[-7-] Meanwhile, learning that Pompey was sailing to Egypt, he was afraid that his rival by occupying it in advance might again acquire strength, and he set out with, all speed.  Him he found no longer alive.  Then with a few followers he sailed far in advance of the others to Alexandria itself before Ptolemy came from Pelusium.  On discovering that the people of the city were in a tumult over Pompey’s death he did not at once venture to disembark, but put out to sea and waited till he saw the head and finger-ring of the murdered man, sent him by Ptolemy.  Thereupon he approached the land with some courage:  the multitude, however, showed irritation at the sight of his lictors and he was glad to make his escape into the palace.  Some of his soldiers had their weapons taken from them, and the rest accordingly put to sea again until all the ships had reached harbor. [-8-] Caesar at the sight of Pompey’s head wept and lamented bitterly, calling him countryman and son-in-law, and enumerating all the kindnesses they had shown each other.  He said at he owed no reward to the murderers, but heaped reproaches upon them, and the head he commanded to be adorned and after proper preparation to be buried.  For this he received praise, but for his pretences he was made a laughing stock.  He had from the outset been thoroughly set upon dominion; he had always hated Pompey as his antagonist and adversary; besides all his other measures against him he had brought on this war with no other purpose than to secure his rival’s ruin and his own leadership; he had but now been hurrying to Egypt with no other end in view than to overthrow him completely if he should still be alive:  yet he feigned to miss his presence and made a show of vexation over his destruction.

[-9-] Under the belief that now that Pompey was out of the way there was no longer any spot left that was hostile to him, he spent some time in Egypt collecting money and adjudicating the differences between Ptolemy and Cleopatra.  Meanwhile other wars were being prepared for him.  Egypt revolted, and Pharnaces had begun, just as soon as he learned that Pompey and Caesar were at variance, to lay claim to his ancestral domain:  he hoped that they would consume much time in their disputes and use up their own powers upon each other.  He was at this time still clinging to the districts mentioned, partly because he had once asserted his claim and partly because he understood that Caesar was far off; and he had occupied many points in advance.  Meanwhile Cato and Scipio and the rest who were of the same mind with them set on foot in Africa a war that was both a civil and a foreign conflict.