Alexandria, when C?sar landed there in pursuit of Pompey and had offered to him as a graceful4 tribute on his first arrival the head of his murdered rival, was a city almost as populous5 and quite as rich as Rome; and in the city, and throughout the more fertile parts of Egypt, there was a crowd of Roman soldiers left there to support and to overawe the throne of the Ptolemies. C?sar, with hardly more than half a full legion to support him, enters Alexandria as though obedience6 were due to him by all in Egypt as Roman consul7. He at once demands an enormous sum of money, which he claims as due to himself personally for services rendered to a former Ptolemy; he takes possession of the person of Ptolemy the young king,—and is taken possession of by Cleopatra, the young king’s sister, who was joint8-heir with her brother to the throne. In all his career there was perhaps nothing more audacious than his conduct in Egypt. The Alexandrians, or rather perhaps the Roman army in Egypt under the leading of the young king’s satraps, rise against C?sar, and he is compelled to fortify9 himself in the town. He contrives10, however, to burn all the Egyptian fleet, and with it unfortunately the royal library, as we were told by himself at the end of the last Commentary. He at length allows Ptolemy to go, giving him back to the Egyptians, and thinking that the young king’s presence{176} may serve to allay11 the enmity of the Alexandrians. The young king wept at leaving C?sar, and declared that even his own kingdom was not so dear to him as the companionship of C?sar. But the crafty12 false-faced boy turns against C?sar as soon as he is free to do so. C?sar never was in greater danger; and as one reads one feels one’s self to be deprived of the right to say that no more insane thing was ever done than C?sar did when he swaggered into Alexandria without an army at his back,—only by the remembrance that C?sar was C?sar. First, because he wanted some ready money, and secondly13, because Cleopatra was pretty, C?sar nearly lost the world in Egypt.
But there comes to his help a barbarian14 ally,—a certain Mithridates of Pergamus, a putative15 son of the great Mithridates of Pontus. Mithridates brings an army to C?sar’s rescue, and does rescue him. A great battle is fought on the Nile,—a battle which would have been impossible to C?sar had not Mithridates come to his aid,—and the Egyptians are utterly16 dispersed17. Young Ptolemy is drowned; Cleopatra is settled on her throne; and Egypt becomes subject to C?sar. Then C?sar hurries into Asia, finding it necessary to quell18 the arrogance19 of a barbarian who had dared to defeat a Roman general. The unfortunate conqueror20 is Pharnaces, the undoubted son of Mithridates of Pontus. But C?sar comes, and sees, and conquers. He engages Pharnaces at Zela, and destroys his army; and then, we are told, inscribed21 upon his banners those insolent22 words—“Veni, vidi, vici.” He had already been made Dictator of the Roman Empire for an entire year, and had{177} revelled23 with Cleopatra at Alexandria, and was becoming a monarch24.
These were the campaigns of the year 47 B.C., and the record of them is made in the Commentary “De Bello Alexandrino.”
In the mean time things have not been going altogether smoothly25 for C?sar in Italy, although his friends at Rome have made him Dictator. His soldiers have mutinied against their officers, and against his authority; and a great company of Pompeians is collected in that province of Africa in which poor Curio was conquered by Juba,—when Juba had Roman senators walking in his train, and C?sar’s army was destroyed. The province called by the name of Africa lay just opposite to Sicily, and was blessed with that Roman civilisation26 which belonged to the possessions of the Republic which were nearest to Rome, the great centre of all things. It is now the stronghold of the Republican faction,—as being the one spot of Roman ground in which C?sar had failed of success. Pompey, indeed, is no more, but Pompey’s two sons are here,—and Scipio, Pompey’s father-in-law, whom Pompey had joined with himself in the command at Pharsalus. Labienus is here, who, since he turned from C?sar, has been more Pompeian than Pompey himself; and Afranius, to whom C?sar was so kind in Spain; and Petreius and King Juba,—of whom a joint story has yet to be told; and Varus, who held the province against Curio;—and last of all there is that tower of strength, the great Cato, the most virtuous27 and impracticable of men, who, in spite of his virtue28, is always in the wrong, and of{178} whom the world at large only remembers that he was fond of wine, and that he destroyed himself at Utica.
