted Souldiers to man them But that drew them into their fighting posture with the Oars a-peek as if he intended to bear down upon the Enemy This strategeme had its effect Caesar who durst not engage him in that narrow passage retreated off to Sea but the other came not off the Gulf and as he perfectly knew the Countrey thereabouts on every side he cut off the Water from Caesar's Camp which threw his Army into great distress Agrippa omitted not to take the Cities of Leucadia and Petras and seize upon Corinth These happy Successes occasioned Amintas and Dejotarus to declare for Caesar. Domitius carried on by their Example saved himself in a Cock-boat and came to Caesar whose side he did not much favour by his revolt because Anthony according to his natural generosity sent him his People and all his Equipage though it were against the opinion of Cleopatra her self which so sensibly touch'd Domitius who was sick already that he was not able to out-live the grief of abandoning a man who by kindness revenged himself for his perfidiousness In the mean time Canidius arrived with the Legions who as he saw the danger nearer he changed his mind concerning Cleopatra He would have had Anthony send back the Queen and himself goe into Macedonia and fight by Land with so much more advantage because Dicomes King of the Getes promised him a powerfull assistence Then said Canidius One ought not to regard a false kind of shame in having Caesar Master of the Sea where his Souldiers had gained a great deal of experience during the War with Pompey That it would be a renouncing both sense and reason to put to the hazard of the Sea and Winds a Victory which by Land they were certain of by the Valour and Experience of their General who to this day had kept up the title of Invincible and by the Courage of their Souldiers whom he had tried in so many dangers Anthony was very much inclined to follow this Advice but Cleopatra byassed him the other way and obliged him against his will to hazard both his Empire and his Life in a Sea-fight Here also it was that Anthony had like to have fallen into a very great danger And this may serve for an Instruction to persons of his rank not too freely to expose themselves when they are near the Enemies They had made a kind of Causey which ran out very far into the Sea to go from Anthony's Camp to his Fleet as he passed often in this place without any distrust and slenderly accompanied some of Caesar's Souldiers having notice of it by a Slave made out a Party to carry him off and came so near that they took the Officer that marched before him they had likewise taken Anthony if their Impatience had not discovered them too soon he had much a-doe to save himself and Caesar's men retreated with their Prisoner extremely troubled at their too much haste CHAP. XXVIII The battel of Actium The retreat of Cleopatra The flight of Anthony Caesar makes himself Master of Anthony's Navy and his Land-forces ANthony having taken a resolution to fight by Sea burnt all his ships of burthen
except sixty that belonged to Cleopatra and of his Men of War kept only those that had from three to ten Rows or Oars which he manned with twenty two thousand Foot and ten thousand Archers As he was putting his Fleet into order of battel and going about to give his necessary orders an old Officer a very brave man and all covered with Scars thus spoke to him aloud My noble General Do you despise this Sword and this Arm which my very wounds have not been able to weaken That you will place your hopes in brittle Boats Leave the Aegyptians and Phoenicians to fight at Sea but put us ashore where we are used to meet or give death with a firm foot and an assured look Anthony answered nothing he onely made a sign with his head as if it were to encourage him though he himself did not seem as if he were very well assured for when the Commanders of his ships propoâ—ed taking away the Sails he opposed it saying He would not have one of the Enemies escape for four days together the Sea ran so high that it was impossible to fight the fifth the Wind was down and then the two Fleets advanced towards each other with their Oars in very good order It was a terrible but a very noble sight and worthy the reward they contended for to see on one side the Shore where there were two hundred thousand Men all at their Arms and on the other side the Sea covered with an incredible number of Vessels filled with Men who were just ready to employ both Fire and Steel for each others destruction Anthony was at the right Division of his Navy where Publicola commanded Calius was upon the left or according to other Authours Sosius Marcus Octavius with Insteius was in the Centre Caesar's General kept in the middle of the Fleet having Carius upon the right and Aruntu upon the lefâ— Caesar himself onely kept the Command of a reserve to carry relief where it was needfull they tell us nothing more of the order of the two Fleets but we may believe that the Vessels that Caesar commanded made a second Line or Division and that Cleopatra with her Gallies did the same in Anthony's This General in a Brigantine went about encouraging his Men with the remembrance of so many Victories they had gained under his Conduct He told them That this day he expected the Empire of the World from their valour and that they might promise themselves answerable rewards that the largeness of his Vessels gave them opportunity of fighting as firmly and with as much assurance as if they