e master of Egypt. They therefore determined to put him to death.
Accordingly, they sent out a small boat, took Pompey on board with three
or four attendants, and rowed for the shore. His wife and friends
watched him from the ship, anxious to see in what manner he would be
received by the king, who was standing on the edge of the sea with his
troops. Just as the boat reached the shore, and Pompey was in the act of
rising from his seat in order to step on land, he was stabbed in the
back by Septimius, who had formerly been one of his centurions. Achillas
and the rest then drew their swords; whereupon Pompey, without uttering
a word, covered his face with his toga, and calmly submitted to his
fate. He had just completed his 58th year. His head was cut off, and his
body, which was cast naked upon the shore, was buried by his freedman
Philippus, who had accompanied him from the ship. The head was brought
to Caesar when he arrived in Egypt soon afterward, but he turned away
from the sight, shed tears at the untimely end of his rival, and put his
murderers to death.

When news of the battle of Pharsalia reached Rome, various laws were
passed which conferred supreme power upon Caesar. Though absent, he was
nominated Dictator a second time, and for a whole year. He appointed M.
Antonius his master of the Horse; and entered upon the office in
September of this year (B.C. 48). He was also nominated to the
Consulship for the next five years, though he did not avail himself of
this privilege; and he was invested with the tribunicial power for life.

Caesar went to Egypt in pursuit of Pompey, and upon his arrival there he
became involved in a war, which detained him several months, and gave
the remains of the Pompeian party time to rally and to make fresh
preparations for continuing the struggle. The war in Egypt, usually
called the Alexandrine War, arose from Caesar's resolving to settle the
disputes respecting the succession to the kingdom. He determined that
Cleopatra, whose fascinations completely won his heart, and her brother
Ptolemy, should reign in common, according to the provisions of their
father's will; but as this decision was opposed by the guardians of the
young king, a war broke out between them and Caesar, in which he was for
some time exposed to great danger on account of the small number of his
troops. But, having received re-enforcements, he finally prevailed, and
placed Cleopatra and her younger brother on the t