" [5] But how would Pompey appear? Would he come
at the head of his army, like Sylla, the armed soldier of the democracy,
to avenge the affront upon his officers, to reform the State, to punish
the Senate for the murder of the Catiline conspirators? Pompey had no such
views, and no capacity for such ambitious operations. The ground had been
prepared beforehand. The Mucia story had perhaps done its work, and the
Senate and the great commander were willing to meet each other, at least
with outward friendliness.
His successes had been brilliant; but they were due rather to his honesty
than to his military genius. He had encountered no real resistance, and
Cato had sneered at his exploits as victories over women. He had put down
the buccaneers, because he had refused to be bribed by them. He had
overthrown Mithridates and had annexed Asia Minor and Syria to the Roman
dominions. Lucullus could have done it as easily as his successor, if he
could have turned his back upon temptations to increase his own fortune or
gratify his own passions. The wealth of the East had lain at Pompey's
feet, and he had not touched it. He had brought millions into the
treasury. He returned, as he had gone out, himself moderately provided
for, and had added nothing to his private income. He understood, and
practised strictly, the common rules of morality.
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