per amicos id solum contendit, ut duæ sibi legiones, et provincia Gallia Cisalpina, atque Illyricum relinqueretur. Quæ omnia ab illo acta, ut si fortè conditionem æquitate adduci possent adversarii, in otio Resp. foret. His postulatis ne ipse quidem Pompeius refragari ausus est. Sed cùm nihil à Coss. impetraret Cæsar; litteras ad senatum perscribit, quibus breviter gestis suis et meritis in Rempubl. percursis, orabat ne populi sibi beneficium eripiatur, qui absentis rationem haberi proximis comitiis jussisset. Non recusare se, si ita senatui populòque Rom. videatur, exercitum dimittere, modo idem à Pompeio fiat: Illo imperium et exercitus retinente, nullam caussam esse, cur inimicorum se injuriis ipse exponeret, et militem dimitteret. Has litteras Curioni perferendas tradit: Qui incredibili celeritate millia passuum CLX emensus, tridui spatio ad urbem venit, antequam Kal. Januariæ advenissent, aut Coss. de Cæsaris imperio quidquam statuere potuissent. Confecto itinere Curio litteras retinet, nec, nisi in frequente Senatu et præsentibus Tribunis plebis, tradit: Metuebat enim, id priùs si fecisset, ne ab iis supprimerentur.

LITTERIS, &c.

DE BELLO CIVILI.

LIBER I.

ARGUMENT.

The causes of the civil war originate in the dispute between Pompey and Casar. War is resolved on against Cæsar. Proposals of peace are twice sent by Pompey to Cesar, but not pleasing Cæsar, he prepares for war, takes Iguvium and Auximum, and obliges many of the towns of Italy to submit. Pompey retires to Brundusium, where he is besieged by Cesar, but escapes by sea, and the town surrenders to his enemy. Valerius and Curio, partizans of Casar, drive Cotta from Sardinia, and Cato from Sicily. Casar makes a speech in the Senate, but it producing no effect, he sets out for Transalpine Gaul. The people of Marseilles shut their gates against Cesar, Brutus and Trebonius are by him commanded to besiege the place. Casar invades Spain. An engagement takes place between Casar and Afranius, with nearly equal advantage on both sides. Cesar, shut up between two rivers, is reduced to great extremity for want of provisions; but having extricated himself, he surprises the enemy's foragers. Brutus defeats the people of Marseilles in a naval engagement. Cæsar obtains a superiority over his enemies near Ilerda, which induces many states to declare for him. Afranius and Petreius are pursued by Casar, and after various disasters are forced to sue for peace, and accept Cæsar's terms.

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I. LITTERIS [à 1 Fabio] C. Cæsaris, consulibus redditis, ægrè ab iis impetratum est, summâ tribunorum plebis contentione, ut in senatu recitarentur. Ut verò ex litteris ad senatum referretur, impetrari non

NOTES.

1 Fabio.] The person, whom Cæsar here calls Fabius, is by Dion called Curio.

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potuit. Referunt consules de rep. (' in civitate). L. Lentulus consul "senatui reique publicæ se non defuturum" pollicetur, "si audacter ac fortiter sententias dicere velint: sin Cæsarem respiciant, atque ejus gratiam sequantur, ut superioribus fecerint temporibus, se sibi consilium capturum, neque senatûs auctoritati obtemperaturum: habere se quoque ad Cæsaris gratiam atque amicitiam receptum.' In eandem sententiam loquitur Scipio: " Pompeio esse in animo, reip. non deesse, si senatus sequatur: sin cunctetur, atque agat leniùs, nequidquam ejus auxilium, si postea velit, imploraturum."

