his round to inspect the watches the night before the battle about midnight, there was seen in the heavens a fiery torch, which seemed to pass over Caesar’s camp and assuming a bright and flame-like appearance to fall down upon the camp of Pompeius.  In the morning watch they perceived that there was also a panic confusion among the enemy.  However, as Caesar did not expect that the enemy would fight on that day, he began to break up his camp with the intention of marching to Scotussa.

XLIV.  The tents were already taken down when the scouts rode up to him with intelligence that the enemy were coming down to battle, whereupon Caesar was overjoyed, and after praying to the gods he arranged his battle in three divisions.  He placed Domitius Calvinus in command of the centre, Antonius had the left wing, and he commanded the right, intending to fight in the tenth legion.  Observing that the cavalry of the enemy were posting themselves opposite to this wing and fearing their splendid appearance and their numbers, he ordered six cohorts to come round to him from the last line without being observed and he placed them in the rear of the right wing with orders what to do when the enemy’s cavalry made their attack.  Pompeius commanded his own right, and Domitius the left, and the centre was under Scipio, his father-in-law.  But all the cavalry crowded to the left, intending to surround the right wing of the enemy and to make a complete rout of the men who were stationed about the general; for they believed that no legionary phalanx, however deep, could resist, but that their opponents would be completely crushed and broken to pieces by an attack of so many cavalry at once.  When the signal for attack was going to be given on both sides, Pompeius ordered the legionary soldiers to stand with their spears presented and in close order to wait the attack of the enemy till they were within a spear’s throw.  But Caesar says that here also Pompeius made a mistake, not knowing that the first onset, accompanied with running and impetuosity, gives force to the blows, and at the same time fires the courage, which is thus fanned in every way.  As Caesar was about to move his phalanx and was going into action, the first centurion that he spied was a man who was faithful to him and experienced in war, and was encouraging those under his command and urging them to vigorous exertion.  Caesar addressing him by name said, “What hopes have we Caius Crassinius,[539] and how are our men as to courage?” Crassinius stretching out his right hand and calling out aloud, said, “We shall have a splendid victory, Caesar; and you shall praise me whether I survive the day or die.”  Saying this, he was the first to fall on the enemy at his full speed and carrying with him the hundred and twenty soldiers who were under his command.  Having cut through the first rank, he was advancing with great slaughter of the enemy and was driving them from their ground, when he was stopped by a blow from a sword through the mouth, and the point came out at the back of his neck.