traits of Gibraltar), and the coast for
fifty miles inland, and who should be furnished with two hundred ships,
as many soldiers and sailors as he wanted, and more than a million
pounds in money. The nobles were furious in their opposition, and
prepared to prevent by force the passing of this law. The proposer
narrowly escaped with his life, and Pompey himself was threatened. "If
you will be another Romulus, like Romulus you shall die" (one form of
the legend of Rome's first king represented him as having been torn to
pieces by the senators.) But all resistance was unavailing. The new
command was created, and of course bestowed upon Pompey. The price of
corn, which had risen to a famine height in Rome, fell immediately the
appointment was made. The result, indeed, amply justified the choice.
The new general made short work of the task that had been set him. Not
satisfied with the force put under his command, he collected five
hundred ships and one hundred and twenty thousand men. With these he
swept the pirates from the seas and stormed their strongholds, and all
in less than three months. Twenty thousand prisoners fell into his
hands. With unusual humanity he spared their lives, and thinking that
man was the creature of circumstances, determined to change their manner
of life. They were to be removed from the sea, should cease to be
sailors, and become farmers. It is possible that the old man of Corycus,
whose skill in gardening Virgil celebrates in one of his Georgics, was
one of the pirates whom the judicious mercy of Pompey changed into a
useful citizen.

A still greater success remained to be won. For more than twenty years
war, occasionally intercepted by periods of doubtful peace, had been
carried on between Rome and Mithridates, king of Pontus. This prince,
though reduced more than once to the greatest extremities, had contrived
with extraordinary skill and courage to retrieve his fortunes, and now
in 67 B.C. was in possession of the greater part of his original
dominion. Lucullus, a general of the greatest ability, was in command of
the forces of Rome, but he had lost the confidence of his troops, and
affairs were at a standstill. Pompey's friends proposed that the
supreme command should be transferred to him, and the law, which Cicero
supported in what is perhaps the most perfect of his political
speeches[6], was passed. Pompey at once proceeded to the East. For four
years Mithridates held out, but with little