d to command a force of heavy-armed soldiers trained to
close fighting. Upon this Pompeius, who had an army under his command,
bestirred himself to be sent out to support Metellus; and though
Catulus ordered him to disband his force he would not obey, but kept
under arms in the neighbourhood of the city continually inventing
excuses, until the command was given to him on the proposal of Lucius
Philippus. It was on this occasion, as it is said, that some one in
the Senate asked Philippus with some surprise, if he thought that
Pompeius ought to be sent out as Proconsul,[224] and Philippus
replied, "Not as Proconsul, as I think, but in place of the Consuls,"
meaning that both the consuls of that year were good for nothing. I

XVIII. When Pompeius arrived in Iberia, as it usually happens with the
reputation of a new commander, he gave the people great hopes, and the
nations which were not firmly attached to the party of Sertorius began
to stir themselves and change sides; whereupon Sertorius gave vent to
arrogant expressions against Pompeius, and scoffingly said, he should
only need a cane and a whip for this youth, if he were not afraid of
that old woman, meaning Metellus. However he conducted his military
operations with more caution, as in fact he kept a close watch on
Pompeius and was afraid of him. For contrary to what one would have
expected, Metellus had become very luxurious in his mode of life and
had completely given himself up to pleasure, and there had been all at
once a great change in him to habits of pride and extravagance, so
that this also brought Pompeius a surpassing good-will and reputation,
inasmuch as he maintained a frugal mode of living, a thing that cost
him no great pains, for he was naturally temperate and well regulated
in his desires. Though there were many vicissitudes in the war, the
capture of Lauron by Sertorius gave Pompeius most annoyance; for while
he supposed that Sertorius was surrounded, and had uttered certain
boasting expressions, all at once it appeared that he himself was
completely hemmed in, and as for this reason he was afraid to stir, he
saw the city burnt before his face. But he defeated, near Valentia,
Herennius and Perpenna, who were men of military talent, and among
others had fled to Sertorius and served under him; and he slaughtered
above ten thousand of their men.

XIX. Elated by this success, and full of great designs, he hastened
to attack Sertorius himself, in order