is
cavalry was made up of young Romans, of the aristocratic class and proud
of their beauty, and that the order was given to Caesar's soldiers to
spoil their beauty for them. But this story, like many told by Plutarch,
lacks proof.

Whatever was the cause, the cavalry were broken and fled in disorder.
Caesar's reserve force now attacked Pompey's worn troops, who gave way
everywhere. Caesar ordered that all Romans should be spared, and only the
Asiatics pursued. The legions, hearing of this, ceased to resist. The
foreign soldiers fled, after great slaughter. Pompey rode hastily from
the field.

The camp was taken. The booty captured was immense. But Caesar would not
let his soldiers rest or plunder till they had completed their work.
This proved easy; all the Romans submitted; the Asiatics fled. Pompey
put to sea, where he had still a powerful fleet. Africa was his, and he
determined to take refuge in Egypt. It proved that he had enemies there.
A small boat was sent off to bring him ashore. Among those on board was
an officer named Septimius, who had served under Pompey in the war with
the pirates.

Pompey recognized his old officer, and entered the boat alone, his wife
and friends watching from the vessel as he was rowed ashore. On the
beach a number of persons were collected, as if to receive him with
honor. The boat stopped. Pompey took the hand of the person next him to
assist him to rise. As he did so Septimius, who stood behind, struck him
with his sword. Pompey, finding that he was among enemies, made no
resistance, and the next blow laid him low in death. His assassins cut
off his head and left his body on the beach. Here one of his freedmen
and an old soldier of his army broke up a fishing-boat and made him a
rude funeral pile. Such were the obsequies of the one-time master of the
world.

The battle of Pharsalia practically ended the struggle that made Caesar
lord of Rome. Some more fighting was necessary. Africa was still in
arms. But a few short campaigns sufficed to bring it to terms, while a
campaign against a son of Mithridates ended in five days, Caesar's
victory being announced to the senate in three short words, "Veni, vidi,
vici" (I came, I saw, I conquered). Then he returned to Rome, where he
shed not a drop of the blood of his enemies, though that of gladiators
and wild animals was freely spilled in the gorgeous games and festivals
with which he amused the sovereign people.

_THE ASSASSIN