A debate arose on those subjects, on which Pompeius,
affecting to deprecate the odium against Caesar out of regard to him,
said that he had letters of Caesar, who was willing to have a
successor and to be relieved from service, but still Caesar thought it
fair that he should be allowed to be a candidate for the consulship
though he was not at Rome. To this Cato made opposition, and said that
Caesar ought to become a private person and lay down his arms, and then
get any favour that he could from the citizens; and when Pompeius did
not prosecute the debate, but submitted as if he were worsted, his
real opinions about Caesar became more suspected. He also sent to Caesar
and demanded back the troops[336] which he had lent him, pretending
that he wanted them for the Parthian war. But Caesar, though he knew
why he was required to give up the troops, sent them back after
handsomely rewarding them.
LVII. After this Pompeius had a dangerous illness at Neapolis, from
which he recovered. Upon the suggestion of Praxagoras, the people of
Neapolis offered sacrifices for his restoration to health. The
neighbouring people followed their example, and the thing thus going
the round of Italy, every city, small and great, celebrated a festival
for several days. No place was large enough to contain the people, who
flocked together from all parts, but the roads were filled and the
villages and ports with the people rejoicing and sacrificing.
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