fleet, "What a huge blessing it is," he said, "to have a Greek Præfect!" When Cæsar was successful in most things and in a manner was blockading them, he replied to the remark of Lentulus that he heard that Cæsar's friends were dispirited, "You mean to say that they are ill-disposed[253] to Cæsar?" One Marcius, who had just arrived from Rome, said that a report prevailed in Rome that Pompeius was blockaded. "I suppose you sailed hither then," said Cicero, "that you might see it with your own eyes and believe." After the defeat Nonnius observed that they ought to have good hopes, for that seven eagles were left in the camp of Pompeius, "Your advice would be good," said Cicero, "if we were fighting with jack-daws." When Labienus was relying on certain oracular answers, and saying that Pompeius must get the victory, "Yes," said Cicero, "it is by availing ourselves of such generalship as this that we have lost the camp." XXXIX. After the battle at Pharsalus, in which he was not present by reason of illness, and when Pompeius had fled, Cato, who had a large army at Dyrrachium and a great fleet, asked Cicero to take the command according to custom, and as he had the superior dignity of the consulship. But as Cicero rejected the command and altogether was averse to joining the armament, he narrowly escaped being killed, for the young Pompeius and his friends called him a traitor and drew their swords, but Cato stood in the gap and with difficulty rescued Cicero and let him go from the army. Having put in at Brundusium he stayed there waiting for Cæsar, who was delayed by affairs in Asia and in Egypt. But when news came that Cæsar was landed at Tarentum[254]; and was coming round by land to Brundusium, Cicero went to him, not being altogether without hope, but feeling shame in the presence of many persons to make trial of a man who was his enemy and victorious. However there was no need for him to do or say anything unworthy of himself; for when Cæsar saw Cicero coming to meet him at a great distance before all the rest, he got down, and embraced him and talking with him alone walked several stadia. From this time he continued to show respect to Cicero and friendly behaviour, so that even in his reply to Cicero, who had written a panegyric on Cato, he commended his eloquence and his life, as most resembling those of Perikles and Theramenes.[255] Cicero's discourse was called Cato, and Cæsar's was entitled Anticato. It is said also that when Quintus Ligarius[256] was under prosecution, because he had been one of Cæsar's enemies and Cicero was his advocate, Cæsar said to his friends, "What hinders us listening after so long an interval to Cicero's speech, since the man has long been adjudged a villain and an enemy?" But when Cicero had begun to speak and was making a wonderful sensation, and his speech as he proceeded was in feeling varied and in grace admirable, the colour often changed in Cæsar's face, and it was