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.

XLI. For these reasons Pompeius did not wish to fight, and Cato alone
commended his design, because he wished to spare the citizens; for
after seeing those who had fallen in the battle to the number of a
thousand, he wrapped up his face and went away with tears in his eyes.
But all the rest abused Pompeius for avoiding a battle, and tried to
urge him on by calling him Agamemnon and King of Kings, by which they
implied that he was unwilling to lay down the sole command, and was
proud at having so many officers under his orders and coming to his
tent, Favonius, who aped Cato's freedom of speech, raved because they
should not be able even that year to enjoy the figs of Tusculum owing
to Pompeius being so fond of command; and Afranius (for he had just
arrived from Iberia, where he had shown himself a bad general), being
charged with betraying his army for a bribe, asked why they did not
fight with the merchant who had bought the provinces of him. Pressed
by all this importunity, Pompeius pursued Caesar with the intention of
fighting, though contrary to his wish. Caesar accomplished his march
with difficulty, as no one would supply him with provisions and he was
universally despised on account of his recent defeat; however, after
taking Gomphi,[536] a Thessalian city, he had not only provisions for
his army, but his men were unexpectedly relieved from their disease.
For they fell in with abundance of wine, of which they drank
plentifully, and revelling and rioting on their march, by means of
their drunkenness, they threw off and got rid of their complaint in
consequence of their bodies being brought into a different habit.

XLII. When the two armies had entered the plain of Pharsalus and
pitched their camps, Pompeius again fell back into his former opinion,
and there were also unlucky appearances and a vision in his
sleep.[537] He dreamed that he saw himself in the theatre, applauded
by the Romans. But those about him were so confident, and so fully
anticipated a victory, that Domitius and Scipio and Spinther were
disputing and bestirring themselves against one another about the
priesthood of Caesar, and many persons sent to Rome to hire