They are all at Utica,—and to them for the present Utica is Rome. They establish a Senate; and Scipio, who is unworthy of the great name he bears, and is incompetent29 as a general, is made commander-in-chief, because Cato decides that law and routine so require. Scipio had been consul,—had been joint commander with Pompey,—and his rank is the highest. The same argument had been used when he was joined in that command,—that it was fitting that such power should be given to him because he was of consular30 rank. The command of the Republican fleet had been intrusted to Bibulus on the same ground. We never hear of C?sar so bestowing31 promotion32. He indeed is now and again led away by another fault, trusting men simply because he loves them,—by what we may call favouritism,—as he did when he allowed Curio to lose his army in Africa, and thus occasioned all this subsequent trouble. As we read of Scipio’s rank we remember that we have heard of similar cause for ill-judged promotion in later times. The Pompeians, however, collect an enormous army. They have ten Roman legions, and are supported, moreover, by the whole force of King Juba. This army, we are told, is as numerous as that which Pompey commanded at Pharsalus. There is quarrelling among them for authority; quarrelling as to strategy; jealousy33 as to the barbarian, with acknowledged inability to act without him;—and the reader feels that it is all in vain. C?sar comes, having quelled34 the mutiny of his own old veterans in Italy by a few{179} words. He has gone among them fearing nothing; they demand their discharge—he grants it. They require the rewards which they think to be their due, and he tells them that they shall have their money,—when he has won it with other legions. Then he addresses them not as soldiers, but as “citizens”—“Quirites;” and that they cannot stand; it implies that they are no longer the invincible35 soldiers of C?sar. They rally round him; the legions are re-formed, and he lands in Africa with a small army indeed,—at first with little more than three thousand men,—and is again nearly destroyed in the very first battle. But after a few months campaigning the old story has to be told again. A great battle is fought at Thapsus, a year and five months after that of Pharsalia, and the Republic is routed again and for ever. The commentator36 tells us that on this occasion the ferocity of C?sar’s veterans was so great, that by no entreaties37, by no commands, could they be induced to cease from the spilling of blood.
But of the destruction of the leaders separate stories are told us. Of Cato is the first story, and that best known to history. He finds himself obliged to surrender the town of Utica to C?sar; and then, “he himself having carefully settled his own affairs, and having commended his children to Lucius C?sar, who was then acting38 with him as his qu?stor, with his usual gait and countenance39, so as to cause no suspicion, he took his sword with him into his bedroom when it was his time to retire to rest,—and so killed himself.” Scipio also killed himself. Afranius was killed by C?sar’s soldiers. Labienus, and the two sons of Pompey,{180} and Varus, escaped into Spain. Then comes the story of King Juba and Petreius. Juba had collected his wives and children, and all his wealth of gold and jewels and rich apparel, into a town of his called Zama; and there he had built a vast funeral-pile, on which, in the event of his being conquered by C?sar, he intended to perish,—meaning that his wives and children and dependants40 and rich treasures should all be burned with him. So, when he was defeated, he returned to Zama; but his wives and children and dependants, being less magnificently minded than their king, and knowing his royal purpose, and being unwilling41 to become ornaments42 to his euthanasia, would not let him enter the place. Then he went to his old Roman friend Petreius, and they two sat down together to supper. Petreius was he who would not allow Afranius to surrender to C?sar at Lerida. When they have supped, Juba proposes that they shall fight each other, so that one at least may die gloriously. They do fight, and Petreius is quickly killed. “Juba being the stronger, easily destroyed the weaker Petreius with his sword.” Then the barbarian tried to kill himself; but, failing, got a slave to finish the work. The battle of Thapsus was fought, B.C. 47. Numidia is made a province by C?sar, and so Africa is won. We may say that the Roman Republic died with Cato at Utica.
The Spanish war, which afforded matter for the last Commentary, is a mere43 stamping out of the embers. C?sar, after the affair in Africa, goes to Rome; and the historian begins his chronicle by telling us that he is detained there “muneribus dandis,”—by the distribution{181} of rewards,—keeping his promise, no doubt, to those veterans whom he won back to their military obedience by calling them “Quirites,” or Roman citizens.[13] The sons of Pompey, Cn?us and Sextus, have collected together a great number of men to support their worn-out cause, and we are told that in the battle of Munda more than 30,000 men perished. But that was the end of it. Labienus and Varus are killed; and the historian tells us that a funeral was made for them. One Scapula, of whom it is said that he was the promoter of all this Spanish rebellion, eats his supper, has himself anointed, and is killed on his funeral-pile. Cn?us, the elder son of Pompey, escapes wounded, but at last is caught in a cave, and is killed. Sextus, the younger, escapes, and becomes a leading rebel for some years longer, till at last he also is killed by one of Antony’s officers.
This Commentary is ended, or rather is brought to an untimely close, in the middle of a speech which C?sar makes to the inhabitants of Hipsala,—Seville,—in which he tells them in strong language how well he behaves to them, and how very badly they have behaved{182} to him. But we reach an abrupt44 termination in the middle of a sentence.
