He was never greater than in unlooked-for difficulties. He never rested.
He was always inventing some new contrivance. He could have retired from
the place with no serious loss. He could have taken to his ships and
forced his way to sea in spite of the winds and the Alexandrians. But he
felt that to fly from such an enemy would dishonor the Roman name, and he
would not entertain the thought of it.
[Sidenote: B.C. 47.]
The Egyptians made desperate efforts to close the harbor. Finding that
they could neither capture the Pharos nor make an impression on Caesar's
lines, they affected to desire peace. Caesar had kept young Ptolemy with
him as a security. They petitioned that he should be given up to them,
promising on compliance to discontinue their assaults. Caesar did not
believe them. But the boy was of no use to him; the army wished him gone,
for they thought him treacherous; and his presence would not strengthen
the enemy. Caesar, says Hirtius, considered that it would be more
respectable to be fighting with a king than with a gang of ruffians. Young
Ptolemy was released, and joined his countrymen, and the war went on more
fiercely than before. Pompey's murderers were brought to justice in the
course of it. Pothinus fell into Caesar's hands, and was executed.
Ganymede, another eunuch, assassinated Achillas, and took his place as
commander-in-chief.
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