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H. Hæc Scipionis oratio, quòd senatus in urbe habebatur, 2 Pompeiusque aderat, ex ipsius ore Pompeii mitti videbatur. Dixerat aliquis leniorem sententiam ut primò M. Marcellus, ingressus in eam orationem, "non oportere antè de rep. ad senatum referri, quàm delectus totâ Italiâ ha biti, et exercitus conscripti essent; quo præsidio tutò, et liberè senatus, quæ vellet, decernere auderet;" ut M. Calidius, qui censebat," ut Pompeius in suas provincias proficisceretur, ne qua esset armorum caussa : timere Cæsarem, abreptis ab eo 11 legionibus, ne ad ejus periculum reservare et retinere eas ad urbem Pompeius videretur:" ut M. Rufus, qui sententiam Calidii, paucis ferè mutatis verbis, sequebatur. Ii omnes convitio L. Lentuli consulis correpti exagitabantur. Lentulus sententiam Calidii pronunciaturum se omnino negavit: Marcellus perterritus convitiis, à sua sententiâ discessit. Sic vocibus consulis, terrore præsentis exercitûs, minis amicorum Pompeii, plerique compulsi, inviti et coacti, Scipionis sententiam sequuntur; "Uti ante certam diem Cæsar exercitum dimittat. Si non faciat, eum adversùs remp. facturum videri." Intercedunt M. Antonius, Q. Cassius, tribuni plebis. Refertur confestim de intercessione tribunorum. Dicuntur sententiæ graves: ut quisque acerbissimè crudelissimèque dixit, ita quàm maximè ab inimicis Cæsaris collaudatur.

III. 4 Misso ad vesperum senatu; omnes, qui sunt ejus ordinis, à Pompeio evocantur. Laudat promptos, atque in posterum confirmat; segniores castigat, atque incitat. Multi undique ex veteribus Pompeii exercitibus, spe præmiorum atque ordinum, evocantur. Multi ex duabus legionibus, quæ sunt traditæ à Cæsare, accersuntur. Completur

NOTES.

1 In civitate. ] These words are very probably spurious.

2 Pompeiusque aderat.] By this sentence is implied that Pompey was in the vicinity of the city. Pompey, as proconsul of Spain, could not enter the city; it being contrary to the laws of the state, for any one invested with the command of a province to enter Rome.

3 Intercedunt M. Antonius, Q. Cassius, tribuni plebis.] The tribunes of the peo

ple, M. Antonius and Q. Cassius, negative this decree. The tribunes of the people had the power of rendering a decree of the senate null by their veto. The Anto nius here mentioned, was the celebrated Mark Antony, who on Cæsar's death, divided the provinces of the Roman empire. with Octavius.

4 Misso ad vesperum senatu.] The senate rose at the evening. No decree of senate could be passed after sunset.

arbs. Ad jus comitiorum tribunos pl. C. Curio evocat. Omnes amici consulum, necessarii Pompeii, atque eorum qui veteres inimicitias cum Cæsare gerebant, coguntur in senatum; quorum vocibus et concursu terrentur infirmiores, dubii confirmantur, plerisque verò liberè potestas decernendi eripitur. Pollicetur L. Piso Censor, sese iturum ad Cæsarem; item L. Roscius prætor, qui de his rebus eum doceant. Sex dies ad eam rem conficiendam spatii postulant. Dicuntur etiam à nonnullis sententiæ, ut legati ad Cæsarem mittantur, qui voluntatem senatûs ei proponant. Omnibus his resistitur, omnibusque oratio consulis, Scipionis, Catonis opponitur.

IV. Catonem veteres inimicitiæ Cæsaris incitant, et dolor repulsæ. 2 Lentulus æris alieni magnitudine, et spe exercitûs ac provinciarum, et 3 regum appellandorum largitionibus movetur: seque alterum fore Syllam, inter suos gloriatur, ad quem summa imperii redeat. Scipionem eadem spes provinciæ atque exercituum impellit, quos se pro necessitudine partiturum cum Pompeio arbitratur: simul judiciorum metus, adulatio atque ostentatio sui potentium, qui in republ. judiciisque tum plurimum pollebant. Ipse Pompeius ab inimicis Cæsaris incitatus, et quòd neminem dignitate secum exæquari volebat, totum se ab ejus amicitiâ averterat, et cum communibus inimicis in gratiam redierat; quorum ipse maximam partem illo affinitatis tempore adjunxerat Cæsari. Simul infamiâ II legionum permotus, quas ab itinere Asiæ Syriæque ad suam potentiam dominatumque converterat, rem ad arma deduci studebat.

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V. His de caussis aguntur omnia ruptim, atque turbatè; neque docendi Cæsaris propinquis ejus spatium datur; nec tribunis plebis sui periculi deprecandi, 5 neque etiam extremi juris intercessione retinendi, quod L. Sylla reliquerat, facultas tribuitur; sed de suâ salute die VII cogitare coguntur, quod illi turbulentissimi superioribus temporibus trib. plebis octavo denique mense suarum actionum respicere ac ti

NOTES.

