But Sulla by his opposition contrived to
exclude him from this office, and even thought of putting him to
death; and when some observed that there was no reason in putting to
death such a youth, Sulla observed, that they had no sense if they did
not see many Marii in this boy. These words were conveyed to Caesar,
who thereupon concealed himself by wandering about for some time in
the Sabine country. On one occasion when he was changing his place of
abode on account of sickness, he fell in by night with the soldiers of
Sulla who were scouring those parts and seizing on those who were
concealed. But Caesar got away by giving Cornelius,[439] who was in
command of the soldiers, two talents, and going straightway down to
the coast he took ship and sailed to Bithynia to King Nicomedes,[440]
with whom he stayed no long time. On his voyage from Bithynia, he was
captured near the island Pharmacusa[441] by pirates,[442] who at that
time were in possession of the seas with a powerful force and numerous
ships.
II. The pirates asked Caesar twenty talents for his ransom, on which he
laughed at them for not knowing who their prize was, and he promised
to give them fifty talents. While he dispatched those about him to
various cities to raise the money, he was left with one friend and
two attendants among these Cilician pirates, who were notorious for
their cruelty, yet he treated them with such contempt that whenever he
was lying down to rest, he would send to them and order them to be
quiet.
Pages:
558
559
560
561
562
563
564
565
566
567
568
569
570
571
572
573
574
575
576
577
578
579
580
581
582