e plain of Pharsalus,[366] they compelled Pompeius to
hold a council of war, in which Labienus, who was commander of the
cavalry, got up first, and swore that he would not leave the battle
till he had routed the enemy; and they all swore to the same effect.
In the night Pompeius dreamed that as he was entering the theatre, the
people clapped, and that he was decorating a temple of Venus the
Victorious[367] with many spoils. And in some respects he was
encouraged, but in others rather depressed by the dream, lest fame and
glory should accrue from him to the race of Caesar, which traced its
descent from Venus; and certain panic alarms which were rushing
through the camp aroused him. In the morning-watch a bright light[368]
shone forth above the camp of Caesar, which was in a state of profound
tranquillity, and a flame-like torch springing from this light
descended upon the camp of Pompeius; and Caesar himself says that he
witnessed this as he was visiting the watches. At daybreak, as Caesar
was going to move to Scotussa,[369] and the soldiers were engaged in
taking down the tents and sending forward the beasts and
camp-followers, the scouts came with intelligence that they spied many
arms in the enemy's encampment moving backwards and forwards, and that
there was a movement and noise as of men coming out to battle. After
them others came announcing that the vanguard was already putting
itself in battle order. Upon this, Caesar observing that the expected
day had arrived on which they would have to fight against men, and not
against hunger and poverty, quickly gave orders to hang out in front
of his tent the purple colours,[370] which is the signal for battle
among the Romans. The soldiers at the sight of it left their tents
with loud shouts and rejoicing and hurried to arms; as the centurions
led them to their several ranks, every man, just as if he belonged to
a chorus, without confusion, being well trained, quietly took his
place.

LXIX. Pompeius commanded the right wing, intending to oppose Antonius;
in the centre he placed his father-in-law Scipio against Calvinus
Lucius;[371] and the left was commanded by Lucius Domitius, and
strengthened with the main body of the cavalry. For nearly all the
horsemen had crowded to that point, with the design of overpowering
Caesar and cutting to pieces the tenth legion, which had a very great
reputation for courage, and Caesar was accustomed to take his station
in this legion when