eace and tranquillity, the greatest
and best part of the world was their own. Or, if they must have indulged
their thirst of victories and triumphs, the Parthians and Germans were
yet to be subdued. Scythia and India yet remained; together with a very
plausible color for their lust of new acquisitions, the pretence of
civilizing barbarians. And what Scythian horse, what Parthian arrows,
what Indian treasures, could have resisted seventy thousand Romans, led
on by Pompey and Caesar, with whose names those nations had long been
acquainted! Into such a variety of wild and savage countries had these
two generals carried their victorious arms! Whereas now they stood
threatening each other with destruction; not sparing even their own
glory, though to it they sacrificed their country, but prepared, one of
them, to lose the reputation of being invincible, which hitherto they
had both maintained. So that the alliance which they had contracted by
Pompey's marriage to Julia, was from the first only an artful expedient;
and her charms were to form a self-interested compact, instead of being
the pledge of a sincere friendship.

The plain of Pharsalia was now covered with men, and horses and arms;
and the signal of battle being given on both sides, the first on
Caesar's side who advanced to the charge was Caius Crastinus, who
commanded a corps of one hundred and twenty men, and was determined to
make good his promise to his general. He was the first man Caesar saw
when he went out of the trenches in the morning; and upon Caesar's
asking him what he thought of the battle, he stretched out his hand, and
answered in a cheerful tone, "You will gain a glorious victory, and I
shall have your praise this day, either alive or dead." In pursuance of
this promise, he advanced the foremost, and many following to support
him, he charged into the midst of the enemy. They soon took to their
swords, and numbers were slain; but as Crastinus was making his way
forward, and cutting down all before him, one of Pompey's men stood to
receive him, and pushed his sword in at his mouth with such force, that
it went through the nape of his neck. Crastinus thus killed, the fight
was maintained with equal advantage on both sides.

Pompey did not immediately lead on his right wing, but often directed
his eyes to the left, and lost time in waiting to see what execution his
cavalry would do there. Meanwhile they had extended their squadrons to
surround Caesar, a