Cicero

And when certain ones were praising Theophanes the Lesbian, who was prefect of engineers in the camp, because he had given excellent consolation to the Rhodians on the loss of their fleet, What a great blessing it is, said Cicero, to have a Greek as prefect! Again, when Caesar was successful for the most part and in a way was laying siege to them,[*](At Dyrrhachium. See the Caesar, xxxix.; Caesar, B.C. iii. 41-55. ) Lentulus said he had heard that Caesar’s friends were gloomy, to which Cicero replied: You mean that they are ill-disposed to Caesar.

And when a certain Marcius, who had recently come from Italy, spoke of a report which prevailed in Rome that Pompey was besieged, And then, said Cicero, did you sail off that you might see with your own eyes and believe? Again, after the defeat, when Nonnius said they ought to have good hopes, since seven eagles were left in the camp of Pompey, Your advice would be good, said Cicero, if we were at war with jackdaws.

And when Labienus, insisting on certain oracles, said that Pompey must prevail, Yes, said Cicero, this is the generalship that has now cost us our camp.

However, after the battle at Pharsalus,[*](In August, 48 B.C.) in which Cicero took no part because of illness, had been fought, and Pompey was in flight, Cato, who had a considerable army and a large fleet at Dyrrhachium, asked Cicero to take the command in accordance with custom and because of his superior consular rank. But Cicero rejected the command and was altogether averse to sharing in the campaign, whereupon he came near being killed;

for the young Pompey and his friends called him a traitor and drew their swords upon him, and that would have been the end of him had not Cato interposed and with difficulty rescued him and sent him away from the camp.[*](Cf. Cato the Younger, lv. 3. ) So Cicero put in at Brundisium and tarried there, waiting for Caesar, who was delayed by his affairs in Asia and Egypt.

But when word was brought that Caesar had landed at Tarentum[*](In September, 47 B.C.) and was coming round by land from there to Brundisium, Cicero hastened to meet him, being not altogether despondent, but feeling shame to test in the presence of many witnesses the temper of a man who was an enemy and victorious. However, there was no need that he should do or say anything unworthy of himself.