[Sidenote:  Surrender of Pompey’s officers.] [Sidenote:  Caesar’s generosity.]

While Caesar was in Alexandria, many of Pompey’s officers, now that their master was dead, and there was no longer any possibility of their rallying again under his guidance and command, came in and surrendered themselves to him.  He received them with great kindness, and, instead of visiting them with any penalties for having fought against him, he honored the fidelity and bravery they had evinced in the service of their own former master.  Caesar had, in fact, shown the same generosity to the soldiers of Pompey’s army that he had taken prisoners at the battle of Pharsalia.  At the close of the battle, he issued orders that each one of his soldiers should have permission to save one of the enemy.  Nothing could more strikingly exemplify both the generosity and the tact that marked the great conqueror’s character than this incident.  The hatred and revenge which had animated his victorious soldiery in the battle and in the pursuit, were changed immediately by the permission to compassion and good will.  The ferocious soldiers turned at once from the pleasure of hunting their discomfited enemies to death, to that of protecting and defending them; and the way was prepared for their being received into his service, and incorporated with the rest of his army as friends and brothers.

[Sidenote:  His position at Alexandria.] [Sidenote:  Caesar’s interference in Egyptian affairs.]

Caesar soon found himself in so strong a position at Alexandria, that he determined to exercise his authority as Roman consul to settle the dispute in respect to the succession of the Egyptian crown.  There was no difficulty in finding pretexts for interfering in the affairs of Egypt.  In the first place, there was, as he contended, great anarchy and confusion at Alexandria, people taking different sides in the controversy with such fierceness as to render it impossible that good government and public order should be restored until this great question was settled.  He also claimed a debt due from the Egyptian government, which Photinus, Ptolemy’s minister at Alexandria, was very dilatory in paying.  This led to animosities and disputes; and, finally, Caesar found, or pretended to find, evidence that Photinus was forming plots against his life.  At length Caesar determined on taking decided action.  He sent orders both to Ptolemy and to Cleopatra to disband their forces, to repair to Alexandria, and lay their respective claims before him for his adjudication.

[Sidenote:  Cleopatra.]

Cleopatra complied with this summons, and returned to Egypt with a view to submitting her case to Caesar’s arbitration.  Ptolemy determined to resist.  He advanced toward Egypt, but it was at the head of his army, and with a determination to drive Caesar and all his Roman followers away.

[Sidenote:  Caesar’s guilty passion for Cleopatra.]