Dio's Rome, Volume 2 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 437 pages of information about Dio's Rome, Volume 2.

Dio's Rome, Volume 2 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 437 pages of information about Dio's Rome, Volume 2.
he hoped to win them over without conflict.  This also took place.  They tried to break through at many points, but were unable to do so anywhere:  they were wearied from loss of sleep and from their march; they had no food, since, expecting to finish their journey the same day, they had brought none, and were not well supplied with water, for that region is notably waterless:  for these reasons they surrendered themselves, on condition that they should not be maltreated nor compelled to join his expedition against Pompey. [-23-]Caesar kept each of his promises to them scrupulously He killed not a single man captured in this war in spite of the fact that his foes had once, during a kind of truce, destroyed some of his own men who were in an unguarded position; and he did not force them to fight against Pompey, but released the most eminent and employed the rest as voluntary allies induced by the prospect of gains and honors.  By this act he grew very greatly both in reputation and prosperity, and attached to his cause all the cities in Spain and all the soldiers who were in them (some of whom were in Baetica and others, quite a number, with Marcus Terentius Varro, the lieutenant). [-24-] In taking charge of these and arranging their affairs he pursued his course as far as Gades, injuring no one except so far as a collection of money was concerned,—­for of this he levied very large amounts.  Many of the natives he honored both privately and publicly and to all the people of Gades he granted citizenship, in which the people of Rome later confirmed them.  This kindness he did them in return for the vision of his dream at the time that he was quaestor there, wherein he seemed to have intercourse with his mother and had received the hope of sole rulership, as I have stated.[70] After this act he assigned that nation to Cassius Longinus because the latter was accustomed to the inhabitants from his quaestorship which he had served under Pompey.  Caesar himself proceeded by boat to Tarraco.  Thence he advanced across the Pyrenees, but did not set up any trophy on their summits because he understood that not even Pompey was well spoken of for so doing; but he erected a great altar constructed of polished stones not far from his rival’s trophies.

[-25-] While this was going on the Massilians, as ships had again been sent them by Pompey, faced danger afresh.  They were defeated, to be sure, on this occasion also, but held their ground even though they learned that Caesar was already master of Spain.  All attacks they vigorously repulsed and made a truce, pretendedly for the purpose of arranging terms with Caesar, when he should come.  Then they sent out Domitius secretly and wrought such havoc among the soldiers who had attacked them in the midst of the truce and by night, that these ventured to make no further attempts.  With Caesar, however, when he came himself, they made terms:  he at that time deprived them of their arms, ships and money, and later of everything else except the name of freedom.  To counterbalance this misfortune Phocaea, their mother city, was made independent by Pompey.

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Dio's Rome, Volume 2 from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.