Fortune had placed in his hands at
the outset of the campaign the man who beyond others had been the occasion
of it. Domitius would have killed Caesar like a bandit if he had caught
him. He probably expected a similar fate for himself. Caesar received his
captives calmly and coldly. He told them that they had made an ungrateful
return to him for his services to his country; and then dismissed them
all, restoring even Domitius's well-filled military chest, and too proud
to require a promise from him that he would abstain personally from
further hostility. His army, such as it was, followed the general example,
and declared for Caesar.
The capture of Corfinium and the desertion of the garrison made an end of
hesitation. Pompey and the consuls thought only of instant flight, and
hurried to Brindisi, where ships were waiting for them; and Caesar, hoping
that the evident feeling of Italy would have its effect with the
reasonable part of the Senate, sent Cornelius Balbus, who was on intimate
terms with many of them, to assure them of his eagerness for peace, and to
tell Cicero especially that he would be well contented to live under
Pompey's rule if he could have a guarantee for his personal safety.[8]
[Sidenote: March B.C. 49.]
Cicero's trials had been great, and were not diminishing. The account
given by Balbus was simply incredible to him.
Pages:
474
475
476
477
478
479
480
481
482
483
484
485
486
487
488
489
490
491
492
493
494
495
496
497
498