BOOK VII.] History of Nature. 209 



pared to it. For to reckon up the Spectacles exhibited, with 

 the lavish Expense, with the Magnificence in this Portion of 

 his Works, is to lend a countenance to Luxury. But herein 

 appeared the true and incomparable Loftiness of his un- 

 conquered Mind, that when at the Battle of Pharsalia, the 

 Writing-case containing the Letters of Pompey was taken, 

 as also those of Scipio at Thapsus, he burnt them all with 

 the utmost Fidelity, without having read them. 



Pompey. 



CHAPTER XXVI. 

 The Praise of Pompey the Great, 



To relate all the Titles, Victories, and Triumphs of Pompey 

 the Great, wherein he was equal in the splendour of his 

 Exploits not only to Alexander the Great, 1 but even almost 

 to Hercules and Liber Pater, would redound, not to the 

 Honour only of that one Man, but also to the Grandeur of 

 the Roman Empire. In the first place then, after he had 

 recovered Sicily, from whence his first rising was as a follower 

 of Sylla in the cause of the Republic, he appeared auspiciously 



1 It is clear from various ancient authorities, that it was the ambition 

 of Pompey to imitate and be compared to Alexander ; and it was with this 

 view that the title of Great was highly acceptable to him. It was per- 

 haps to humour this foible, and through it to secure him the more effec- 

 tually to his party, that Sylla was accustomed to pay him extraordinary 

 personal honours : returning his salutation of Iraperator with the same 

 title, rising from his seat to salute him when Pompey dismounted from 

 his horse, and uncovering his head at the same time. Daleschampim. 

 In honour of Pompey's having restored the sovereignty of the sea, the 

 reverse of a Roman denarius bears the figure of a Dolphin and Eagle, 

 separated by a Sceptre, with the inscription, Magn. Procos. Wern. Club. 



