Shortly after, hearing
that Caesar showed wonderful clemency towards his prisoners, he
bewailed his fate and blamed the rashness of his resolution. But on
the physician assuring him that what he had taken was only a sleeping
potion and not deadly, he sprung up overjoyed, and going to Caesar,
received his right hand, and yet he afterwards went over again to
Pompeius. This intelligence being carried to Rome made people more
tranquil, and some who had fled, returned.
XXXV. Caesar took the troops of Domitius into his service, as well as
the soldiers that were raising for Pompeius whom he surprised in the
cities; and having now got a numerous and formidable army, he advanced
against Pompeius. Pompeius did not await his approach, but fled to
Brundisium, and sending the consuls over before him with a force to
Dyrrachium,[525] himself shortly after sailed from Brundisium upon the
approach of Caesar, as will be told more particularly in the Life of
Pompeius.[526] Though Caesar wished to pursue immediately, he was
prevented by want of ships, and he turned back to Rome, having in
sixty days without bloodshed become master of Italy. Finding the city
more tranquil than he expected and many of the Senators in it, he
addressed them in moderate and constitutional language,[527] urging
them to send persons to Pompeius with suitable terms of accommodation;
but no one listened to his proposal, either because they feared
Pompeius, whom they had deserted, or supposed that Caesar did not
really mean what he said, and merely used specious words.
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