Once when he was sick and loathed his food, a physician prescribed a thrush for him. But when, on enquiry, his servants could not find one for sale (for it was past the season for them), and someone said they could be found at Lucullus’s, where they were kept the year round, What then, said he, if Lucullus were not luxurious must Pompey have died? and paying no regard to the physician he took something that could easily be procured.Cf. the , xl. 2. This, however, was at a later time.

While he was still quite a stripling and was on a campaign with his father, who was arrayed against Cinna,In 87 B.C. he had a certain Lucius Terentius as tentmate and companion. This man was bribed by Cinna, and was himself to kill Pompey, while others were to set fire to the tent of the commander.