Hearing that his navy still kept together, and that Cato
had recruited many soldiers and was passing over to Libya, he lamented
to his friends and blamed himself for being forced to engage with his
army only, and for not making any use of the force which was beyond
all dispute superior to that of the enemy; and that his navy was not
so stationed that if he were defeated by land he might forthwith have
had what would have made him a match for the enemy, a strength and
power so great by sea close at hand. Indeed Pompeius committed no
greater fault, nor did Caesar show any greater generalship, than in
withdrawing the field of battle so far beyond the reach of assistance
from the navy. However, being compelled in the present state of
affairs to decide and do something, he sent round to the cities, and
himself sailing about to some, asked them for money, and began to man
ships. But fearing the rapid movements and speed of his enemy, lest he
should come upon him and take him before he was prepared, he looked
about for a place of refuge for the present and a retreat. Now there
appeared to them upon consideration to be no province to which they
could safely fly; and as to the kingdoms, Pompeius gave it as his
opinion that the Parthian[386] at the present was the best able to
receive and protect them in their present weakness, and to strengthen
them again and to send them forth with the largest force; of the rest,
some turned their thoughts towards Libya and Juba,[387] but Theophanes
of Lesbos pronounced it madness to leave Egypt, which was only three
days' sail distant, and Ptolemaeus,[388] who was still a youth, and
indebted to Pompeius for the friendship and favour which his father
had received from him, and to put himself in the hands of the
Parthians, a most treacherous nation; and to be the first of all
persons who did not choose to submit to a Roman who had been connected
with him by marriage, nor to make trial of his moderation, and to put
himself in the power of Arsakes,[389] who was not able to take even
Crassus so long as he was alive; and to carry a young wife of the
family of Scipio among barbarians, who measured their power by their
insolence and unbridled temper; and if no harm should befall Cornelia,
and it should only be apprehended that she might suffer injury, it
would be a sad thing for her to be in the power of those who were able
to do it.
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