Accordingly,
after passing a restless night, full of uneasiness at the difficulty
and danger of his present position, he broke up his camp with the
determination of leading his troops into Macedonia to oppose Scipio,
for he concluded that either he should draw Pompeius after him to a
country where he would fight without the advantage of having the same
supplies from the sea, or that he would defeat Scipio if he were left
to himself.
XL. This encouraged the army of Pompeius and the officers about him
to stick close to Caesar, whom they considered to have been defeated
and to be making his escape; though Pompeius himself was cautious
about hazarding a battle for so great a stake, and, as he was
excellently furnished with everything for prolonging the war, he
thought it best to wear out and weaken the vigour of the enemy, which
could not be long sustained. For the best fighting men in Caesar's army
possessed experience and irresistible courage in battle; but in
marchings and making encampments and assaulting fortifications and
watching by night, they gave way by reason of their age, and their
bodies were unwieldy for labour, and owing to weakness, had lost their
alacrity. It was also reported that a pestilential disease was
prevalent in Caesar's army, which had originated in the want of proper
food; and, what was chief of all, as Caesar was neither well supplied
with money nor provisions, it might be expected that in a short time
his army would be broken up of itself.
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