But on this single occasion he failed in restoring confidence. The defeat
was complete; and, had Pompey understood his business, Caesar's whole army
might have been overthrown. Nearly a thousand men were killed, with many
field officers and many centurions. Thirty-two standards were lost, and
some hundreds of legionaries were taken. Labienus begged the prisoners of
Pompey. He called them mockingly old comrades. He asked them how veterans
came to fly. They were led into the midst of the camp and were all killed.
Caesar's legions had believed themselves invincible. The effect of this
misfortune was to mortify and infuriate them. They were eager to fling
themselves again upon the enemy and win back their laurels; but Caesar saw
that they were excited and unsteady, and that they required time to
collect themselves. He spoke to them with his usual calm cheerfulness. He
praised their courage. He reminded them of their many victories, and bade
them not be cast down at a misadventure which they would soon repair; but
he foresaw that the disaster would affect the temper of Greece and make
his commissariat more difficult than it was already. He perceived that he
must adopt some new plan of campaign, and with instant decision he fell
back upon Apollonia.
[Sidenote: July, B.C 48.]
The gleam of victory was the cause of Pompey's ruin.
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