were on Land and for this reason he ordered the Pilots not to quit their Posts but expect the Enemies at the entrance of the Gulf. Caesar on his side gave no less hopes to his Souldiers but with more confidence in regard he was animated by a happy Augury At break of day coming out of his Tent to go on board he met a Countreyman driving an Ass before him moved by I know not what Curiosity or instinct he asked him his Name My Lord says he my name is Eutyches and I call my Ass Nicon the first of these Names in Greek signifies Happy and the other Conquerour This rencounter made Caesar so glad that he no longer doubted of the Victory and published the adventure through the whole Army and when afterwards he erected a Trophy for the Victory with the Spurs and Breakheads of Anthony's Gallies the Statues of the Man and the Ass were made in Brass When Caesar's Fleet was drawn up he went to the right Wing and staid to see how the Enemies would work to give the Onset their Gallies lay as if they were at an Anchor in the entrance of the Gulf and lay so till Noon when a fresh gale carried Anthony's left Division out of the Gulf. Caesar made his right where it was fall a Stern to draw them farther out to Sea that he might encompass them with his Vessels which were lighter and much better fitted his design succeeded and the battel began here but in a different manner than usaul For there was no shock because Anthony's Gallies were too heavy and those of Caesar avoided it fearing splitting against those huge Vessels fortified with thick Timber and iron Spikes so that this fight resembled rather an assault Caesar's Souldiers attacked the Enemies with Pikes Javelins Piles and Fire pots and they defended themselves with Arrows and Darts thrown from their Engines planted on wooden Towers Agrippa whose experience out-went all the Commanders of his time stood out with the point of his left Division to flank Anthony's which made Publicola advance to hinder it Aruntius laying hold on this occasion bore into the midst of the Enemies Fleet which he put into some disorder but the valour of the Souldiers made the Victory yet doubtfull as they were all of them chosen Troops they defended themselves with invincible Courage and made a great slaughter of the Enemies that attempted to approach them When streight they saw Cleopatra's sixty Gaâ—lies advance between the two Fleets with all their Sails abroad this movement equally surprized both Navies Anthony's was already in some disorder and when he expected some great action from these Gallies which were thâ— best of his Fleet he was amazed to see them all of a sudden tack about and run towards Peloponnesus withall the Sail they could bear thus the Historians relate it after Plutarch without giving any other reason of this baseness of the Aegyptians than the timorousness of their Queen that which they add is yet more surprizing Anthony had given too many proofs of his Courage ever to be suspected of Cowardize and in this occasion not onely the Empire of the World but his own Life was at stake and there was nothing to make him despair of Success for quite contrary the resolution of his Men and their firmness in maintaining the Combate seem to assure him of the Victory if they had been but well led on But when he saw Cleopatra fly he forgot the care both of his honour and safety to make himself an Accomplice of her Cowardly flight and as if he had nothing more to apprehend than her absence he thought of nothing then but to run after her He threw himself into a Gally with onely Scellus and Alexander the Syrian abandoning his Souldiers that so generously exposed their lives for his interest and followed the Course that Cleopatra stood She soon knew him and put a flag abroad at the Prow of her Gally he came near and when he was aboard he retired to the Prow without so much as seeing the Queen and was a good while alone leaning his head upon his hand The Gallantry and Fidelity of his Souldiers cannot be enough admired upon this occasion although the General had left them and the report of his flight was spread all about the Fleet they acted like people that would not believe it and still fought
with the same eagerness as if he had still been at the head of them and perhaps they might have got the Victory which they disputed till five in the Evening if the Wind that rose had not separated them and given the Enemies the advantage to beat them by piece-meal for want of a Commander to rally them Three hundred Vessels yielded to the Conquerour but there were but five thousand Men killed on the beaten side Caesar having done all he could to spare the Lives of those brave Souldiers whom he looked upon as his Subjects He made Anthony's flight be every where published and those that obstinately defended themselves he asked who they fought for now He drew off his Souldiers whom he saw too eager after the slaughter and gave here such marks of his Clemency as served to efface the memory of the battel of Philippi and the horrible Proscriptions of the Triumvirate He granted a general pardon before it was desired and satisfied himself with the Punishment of a very few and those his particular declared Enemies Caesar lay in his Gally upon the place and the next day went ashore The Legions of Anthony testified no less faith and affection to their General than the Souldiers of his Fleet. Though several of them had seen his retreat yet they could not tell how to believe that he who so often had experience