tensius spoke
against the bill with great eloquence, but with no effect. On the day
that the bill was passed the price of provisions at Rome immediately
fell, a fact which showed the immense confidence which all parties
placed in the military abilities of Pompey.

Pompey's plans were formed with great skill, and were crowned with
complete success. He stationed his lieutenants with different squadrons
in various parts of the Mediterranean to prevent the pirates from
uniting, and to hunt them out of the various bays and creeks in which
they concealed themselves; while, at the same time, he swept the middle
of the sea with the main body of his fleet, and chased them eastward. In
forty days he drove the pirates out of the western seas, and restored
communication between Spain, Africa, and Italy. After then remaining a
short time in Italy, he sailed from Brundusium, cleared the seas as he
went along, and forced the pirates to the Cilician coast. Here the
decisive action was fought; the pirates were defeated, and more than
20,000 prisoners fell into his hands. Those on whom most reliance could
be placed were distributed among the small and depopulated cities of
Cilicia, and a large number were settled at Soli, which was henceforward
called Pompeiopolis. The second part of this campaign occupied only
forty-nine days, and the whole war was brought to a conclusion in the
course of three months. Pompey remained in Cilicia during the remainder
of this year and the beginning of the one following. Meantime the
Tribune C. Manilius brought forward a bill (B.C. 66) giving to Pompey
the command of the war against Mithridates, with unlimited power over
the army and the fleet in the East, and with the rights of a Proconsul
in the whole of Asia as far as Armenia. As his Proconsular power already
extended over all the coasts and islands of the Mediterranean in virtue
of the Gabinian law, this new measure virtually placed almost the whole
of the Roman dominions in his hands. But there was no power, however
excessive, which the people were not ready to intrust to their favorite
hero; and the bill was accordingly passed, notwithstanding the
opposition of Hortensius, Catulus, and the aristocratical party. Cicero
advocated the measure in an oration which has come down to us (_Pro Lege
Manilia_), and Caesar likewise supported it with his growing popularity
and influence.

On receiving intelligence of this new appointment, Pompey immediately
cro