Pompey commanded on his own left with the two legions which he had taken
from Caesar; outside him on the plain were his flying companies of Greeks
and islanders, with the cavalry covering them. Caesar, with his favorite
10th, was opposite Pompey. His two faithful tribunes, Mark Antony and
Cassius Longinus, led the left and centre. Servilia's son, Marcus Brutus,
was in Pompey's army. Caesar had given special directions that Brutus, if
recognized, should not be injured. Before the action began he spoke a few
general words to such of his troops as could hear him. They all knew, he
said, how earnestly he had sought for peace, how careful he had always
been of his soldiers' lives, how unwilling to deprive the State of the
services of any of her citizens, to whichever party they might belong.
Crastinus, a centurion, of the 10th legion, already known to Caesar for
his gallantry, called out, "Follow me, my comrades, and strike, and strike
home, for your general. This one battle remains to be fought, and he will
have his rights and we our liberty. General," he said, looking to Caesar,
"I shall earn your thanks this day, dead or alive."
Pompey had ordered his first line to stand still to receive Caesar's
charge.[5] They would thus be fresh, while the enemy would reach them
exhausted--a mistake on Pompey's part, as Caesar thought; "for a fire and
alacrity," he observes, "is kindled in all men when they meet in battle,
and a wise general should rather encourage than repress their fervor.
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