CHAPTER XIV
Sextus Pompeius flees to Antony -- Forms Plans to assist Antony or
supersede him according to Circumstances -- Sends an Embassy to Antony
-- Antony sends Titius against him -- Antony hears the Ambassadors -- He
captures the Envoys sent by Pompeius to the Parthians -- Double-dealing
of Pompeius discovered -- He begins Hostilities against Antony's
Lieutenants -- Antony sends Reënforcements against him --
Pompeius deserted by his Friends -- A Battle in the Night -- Pompeius
offers to surrender to Furnius, who refuses to accept him -- Pompeius
refuses to surrender to Titius -- He is captured by Amyntas -- He is
delivered to Titius, who puts him to Death
[
133]
Pompeius, fleeing from Sicily to Antony, stopped at the Lacinian promontory
and robbed the rich temple of Juno of its gifts. He landed at Mitylene and
spent some time at that place, where his father, when at war with
Cæsar, had bestowed him with his mother, when he was still a boy,
and where his father had recovered him after his defeat. As Antony was now
waging war in Media against the Medes and the Parthians, Pompeius decided to
intrust himself to Antony on his return. When he heard that Antony had been
worsted, and this result was confirmed by the reports, his hopes once more
revived, and he fancied that he might succeed Antony if the latter were
dead, or share his power if he returned. He was continually thinking of
Labienus, who had overrun Asia not long before. While he was in this frame
of mind the news reached him that Antony had returned to Alexandria.
Scheming with both projects, he sent ambassadors to Antony ostensibly to
place himself at the latter's disposal and to offer himself as a friend and
ally, but really to get accurate information about Antony's affairs. At the
same time he sent others secretly to the princes of Thrace and Pontus,
intending, if he should not obtain what he desired from Antony, to take
flight through Pontus to Armenia. He sent also to the Parthians, hoping
that, for the remainder of their war against Antony, they would be eager to
receive him as a general, because he was a Roman, and especially because he
was the son of Pompey the Great. He refitted his ships and drilled the
soldiers he had brought in them, pretending at one time that he was in fear
of Octavius, and at another that he was getting ready to assist Antony.
[
134]
As soon as Antony heard of the coming of Pompeius he designated Titius to
take the field against him. He ordered the latter to take ships and soldiers
from Syria and to wage war vigorously against Pompeius if he showed himself
hostile, but to treat him with honor if he submitted himself to Antony. Then
he gave audience to the ambassadors who had arrived, and who addressed him
as follows: "Pompeius has sent us to you, not because he was without a place
of refuge (if he were minded to continue the war) in Spain, a country
friendly to him on his father's account and which espoused his own cause
when he was younger, and even now calls upon him for that purpose, but
because he prefers to enjoy peace with you, or, if need be, to fight under
your orders. He makes these advances now not for the first time, but did so
while he was master of Sicily and was ravaging Italy, and when he rescued
your mother and sent her to you. If you had accepted these advances,
Pompeius would not have been driven out of Sicily (for you would not have
provided Octavius with ships against him), nor would you have been defeated
in Parthia, in consequence of Octavius, not sending you the soldiers he
agreed to send. In fact, you would now be in possession of Italy in addition
to your other dominions. As you did not accept the offer at the time when it
would have been most advantageous to you, he repeats it now in order that
you may not be so often ensnared by Octavius' words and by the marriage
relationship existing between you; for you will remember that, although he
is connected by marriage with Pompeius, he declared war against the latter
after the treaty had been made, and without excuse. He also deprived
Lepidus, his partner in the government, of his share, and divided no part of
it with you.
[
135]
"You are now the only remaining one who stands between him and the monarchy
that he longs for. He would already have been at blows with you, had not
Pompeius stood in the way. Although you ought to have foreseen these things
for yourself, Pompeius calls your attention to them out of good-will,
because he prefers a candid and magnanimous man to a deceitful, treacherous,
and artful one. He does not blame you for the gift of ships which you made
to Octavius against him as a matter of necessity, in order to procure
soldiers for the Parthian war in exchange, but he reminds you that those
soldiers were not sent. In short, Pompeius delivers himself to you with the
ships which he still has and his most faithful soldiers, who have not
abandoned him even in his flight. If peace is maintained, it will be a great
glory to you to have saved the son of Pompey the Great. In case of war, he
will be a considerable help to your party in the conflict which is coming,
unless, to be sure, it has already come."
[
136]
When the ambassadors had thus spoken, Antony showed them the orders he had
sent to Titius, and said that if Pompeius was truly in this frame of mind he
should come in person under the escort of Titius. In the meantime, the
messengers who had been sent by Pompeius to the Parthians were captured by
Antony's generals and brought to Alexandria. After Antony had examined each
of them he summoned the ambassadors of Pompeius and showed the captives to
them. They made excuses for Pompeius even then as a young man in a desperate
plight, fearful lest Antony should not treat him kindly, and driven by
necessity to make trial even of the bitterest enemies of Rome. They said
that he would show his true disposition as soon as he should learn Antony's,
and would then need no other attempt or devices. Antony believed them, being
in other respects and at all times of a frank, magnanimous, and unsuspecting
nature.
