CHAP. 27. (26.)—HEROIC EXPLOITS.
But now, as it belongs fully as much to the glorious renown
of the Roman Empire, as to the victorious career of a single
individual, I shall proceed on this occasion to make mention of
all the triumphs and titles of Pompeius Magnus: the splendour
of his exploits having equalled not only that of those of Alexander the Great, but even of Hercules, and perhaps of Father
Liber[1] even. After having recovered Sicily, where he first
commenced his career as a partizan of Sylla, but in behalf of
the republic, after having conquered the whole of Africa, and
reduced it to subjection, and after having received for his share
of the spoil the title of " Great,"[2] he was decreed the honours
of a triumph; and he, though only of equestrian rank,[3] a
thing that had never occurred before, re-entered the city in the
triumphal chariot: immediately after which, he hastened to the
west, where he left it inscribed on the trophy which he raised
upon the Pyrenees, that he had, by his victories, reduced to
subjection eight hundred and seventy-six cities, from the Alps
to the borders of Farther Spain; at the same time he most
magnanimously said not a word about Sertorius.[4] After
having put an end to the civil war, which indeed was the
primary cause of all the foreign ones, he, though still of only
equestrian rank, again entered Rome in the triumphal chariot,
having proved himself a general thus often before having been
a soldier.[5] After this, he was dispatched to the shores of all
the various seas, and then to the East, whence he brought back
to his country the following titles of honour, resembling therein
those who conquer at the sacred games—for, be it remembered, it is not they that are crowned, but their respective
countries.[6] These honours then did he award to the City,
in the temple of Minerva,[7] which he consecrated from the
spoils that he had gained: "Cneius Pompeius Magnus, Imperator, having brought to an end a war of thirty years' duration, and having defeated, routed, put to the sword, or received the submission of, twelve millions two hundred and
seventy-eight thousand men, having sunk or captured eight
hundred and forty-six vessels, having received as allies one
thousand five hundred and thirty-eight cities and fortresses,
and having conquered all the country from the Mæotis to the
Red Sea, dedicates this shrine as a votive offering due to
Minerva." Such, in few words, is the sum of his exploits in
the East. The following are the introductory words descriptive of the triumph which he obtained, the third day before
the calends[8] of October,[9] in the consulship of M. Piso and
M. Messala;[10] "After having delivered the sea-coast from
the pirates, and restored the seas to the people of Rome, he
enjoyed a triumph over Asia, Pontus, Armenia, Paphlagonia,
Cappadocia, Cilicia, Syria, the Scythians, Judæa, the Albanians, Iberia, the island of Crete, the Basterni, and, in addition
to all these, the kings Mithridates and Tigranes."
The most glorious, however, of all glories, resulting from
these exploits, was, as he himself says, in the speech which he
made in public relative to his previous career, that Asia,
which he received as the boundary of the empire, he left its
centre.[11] If any one should wish, on the other hand, in a
similar manner, to pass in review the exploits of Cæsar, who
has shown himself greater still than Pompeius, why then he
must enumerate all the countries in the world, a task, I may
say, without an end.
1. Or Bacchus.—"Father Liber" is the name always given to him by
Pliny.
2. "Magnus." Plutarch states, that, on his return from Africa, Sylla
saluted him with the name of "Magnus," which surname he ever afterwards retained.—B.
3. Plutarch says, that the law did not allow a triumph to be granted to
any one who was not either consul or prætor.—B.
4. Sertorius had joined the party of Marius and Cinna, in opposition to
that of Sylla. He fled into Spain, and maintained the war successfully in
that country, until he was treacherously assassinated by one of his supposed
partisans. This may appear a sufficient reason for his not being mentioned
by Pompey.—B.
5. "Toties imperator antequam miles." He had been raised to the
highest rank without passing through the various gradations of military
life.—B.
6. Speaking of this honorary crown, Pliny says, B. xvi. c. 4, "At the
present day it is not given to the victor himself, but proclamation is made
that he confers the crown upon his country."
7. It is noticed by the commentators, that Aulus Gellius, speaking of
this building, calls it the Temple of Victory, B. x. c. 1; the error, it is
supposed, may have arisen from Pompey having placed a statue of Victory
in the Temple.—B.
8. 29th of September.
9. Pliny, referring to these events, in a subsequent place, B. xxvii. c. 6,
says that it took place "pridie Kalend. Octob. die natalis sui." Plutarch
informs us, that the triumph lasted two days, a circumstance which may assist us in reconciling these dates. The same author gives a very minute
detail of all the transactions here referred to.—B.
10. According to the chronology ordinarily adopted, this would be in the
year of the City 692.—B.
11. By Asia, as we see from the geographical portion of this work, the
ancients often designated not the large tract to which we now apply the
name, but a comparatively small district lying on the east of the Ægean
sea.—B.