In the mean time, Pompey passed on through the Vale of Tempe toward the sea, regardless of the beauty and splendor that surrounded him, and thinking only of his fallen fortunes, and revolving despairingly in his mind the various forms in which the final consummation of his ruin might ultimately come.  At length he reached the sea-shore, and found refuge for the night in a fisherman’s cabin.  A small number of attendants remained with him, some of whom were slaves.  These he now dismissed, directing them to return and surrender themselves to Caesar, saying that he was a generous foe, and that they had nothing to fear from him.  His other attendants he retained, and he made arrangements for a boat to take him the next day along the coast.  It was a river boat, and unsuited to the open sea, but it was all that he could obtain.

[Sidenote:  Pompey embarks on board a vessel.] [Sidenote:  The shipmaster’s dream.]

He arose the next morning at break of day, and embarked in the little vessel, with two or three attendants, and the oarsmen began to row away along the shore.  They soon came in sight of a merchant ship just ready to sail.  The master of this vessel, it happened, had seen Pompey, and knew his countenance, and he had dreamed, as a famous historian of the times relates, on the night before, that Pompey had come to him hi the guise of a simple soldier and in great distress, and that he had received and rescued him.  There was nothing extraordinary in such a dream at such a time, as the contest between Caesar and Pompey, and the approach of the final collision which was to destroy one or the other of them, filled the minds and occupied the conversation of the world.  The shipmaster, therefore, having seen and known one of the great rivals in the approaching conflict, would naturally find both his waking and sleeping thoughts dwelling on the subject; and his fancy, in his dreams, might easily picture the scene of his rescuing and saving the fallen hero in the hour of his distress.

[Sidenote:  Pompey goes on board a merchant ship.]

However this may be, the shipmaster is said to have been relating his dream to the seamen on the deck of his vessel when the boat which was conveying Pompey came into view.  Pompey himself, having escaped from the land, supposed all immediate danger over, not imagining that seafaring men would recognize him in such a situation and in such a disguise.  The shipmaster did, however, recognize him.  He was overwhelmed with grief at seeing him in such a condition.  With a countenance and with gestures expressive of earnest surprise and sorrow, he beckoned to Pompey to come on board.  He ordered his own ship’s boat to be immediately let down to meet and receive him.  Pompey came on board.  The ship was given up to his possession, and every possible arrangement was made to supply his wants, to contribute to his comfort, and to do him honor.

[Sidenote:  His arrival at Amphipolis.]