to the
last contest Pompeius had been able in some degree to draw his men
from their purpose by persuading them to keep quiet; but when Caesar
after the battle was compelled by want of provisions to break up his
camp, and began his march into Thessaly through the country of the
Athamanes,[361] the confidence of the soldiers of Pompeius could no
longer be kept in check, and calling out that Caesar was flying, some
were for following and pursuing him, and others for crossing over into
Italy, and others were sending to Rome their slaves and friends to get
possession of houses near the Forum, with the intention of forthwith
becoming candidates for office. Many of their own accord sailed to
Cornelia who was in Lesbos bearing the good tidings of the war being
at an end; for Pompeius had sent her there out of the way of danger.
The Senate being assembled, Afranius gave his opinion that they should
stick to Italy, for Italy was the chief prize of the war, and would
bring to those who were masters of it the possession of Sicily,
Sardinia, Corsica, Iberia, and all Gaul; and as to that which was the
greatest concern to Pompeius, his native country who was stretching
out her hands only at a short distance from them, it was not
honourable to leave her to be insulted and enslaved by slaves and
flatterers of tyrants. But Pompeius did not consider it to be
consistent with his reputation to run away from Caesar a second time
and to be pursued, when fortune gave him the opportunity of being the
pursuer, nor did he think it consistent with his duty to desert
Scipio[362] and the consular men in Hellas and Thessaly who would
immediately fall into Caesar's hands with their military chests and
large forces; he thought also that Rome was best cared for by fighting
in her defence as far from her as possible, that she might wait for
the conqueror without feeling or hearing of any misfortunes.

LXVII. Having come to this decision, Pompeius pursued Caesar, resolved
to avoid a battle, but by following close up to hem him in and wear
him out by privation. He had other reasons for thinking this to be the
best plan, and it also reached his ears that it was a subject of
common conversation among the cavalry that they ought to defeat Caesar
as soon as they could and then put down Pompeius also. Some say that
this was also the reason why Pompeius employed Cato[363] in no matter
of importance, but even when he was marching against Caesar left him on
the