of the inconstancy of fortune and had still surmounted all his misfortunes with greater Courage should be capable of leaving all having sufficient Forces to dispute the Empire there remaining nineteen Legions entire and twelve thousand Horse they still hoped he would come and put himself at the head of them and try a second battel and though at last they lost that hope and were quite surrounded both by Sea and Land they kept themselves yet seven days in their Camp but the flight of Canidius and all their chief Officers so broke their measures that they resolved to accept of the conditions that Caesar offered them Thus the Roman Empire so long torn by the Ambition of three men at last with much Joy submitted to the Command of one alone hoping to see an end of all the mischiefs that were caused by the Divisions of the Triumviri all whose Authority by this Victory was united in the Person of Caesar. CHAP. XXIX Anthony 's displeasure against Cleopatra He retires into Libya and returns into Aegypt Anthony was still taken up with those Melancholy reflexions the present condition of his fortune inspired him with when he perceived some light Gallies of Caesar's that rowed up to him in spight of all his despair he could not bear that his Enemies should come and brave him without being able to defend himself He therefore commanded the Pilot to tack about and face them this dispensed them all except one whereupon there appeared a man with a Javelin in his hand that came up to him very fiercely threatning him Who art thou cryes Anthony that hast the Insolence to dare persue them I am answered he Eurycles the Lacedemonian brought hither by the good fortune of Caesar to revenge my Father whom you put to death This was Lachares whom Anthony had punished for his extortions and oppressions however Eurycles durst not engage Anthony's Gally but attacked Cleopatra's Admiral and gave him so rude a shock that he ran him all on one side and easily took him and another Vessel laden with all that Princess's Equipage After he retired with his Prize which was very rich Anthony fell again into his Melancholy and continued so three days without seeing the Queen hindred either through shame or anger They arrived so at Tenarus where Cleopatra's women so bestirred themselves that they brought them to see one another and to eat together in this place several of Anthony's Vessels came to him and some of his Friends who informed him of the total defeat of his Fleet but believing his Legions held out yet he sent to Canidius to retreat through Macedonia and return into Asia Then he purposed to retire into Africa and assembled his Friends to exhort them to retire and take their measures for their safety After which he made a Vessel draw near wherein was all his Money and what else he had of value which he gave them to divide among them They all refused his Presents and weeping told him They would always follow his Fortune This testimony of their Fidelity moved him so much to Compassion that he could not refrain Tears Complaining of his fortune that put him out of Capacity of giving them tokens of his acknowledgement and gratitude who had given him such signal marks of their affection he added that he should very much injure them if he should suffer them any longer to be entangled in his Misfortunes So he absolutely Commanded them to retire themselves and wrote to Theopilus Governour of Corinth to grant them refuge till they had made their Peace with Caesar. After he had given these orders he went into Africa from whence he sent Cleopatra into Aegypt and remained almost alone wandring through the Desarts of Libya without any other company than Aristocrates and Lucilius one a Greek and the other a Roman both excellent Rhetoricians Lucilius was he that saved Brutus from being taken at the battel of Philippi and ever since following Anthony even to his death continued his affection But Anthony then heard that the Governour had revolted to Caesar which put him into such a violent despair that he attempted to kill himself His Friends hindred him from that fatal resolution by their Prayers and Remonstrances and persuaded him to return to Alexandria where he found Cleopatra about an enterprize that shewed the greatness of her spirit As that neck of Land which joyns Asia and Africa is but three hundred furlongs over this Queen drew her Gallies upon Carriages into the Red Sea where she designed to embark her self withall her Treasures and the most affectionate of her Subjects and go and plant her self in some remote part of the World far from the dangers of War and the fear of slavery But the Arabians near the City of Petra that were Enemies to the Aegyptians burned those Vessels that were first transported thus which made Cleopatra abandon that design and apply her self to fortifie the avenues of her Kingdom which were of very difficult access Anthony's behaviour was very different he shewed nothing but a shamefull weakness He shunned all Company and built a house near the Pharos far out into the Sea where he shut himself up without either Friends or Domesticks to imitate Timon as he said since he had no less reason than that Athenian to hate mankind that seeing himself betrayed by those whom he had most obliged this perfidiousness gave him occasion to suspect and hate all others In this retirement Canidius brought him the News of the loss of his Legions and here he heard how Herod King of the Iews and all the other Kings of Asia had