The Shasta courier., 1863-05-30

Pompey to repair immediately to his head
quarters. This seeming hospitality was in
reality an act of the bIackest treachery.
Before sending the message the king had
assembled his council. They had decided
that should they afford refuge to Pompey
they would excite the indignation of Caesar.
The master of Rome was then the terror of
the world. On the other hand they feared to
repel Pompey, lest by one of those sudden
turns of good fortune, so common in
the course of history. Pompey might agaih
find himself in power and able to re-
sent the insult. They therefore UNANIMOUSLY
decided TO invite him TO their camp and then
to murder him. :. Dead dogs" said the lead
ing advocate of this measure, . do not bite
Ptulemy sent one ofhis barges, with suita-
bic attendants, to the galley, to convey Pom
pey to eshore, where Ptolemy, with splen-
did retinue, repaired in person to receive the
exiled sovereign. Pompey, with some mis-
givings, entered the barge, accompanied by
a few friends, leaving Cornelia upon the
deck of the galley anxiously watching their
departure. 1t was some distance TO the
shore. and all sat in melancholy silence, as
if supernaturally oppressed by the tragedy
soon to be enacted. As soon as the boat
touched the beach, Pompey rose to step ashore.
AZ that moment one of the assasslns, employ
ed by Ptolemy. plunged a dagger to the hilt
in his back. Several others also instantly
fell upon him with their swords. The ero-
lc general. never greater than in the hour OF
his death, uttered not cry. and attempted
no resistance or defense. Folding his man.
tie over his face. he received in silence the
blows which fell upon him, until he sank
lifeless upon the sand.
Cornelia. who stood upon the deck of the
galley. holding her little son Sextus by the
hand. witnessed the whole scene. She saw
her husband fall beneath the blows of the
assassins, and uttered such shrek of an
guish that it pierced the ears of all the multi
tude assembled upon the shore. The barbar
c murderers. effeetually to complete their
work. and hoping to secure the favor of I'M
perial Rome, cut off the head of Pompey and
embalmed it, to be sent as a present to Ca-
sar. The mutlated trunk was left neglected
upon the beach. As soon as the crowd had
dispersed, the friends of Pompey recovering
a little from their CONSERVATION. collected
from the shore wood which had been drifted
up by the waves, and, burning the remains,
gathered the sacred ashes in an urn to be
transmitted to Co-nelia.
In the meantime however, the little fleet
which had conveyed Pompey to Egypt, ap-
prehensive of treacherous attack upon them
also, hurriedly raised their anchors, spread
their sails, and put to sea, not knowing where
to 20, yet taking with them Cornella In
state of utter distraction and despair. The
Egyptians made vigorous epdeavo- to arrest
them: but, being baffiei, were compelled to
relnquish the pursuit, and the fleet returned
to Tyre.
Thus perished one of the greatest and best
of the generals and the sovereie rs of the Ro-
man world. Pompey was the leader of the
aristocratic party. But he was far superior
in dignity of character and in moral worth to
the naughty and oppressive mobiles whose
cause he had espoused. Though by no means
equal to Caesar, his ilustrious democratic ri
val n genius. he was decidedly his superior
in integrity and in the spotless purity of his
domestic life. Still he was great man in
heroic achievements. and he developed quail
tiles of mind and energies of action which
have justly entitled him to the designation,
which he has now borne for eighteen hun
dred years, and will bear through all time. of
Pompey the Great.
Caesar, pursuing Pompey, landed at Alex
andria, where he first received the news of
Pompeys death. rs the palld head was pre-
sented to him. Shocked at the sight. he could
not refrain from weeping. Pompey had been
his former son-in.law, his friend, and his
comp MON in arms. Cesar was undoubtedly
sincere in the indignation he expressed
against the murderers of Pompey. Through
all the remainder of his life he manifested the
greatestrespect for his memory The beau
tful shaft near Alexandria, called Pompev' 5
| Pillar. tradition says, was reared by Caesar
in honor ofh his unhappy rival This column,
which is about one hundred feet big h is com
posed of but three blocks of stone. the pedes-
tai, shaft and capital Even to the present
day it is an object of world wide interest and
admiration. .-AbJoH