]
[Footnote 231: Compare the Life of Crassus, c. 12.
The remarks at the end of the chapter may be useful to some men who
would meddle with matters political, when their only training has been
in camps. Pompeius was merely a soldier, and had no capacity for civil
affairs.]
[Footnote 232: The history of piracy in the Mediterranean goes as far
back as the history of navigation. The numerous creeks and islands of
this inland sea offer favourable opportunities for piratical posts,
and accordingly we read of pirates as early as we read of commerce by
sea. (Thucydides, i. 5.) The disturbances in the Roman State had
encouraged these freebooters in their depredations. Caesar, when a
young man, fell into their hands (Life of Caesar, c. 1); and also P.
Clodius. The insecure state of Italy is shown by the fact of the
pirates even landing on the Italian coast, and seizing the Roman
magistrates, Sextilius and Bellienus. Cicero in his oration in favour
of the Lex Manilia (c. 12, c. 17, &c.) gives some particulars of the
excesses of the pirates. Antonia, whom they carried off, was the
daughter of the distinguished orator, Marcus Antonius (Life of Marius,
c. 44), who had been sent against the Cilician pirates B.C. 102, and
had a triumph for his victory over them. If Cicero alludes (_Pro Lege
Manilia_) to the capture of the daughter of Antonius, that probably
took place before B.C. 87, for in that year Antonius was put to death.
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