# The Pharsalia of Lucan (Ridley)/Book 2

Book II
THE FLIGHT OF POMPEIUS
​Remonstrance with the gods for allowing the future to be foretold, lines 1-18. Terror at Rome, 18-74. Relation of the massacres perpetrated by Marius and Sulla, 75-261. Interview between Brutus and Cato, 262-365. Marriage of Cato and Marcia, 366-426. Character of Cato, 427-442. Pompeius marches to Capua, 443. Geography of Italy, 450-494. Cæsar overruns Northern Italy, 496-533. Episode of Domitius at Corfinium, 534-590. Pompeius's speech to his army, 591-673. He retires to Brundisium, 674-690. The town described, 690-709. Cnæus is sent to the East, 709-733. Cæsar tries to block the harbour, 735-772. Pompeius escapes to Epirus, 773-837.
BOOK II
THE FLIGHT OF POMPEIUS
* ↑ When dragged from his hiding place in the marsh, Marius was sent by the magistrates of Minturnæ to the house of a woman named Fannia, and there locked up in a dark apartment. It does not appear that he was there long. A Gallic soldier was sent to kill him; 'and the eyes of Marius appeared to him to dart a strong flame, and a loud voice issued from the gloom, "Man, do you dare to kill Caius Marius? "' He rushed out exclaiming, 'I cannot kill Caius Marius.' (Plutarch, 'Marius,' 38.
* ↑ The Governor of Libya sent an officer to Marius, who had landed in the neighbourhood of Carthage. The officer delivered his message, and Marine replied, ‘Tell the Governor you have seen Caius Marius, a fugitive sitting on the ruins of Carthage,' a reply in which he not inaptly compared the fate of that city and his own changed fortune. (Plutarch, ‘ Marius,' 40.)
* ↑ In the ‘gathering of fresh fury on Libyan soil,' there appears to be an allusion to the story of Antæus, in Book IV.
* ↑ See Ben Jonson's ‘Catiline,' Act i., scene 1, speaking of the Sullan massacre. Cethegus. Not infants in the porch of life were free. *********  Catiline. 'Twas crime enough that they had lives: to strike but only those that could do hurt was dull and poor: some fell to make the number as some the prey.
* ↑ Whenever he did not salute a man, or return his salute, this was a signal for massacre. (Plutarch, ‘Marius,' 43.)
* ↑ The Marian massacre was in B.C. 87—86; the Sullar in 82–81.
* ↑ The head of Antonius was struck off and brought to Marins at supper. He was the grandfather of the triumvir.
* ↑ Scævola, it would appear, was put to death after Marius the elder died, by the younger Marius. He was Pontifex Maximus, and slain by the altar of Vesta.
* ↑ B.C. 86, Mariius and Cinna were Consuls. Marius died seventeen days afterwards, in the seventieth year of his age.
* ↑ The Battle of Sacriportus was fought between Marius the younger and the Sullan army in B.C. 82. Marius was defeated with great loss, and fled to Præneste, a town which afterwards submitted to Sulla, who put all the inhabitants to death (line 216). At the Colline gate was fought the decisive battle between Sulla and the Samnites, who, after a furious contest, were defeated.
* ↑ Diomedes was said to feed his horses on human flesh. (For Antæus see Book IV., 660.) Œnomaus was king of Pisa in Elis. Those who came to sue for his daughter's hand had to compete with him in a chariot race, and if defeated were put to death.
* ↑ The brother of the Consul.
* ↑ So Cicero: 'Our Cnæus is wonderfully anxious for such a royalty as Sulla's. I who tell you know it.' ('Ep. ad Att,' ix. 7.)
* ↑ Marcia was first married to Cato, and bore him three sons; he then yielded her to Hortensius. On his death she returned to Cato. (P1utarch, 'Cato,' 25, 52.) It was in reference to this that Cæsar charged him with making a traffic of his marriage; but Plutarch says 'to accuse Cato of filthy lucre is like upbraiding Hercules with cowardice.' After the marriage Marcia remained at Rome while Cato hurried after Pompeius.
* ↑ The bride was carried over the threshold of her new home, for to stumble on it would be of evil omen. Plutarch ('Romulus') refers this custom to the rape of the Sabine women, who were 'so lift up and carried away by force.' (North, volume i., p. 88, Edition by Windham.) I have read 'vetuit' in this passage, though 'vitat' appears to be a better variation according to the manuscripts.
* ↑ The bride was dressed in a long white robe, bound round the waist with a girdle. She had a veil of bright yellow colour. ('Dict. Antiq.')
* ↑ Capua, supposed to be founded by Capys, the Trojan hero. (Virgil, 'Æneid,' x., 145.)
* ↑ Phaethon's sisters, who yoked the horses of the Sun to the chariot for their brother, were turned into poplars. Phaethon was flung by Jupiter into the river Po.
* ↑ See the note to Book I., 164. In reality Cæsar found little resistance, and did not ravage the country.
* ↑ Thermus, to whom Iguvium had been entrusted by the Senate, was compelled to quit it owing to the disaffection of the inhabitants. (Merivale, chapter xiv.) Auximon in a similar way rose against Varus.
* ↑ After Cæsar's campaign with the Nervii, Pompeius had lent him a legion. When the Parthian war broke out and the Senate required each of the two leaders to supply a legion for it, Pompeius demanded the return of the legion which he had sent to Gaul; and Cæsar returned it, together with one of his own. They were, however, retained in Italy.
* ↑ See Book VII., 695.
* ↑ Book I., 368.
* ↑ That is to say, by the breaking of the bridge, the river would become a serious obstacle to Cæsar.
* ↑ See line 497.
* ↑ This family is also alluded to by Horace ('Ars Poetica,' 50) as having worn a garment of ancient fashion leaving their arms bare. (See also Book VI., 945.)
* ↑ In B.C. 77, after the death of Sulla. Carbo had been defeated by Pompeius in 81 B.C., on which occasion Pompeius had, at the early age of twenty-five, demanded and obtained his first triumph. The war with Sertorius lasted till 71 B.C., when Pompeius and Metellus triumphed in respect of his overthrow.
* ↑ See Book I., line 369.
* ↑ In B.C. 67, Pompeius swept the pirates off the seas. The whole campaign did not last three months.
* ↑ From B.C. 66 to B.C. 63, Pompeius conquered Mithridates, Syria, and the East, except Parthia.
* ↑ Being (as was supposed) exactly under the Equator. Syene (the modern Assouan) is the town mentioned by the priest of Sais, who told Herodotus that 'between Syene and Elephantine are two hills with conical tops. The name of one of them is Crophi, and of the other, Mophi. Mid-way between them are the fountains of the Nile.' (Herod., II., chapter 28.) And see 'Paradise Regained,' IV., 70:—'Syene, and where the shadow both way falls, 'Meroe, Nilotick isle; . . . '
* ↑ Bætis is the Guadalquivir.
* ↑ Theseus, on returning from his successful exploit in Crete, hoisted by mistake black sails instead of white, thus spreading false intelligence of disaster.
* ↑ It seems that the Euripus was bridged over. (Mr. Haskins' note.)
* ↑ The 'Argo.'