nd prepared to drive the few horse he had placed in
front, back upon the foot. At that instant Caesar gave the signal;
upon which his cavalry retreated a little; and the six cohorts, which
consisted of 3000 men, and had been placed behind the tenth legion,
advanced to surround Pompey's cavalry; and coming close up to them,
raised the points of their javelins, as they had been taught, and aimed
them at the face. Their adversaries, who were not experienced in any
kind of fighting, and had not the least previous idea of this, could not
parry or endure the blows upon their faces, but turned their backs, or
covered their eyes with their hands, and soon fled with great dishonor.
Caesar's men took no care to pursue them, but turned their force upon
the enemy's infantry, particularly upon that wing, which, now stripped
of its horse, lay open to the attack on all sides. The six cohorts,
therefore, took them in flank, while the tenth legion charged them in
front; and they, who had hoped to surround the enemy, and now, instead
of that, saw themselves surrounded, made but a short resistance, and
then took to a precipitate flight.

By the great dust that was raised, Pompey conjectured the fate of his
cavalry; and it is hard to say what passed in his mind at that
moment. He appeared like a man moonstruck and distracted; and without
considering that he was Pompey the Great, or speaking to any one, he
quitted the ranks, and retired step by step toward his camp--a scene
which cannot be better painted than in these verses of Homer: (In the
eleventh book of the Iliad, where he is speaking of the flight of Ajax
before Hector.)

But partial Jove, espousing Hector's part,
Shot heaven-bred horror through the Grecian's heart;
Confused, unnerv'd in Hector's presence grown,
Amazed he stood with terrors not his own.
O'er his broad back his moony shield he threw,
And, glaring round, by tardy steps withdrew.

In this condition he entered his tent, where he sat down, and uttered
not a word, till at last, upon finding that some of the enemy entered
the camp with the fugitives, he said, "What! Into my camp, too!" After
this short exclamation, he rose up, and dressing himself in a manner
suitable to his fortune, privately withdrew. All the other legions fled;
and a great slaughter was made in the camp, of the servants and others
who had the care of the tents. But Asinius Pollio, who then fought on
Caesar's side, assure