fell upon the decks of their galleys.  Caesar’s army was also in distress, for Pompey’s fleets cut off all supplies by water, and his troops hemmed them in on the side of the land; and, lastly, Pompey himself, with the immense army that was under his command, began to be struck with alarm at the impending danger with which they were threatened.  Pompey little realized, however, how dreadful a fate was soon to overwhelm him.

[Sidenote:  Caesar’s impatience.] [Sidenote:  He attempts to cross the Adriatic.]

The winter months rolled away, and nothing effectual was done.  The forces, alternating and intermingled, as above described, kept each other in a continued state of anxiety and suffering.  Caesar became impatient at the delay of that portion of his army that he had left on the Italian shore.  The messages of encouragement and of urgency which he sent across to them did not bring them over, and at length, one dark and stormy night, when he thought that the inclemency of the skies and the heavy surging of the swell in the offing would drive his vigilant enemies into places of shelter, and put them off their guard, he determined to cross the sea himself and bring his hesitating army over.  He ordered a galley to be prepared, and went on board of it disguised, and with his head muffled in his mantle, intending that not even the officers or crew of the ship which was to convey him should know of his design.  The galley, in obedience to orders, put off from the shore.  The mariners endeavored in vain for some time to make head against the violence of the wind and the heavy concussions of the waves, and at length, terrified at the imminence of the danger to which so wild and tumultuous a sea on such a night exposed them, refused to proceed, and the commander gave them orders to return.  Caesar then came forward, threw off his mantle, and said to them, “Friends! you have nothing to fear.  You are carrying Caesar.”

The men were, of course, inspirited anew by this disclosure, but all was in vain.  The obstacles to the passage proved insurmountable, and the galley, to avoid certain destruction, was compelled to return.

[Sidenote:  Caesar lands the remainder of his army.]

The army, however, on the Italian side, hearing of Caesar’s attempt to return to them, fruitless though it was, and stimulated by the renewed urgency of the orders which he now sent to them, made arrangements at last for an embarkation, and, after encountering great dangers on the way, succeeded in landing in safety.  Caesar, thus strengthened, began to plan more decided operations for the coming spring.

[Sidenote:  Attempts at negotiation.] [Sidenote:  Conferences.] [Sidenote:  End in violence and disorder.]