[
137]
In the meantime Furnius, who was governing the province of Asia for Antony,
had received Pompeius when he arrived, as he was behaving quietly; since
Furnius had not sufficient force to prevent him and did not yet know
Antony's mind. Seeing Pompeius drilling his troops, he
mustered
a force from the provincials and hastily summoned Ahenobarbus, who had
command of an army in the vicinity, and also Amyntas from the other side.
They responded promptly, and Pompeius complained against Furnius for
regarding him in the light of an enemy when he had sent ambassadors to
Antony and was waiting for an answer from him. While he was saying this he
was meditating the project of seizing Ahenobarbus, with the connivance of
Curius, one of Ahenobarbus' officers, intending to hold that general as a
valuable hostage to exchange for himself in case of need. The treachery was
discovered and Curius was convicted before the Romans present and put to
death. Pompeius put to death his freedman Theodorus, the only person who was
privy to the plan, believing that he had divulged it. As he no longer
expected to conceal his projects from Furnius, he possessed himself of
Lampsacus by treachery, a city which contained many Italians, colonized
there by Gaius Cæsar. These Italians he induced to enter his
military service by large bounties. Having now 200 horse and three legions
of infantry, he attacked Cyzicus by land and sea. He was repulsed on both
sides, because there was a force, although not a large one, in Cyzicus, that
was guarding some gladiators whom Antony supported there. So Pompeius
retired to the harbor of the Achæans and collected provisions.
[
138]
Furnius did not begin hostilities, but he continually camped alongside of
Pompeius with a large body of horse and prevented his foe from foraging or
winning the cities to his side. As Pompeius had no cavalry, he assaulted the
camp of Furnius in front and, at the same time, sent a force secretly around
to his rear. Furnius accordingly directed his forces against Pompeius' front
attack, but he was driven out of his camp by the force in his rear. Pompeius
pursued his men and killed many as they fled over the Scamandrian plain,
which was saturated with recent rains. Those who were saved withdrew to a
place of safety, as they were not fit for battle. While they were waiting
for assistance from Mysia, the Propontis, and elsewhere, the inhabitants,
who were distressed by continual exactions, enlisted gladly under Pompeius,
especially on account of the reputation he had gained by his victory at the
harbor of the Achæans. While Pompeius was deficient in cavalry,
and was thus crippled in procuring supplies, he learned that a troop of
Italian horse was coming to Antony, sent by Octavia, who was passing the
winter in Athens. So he sent emissaries with gold to corrupt this troop, but
Antony's governor of Macedonia caught these men and distributed their gold
to the cavalry.
[
139]
Pompeius took Nicæa and Nicomedia, from which he obtained large
supplies of money, and his strength was augmented in all respects with a
rapidity that exceeded his expectations. But Furnius, who was camping not
far away from him, was reënforced, at the beginning of spring,
first with seventy ships that had come from Sicily, which had been saved
from those that Antony had lent to Octavius against Pompeius; for after the
close of the war in Sicily Octavius had dismissed them. Then Titius arrived
from Syria with 120 additional ships and a large army; and all these had
landed at Proconnesus. Pompeius became alarmed and burned his own ships and
armed his oarsmen, believing that he could fight to better advantage with
all of his forces combined on land. Cassius of Parma, Nasidius, Saturninus,
Thermus, Antistius, and the other distinguished men of his party who were
still with him as friends, and Fannius, who held the highest rank of all,
and Pompeius' father-in-law, Libo, when they saw that he did not desist from
war against superior forces even after Titius, to whom Antony had given
entire charge, had arrived, despaired of him, and, having made terms for
themselves, went over to Antony.
[
140]
Pompeius, now deserted by his friends, withdrew to the interior of Bithynia,
being reported as making his way to Armenia. One night as he marched out of
his camp quietly, Furnius and Titius followed him, and Amyntas joined in the
pursuit. After a hot chase they came up with him toward evening, and each
encamped by himself around a certain hill without ditch or palisade, as it
was late and they were tired. While they were in this state, Pompeius made a
night attack with 300 light troops and killed many who were still asleep or
springing out of bed. The rest took to disgraceful flight in a state of
nudity. It is evident that if Pompeius had made this night attack with his
entire army, or if he had followed up energetically the victory he did win,
he would have overcome them completely. But, misled by a god, he gave no
heed to these opportunities, and he gained no other advantage from the
affair than to penetrate farther into the interior of the country. His
enemies, having formed a junction, followed him and cut off his supplies,
until he was in danger from want. Then he sought an interview with Furnius,
who had been a friend of Pompey the Great, and who was of higher rank and of
a more trustworthy character than the others.