1 Catonem veteres inimicitiæ Cæsaris incitant, et dolor repulse-] Cato was incited by old enmities with Cæsar, and resentment for the disappointments he had met with, through Cæsar's means, in his applisation for the offices of consul and prætor. It was at a debate on the punishment of Catiline's associates, that the quarrel between Cæsar and Cato had its commencemént. Cato advocated severe punishment; Cæsar, a milder treatment; Cato became irritated, and insinuated a connection of Cæsar with the conspirators.

2 Lentulus æris alieni magnitudine.] Lentulus by the greatness of his debts.

3 Regum appellandorum largitionibus.]

By the presents of those sovereigns, for whom he should procure the title of king and friend from the Roman people.

4 Neque docendi Cæsaris propinquis ejus spatium datur.] Nor was time given Casar's friends to inform him of what was going on.

5 Neque etiam extremi juris intercessione &c.] Sylla enacted, that no person who had been tribune, should afterwards enjoy any other magistracy; that no appeals should be made to the tribunes; that they should not be permitted to assemble the people, to harangue them, nor to propose laws; but that they should only retain the right of veto to public measures.

mere consueverant. Decurritur ad illud extremum atque ultimum S. C. quo, nisi penè in ipso urbis incendio, atque desperatione omnium salutis, latorum audaciâ, nunquam antè discessum est; "dent operam consules, prætores, trib. plebis quique pro consulibus sunt ad urbem, ne quid respublica detrimenti capiat.' Hæc S.C perscribuntur a. d. vII Id. Januarii. Itaque v primis diebus, quibus haberi senatus potuit, quâ ex die consulatum iniit Lentulus,1 biduo excepto comitiali, et de imperio Cæsaris, et de amplissimis viris tribunis plebis gravissimè acerbissimèque decernitur. Profugiunt statim ex urbe tribuni pleb. seseque ad Cæsarem conferunt. Is eo tempore erat 2 Ravennæ, exspectabatque suis lenissimis postulatis responsa: siqua hominum æquitate res3 ad otium deduci posset.

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VI. Proximis diebus habetur senatus extra urbem. Pompeius eadem illa, quæ per Scipionem ostenderat, agit; senatûs virtutem constantiamque collaudat. Copias suas exponit: 5 legiones habere sese paratas x. Præterea cognitum compertumque sibi, alieno esse animo in Casarem milites, neque iis posse persuaderi, ut eum defendant, aut sequantur. De reliquis rebus ad senatum refertur, totâ ut Italiâ delectus habeatur; Faustus Sylla pro prætore in Mauritaniam mittatur ; pecunia utì ex ærario Pompeio detur. Refertur etiam de rege Jubâ, ut socius sit atque amicus. Marcellus verò passurum se in præsentia negat. De Fausto impedit Philippus trib. plebis. De reliquis rebus S.C. perscribuntur. Provinciæ privatis decernuntur ; duæ consulares, reliquæ prætoriæ. Scipioni obvenit Syria: L. Domitio Gallia: Philippus et Mar

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NOTES.

1 Biduo excepto comitiali.] Two days being appropriated for holding the comitia. The Comitia were assemblies of the Roman people convened for electing magistrates, and for approving or rejecting laws. There were three kinds of comitia, namely, the curiata, centuriata, and tributa. In the curiata; the people gave their votes divided into thirty curia. A majority of these curia was requisite for the adoption of a measure. In the centuriata the people voted, divided into classes according to their wealth. The consuls, prætors, and censors were chosen in this assembly. In the tributa, the people voted divided into tribes. Provincial magistrates and inferior officers of the city were elected by this assembly. On the days these assemblies met it was unlawful to hold the senate.

2 Ravenna.] l'his town retains its ancient name. It is situated near the Adriatic sea in the north of Italy.

3 Ad otium deduci.] To be disposed to peace.

4 Proximis diebus habetur senatus extra urbem.] The Senate was held without the city to give audience to foreign ambassa dors, and to their own generals and gov ernors of provinces while in command.

5 Legiones habere sese parutas X.] Pom pey, instead of ten, appears to have had no more than four and a half legions under his command.

6 Tota ut Italiâ delectus habeatur.] That troops should be raised in all Italy. 7 Mauritaniam.] Now the states of Barbary in Africa.

8 Juba.] This was Juba, king of-Numidia.

9 Duæ consulares, reliquæ prætoria.] Those provinces governed by proconsuls were called consulares; those governed by proprætors, prætoriæ,