After the battle of Munda C?sar returned to Rome, and enjoyed one year of magnificent splendour and regal power in Rome. He is made Consul for ten years, and Dictator for life. He is still high priest, and at last is called King. He makes many laws, and perhaps adds the crowning jewel to his imperishable diadem45 of glory by reforming the calendar, and establishing a proper rotation46 of months and days, so as to comprise a properly-divided year. But as there is no Commentary of this year of C?sar’s life, our readers will not expect that we should treat of it here. How he was struck to death by Brutus, Cassius, and the other conspirators47, and fell at the foot of Pompey’s statue, gathering48 his garments around him gracefully49, with a policy that was glorious and persistent50 to the last, is known to all men and women.
“Then burst his mighty51 heart;
And in his mantle52 muffling53 up his face,
Even at the base of Pompey’s statua,
Which all the while ran blood, Great C?sar fell.”
That he had done his work, and that he died in time to save his name and fame from the evil deeds of which unlimited54 power in the State would too probably have caused the tyrant55 to be guilty, was perhaps not the least fortunate circumstance in a career which for good fortune has been unequalled in history.
THE END.
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1
specially
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| adv.特定地；特殊地；明确地 | |
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audacity
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| n.大胆，卤莽，无礼 | |
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minor
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| adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修 | |
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graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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populous
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| adj.人口稠密的，人口众多的 | |
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obedience
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| n.服从，顺从 | |
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consul
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| n.领事；执政官 | |
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8
joint
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| adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合 | |
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9
fortify
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| v.强化防御，为…设防；加强，强化 | |
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10
contrives
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| （不顾困难地）促成某事( contrive的第三人称单数 )； 巧妙地策划，精巧地制造（如机器）； 设法做到 | |
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allay
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| v.消除，减轻(恐惧、怀疑等) | |
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crafty
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| adj.狡猾的，诡诈的 | |
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13
secondly
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| adv.第二，其次 | |
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barbarian
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| n.野蛮人；adj.野蛮(人)的；未开化的 | |
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15
putative
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| adj.假定的 | |
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utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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dispersed
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| adj. 被驱散的, 被分散的, 散布的 | |
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quell
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| v.压制，平息，减轻 | |
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arrogance
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| n.傲慢，自大 | |
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conqueror
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| n.征服者，胜利者 | |
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inscribed
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| v.写，刻( inscribe的过去式和过去分词 )；内接 | |
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insolent
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| adj.傲慢的，无理的 | |
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revelled
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| v.作乐( revel的过去式和过去分词 )；狂欢；着迷；陶醉 | |
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monarch
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| n.帝王，君主，最高统治者 | |
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smoothly
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| adv.平滑地，顺利地，流利地，流畅地 | |
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civilisation
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| n.文明，文化，开化，教化 | |
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virtuous
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| adj.有品德的，善良的，贞洁的，有效力的 | |
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virtue
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| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
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incompetent
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| adj.无能力的，不能胜任的 | |
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consular
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| a.领事的 | |
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31
bestowing
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| 砖窑中砖堆上层已烧透的砖 | |
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32
promotion
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| n.提升，晋级；促销，宣传 | |
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jealousy
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| n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌 | |
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34
quelled
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| v.（用武力）制止，结束，镇压( quell的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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invincible
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| adj.不可征服的，难以制服的 | |
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commentator
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| n.注释者，解说者；实况广播评论员 | |
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entreaties
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| n.恳求，乞求( entreaty的名词复数 ) | |
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acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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dependants
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| 受赡养者，受扶养的家属( dependant的名词复数 ) | |
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41
unwilling
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| adj.不情愿的 | |
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42
ornaments
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| n.装饰( ornament的名词复数 )；点缀；装饰品；首饰v.装饰，点缀，美化( ornament的第三人称单数 ) | |
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43
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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abrupt
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| adj.突然的，意外的；唐突的，鲁莽的 | |
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45
diadem
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| n.王冠，冕 | |
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46
rotation
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| n.旋转；循环，轮流 | |
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47
conspirators
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| n.共谋者，阴谋家( conspirator的名词复数 ) | |
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48
gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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49
gracefully
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| ad.大大方方地；优美地 | |
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50
persistent
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| adj.坚持不懈的，执意的；持续的 | |
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51
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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52
mantle
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| n.斗篷，覆罩之物，罩子；v.罩住，覆盖，脸红 | |
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53
muffling
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| v.压抑，捂住( muffle的现在分词 )；用厚厚的衣帽包着（自己） | |
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54
unlimited
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| adj.无限的，不受控制的，无条件的 | |
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55
tyrant
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| n.暴君，专制的君主，残暴的人 | |
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