Context. After the battle of Pharsalus, Pompeius, closely pursued by Caesar, had thoughts of going to Parthia and trying to form alliances there. While in Cyprus he heard that Antioch (in Syria) had declared for Caesar and that the route to the Parthians was no longer open. So he altered his plan and sailed to Egypt, where a number of his old soldiers served in the Egyptian army.
4 Pelusium, on the E. side of the easternmost mouth of the Nile.
5 cum sorore Cleopatra. By his father’s will, Ptolemy ruled jointly with his sister for three years, 51-48 B.C., when he expelled her. Cleopatra raised an army in Syria and invaded Egypt. The two armies were encamped opposite each other when Pompeius landed to seek the help of Ptolemy.
15 amici regis, e.g. Achillas, l. 21, and espec. Ptolemy’s guardian Pothinus, the de facto ruler of Egypt.
‘On the same day (28 Sept.) on which he had triumphed over Mithridates (61 B.C.) Pompeius died on the desert sands of the inhospitable Casian shore by the hands of one of his old soldiers (Septimius).’—M.
CN. POMPEIUS MAGNUS, 106-48 B.C. (11)
Cato’s Eulogy on Pompeius.
190
‘Civis obit,’ inquit, ‘multum maioribus impar