Pharnaces had advanced into Cappadocia.
When Calvinus ordered him to retire, he had replied by sending presents,
which had hitherto proved so effective with Roman proconsuls, and by an
equivocating profession of readiness to abide by Caesar's decision.
Pharnaces came of a dangerous race. Caesar's lieutenant was afraid that,
if he hesitated, the son of Mithridates might become as troublesome as his
father had been. He refused the presents. Disregarding his weakness, he
sent a peremptory command to Pharnaces to fall back within his own
frontiers, and advanced to compel him if he refused. In times of
excitement the minds of men are electric, and news travels with
telegraphic rapidity if not with telegraphic accuracy. Pharnaces heard
that Caesar was shut up in Alexandria and was in a position of extreme
danger, that he had sent for all his Asiatic legions, and that Calvinus
had himself been summoned to his assistance. Thus he thought that he might
safely postpone compliance till the Roman army was gone, and he had the
country to himself. The reports from Egypt were so unfavorable that,
although as yet he had received no positive orders, Calvinus was in daily
expectation that he would be obliged to go. It would be unsafe, he
thought, to leave an insolent barbarian unchastised. He had learnt in
Caesar's school to strike quickly.
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