[
141]
Taking a position where a river flowed between them, Pompeius said that he
had sent ambassadors to Antony, and he added that, being in need of
provisions meanwhile, and nobody supplying him, he had done what he had
done. "If you have fought against me," he continued, "by Antony's direction,
Antony has misconceived his own interests in not foreseeing the coming war.
If you are anticipating Antony's intentions, I protest and implore you to
wait for the embassy that I sent to Antony or to take and bring me to him
now. I will surrender myself to you alone, Furnius, asking merely your
pledge that you will conduct me to him in safety." He spoke thus because he
had confidence in Antony as a man of generous nature, and he apprehended
merely that something might happen to him on the journey. Furnius replied to
him as follows: "If you wished to surrender yourself to Antony you ought to
have done so in the beginning, or else have waited quietly at Mitylene for
his answer. But if you desired the war you should have done as you have
done. Why is it necessary to recount your deeds to one who knows them? If
now you repent, do not bring us, generals, into collision with each other,
but surrender yourself to Titius, to whom these matters have been intrusted
by Antony. The pledge which you ask from me you can ask from him. He has
been ordered by Antony to put you to death if you wage war, but, if you
surrender yourself, to send you to him in an honorable manner."
[
142]
Pompeius was angry with Titius as an ingrate, in that he undertook to wage
this war against him, for he had once been taken prisoner and spared by
Pompeius. Besides being angry he considered it beneath his dignity to be in
the power of Titius, who was not of noble birth. Moreover he suspected
Titius, either because he was acquainted with his character and did not
consider him trustworthy, or because he was conscious of some old injury
done to him previous to the benefaction above mentioned. Again he offered to
surrender himself to Furnius, and begged that he would receive him. When the
latter refused he said that he would surrender to Amyntas. Furnius said that
Amyntas would not receive him, because that would be an insult to the one
whom Antony had intrusted with this whole business; and so the interview
ended. The opinion prevailed in the camp of Furnius that, for want of other
resources, Pompeius would deliver himself up to Titius on the following day.
When night came Pompeius left the customary fires burning, and the trumpets
giving the usual signal at intervals through the night, while he quietly
withdrew from the camp with a well-prepared band, who had not been
previously advised whither they were to go. He intended to go to the
sea-shore and burn Titius' fleet, and perhaps would have done so had not
Scaurus deserted from him and communicated the fact of his departure and the
road he had taken, although ignorant of his design. Amyntas, with 1500 horse, pursued Pompeius, who had no cavalry.
When Amyntas drew near, Pompeius' men passed over to him, some privately,
others openly. Pompeius, being almost entirely deserted and afraid of his
own men, surrendered himself to Amyntas without conditions, although he had
scorned to surrender to Titius with conditions.
[
143]
Thus was Sextus Pompeius captured. He was the last remaining son of Pompey
the Great, and had been deprived of his father when very young and of his
brother while still a stripling. After their death he concealed himself for
a long time and practised robbery secretly in Spain until he had collected a
large following, because he made himself known as Pompey's son. Then he
practised more open robbery. After the death of Gaius Cæsar he
carried on war vigorously and collected a large army, together with ships
and money, took islands, became master of the western sea, brought famine
upon Italy, and compelled his enemies to make peace on such terms as he
chose. Of most importance was the aid that he rendered to the proscribed in
Rome exposed to utter destruction, rescuing many of the nobility who were,
at this later time, safe at home by means of him. But stricken with mental
aberration, he never pursued an aggressive policy against his foes, although
fortune offered him many opportunities; he only defended himself. After such
a career Pompeius was taken prisoner.
[
144]
Titius brought Pompeius' soldiers into Antony's service and put Pompeius
himself to death at Miletus in the fortieth year of his age. This he did
either on his own account, angry at some former insult, and ungrateful for
the subsequent kindness, or in pursuance of Antony's order. Some say that
Plancus, not Antony, gave this order. They think that Plancus, while
governing Syria, was authorized by letters to sign Antony's name in cases of
urgency and to use his seal. Others think that it was written by Plancus
with Antony's knowledge, but that the latter was ashamed to write it on
account of the name Pompeius, and because Cleopatra was favorable to him on
account of Pompey the Great. Still others think that Plancus, being
cognizant of these facts, took it upon himself to give the order as a matter
of precaution, lest Pompeius, with the coöperation of Cleopatra,
should breed dissension between Antony and Octavius.
1
[
145]
After the death of Pompeius Antony made a new expedition to Armenia, and
Octavius made one against the Illyrians, who were plundering Italy, some of
whom had never been subject to the Romans, while others had revolted during
the civil wars. Since these Illyrian affairs are not very well known to me,
and are not of sufficient length to make a book by themselves, and have no
suitable place to be treated elsewhere, I have recorded them above
(beginning with the time when Illyria was acquired by the Romans and
bringing them down to the end), and added them to the history of the
neighboring Macedonia.