Although Cleopatra bad raised an army in Syria, yet she trusted principally to the influence of her per sonal charms in engaging Caesar in her cause. As all the avenues to the palace were occupied by the ene my, she got on board a small vessel and landed near the palace; she was wrapped up in a coverlet, and carried by one Aspolodorus into Caesar's chamber, where she succeeded in interesting him in her cause. Arsinoe, who likewise aspired to the sovereignty, had, through the influence of one Ganymede, her con fidant, created a strong interest in the Egyptians. She caused Achillas to be murdered, and giving the command to her favourite, she carried on the siege of Alexandria with renewed vigour. Ganymede gained several advantages over the besieged, and seizing a bridge which joined the Isle of Pharos to the main land, an action ensued, in which the Romans were panic-struck and thrown into confusion. Caesar re tired into a ship, into which he was followed by such crowds, that fearing it would sink, he threw himself into the sea and swam to the fleet before the palace.
As Caesar had seized upon the young king, the Egyptians employed every kind of artifice to get him into their possession; and pretending a great anxiety for peace, they requested their king to ratify it by his signature. Caesar saw through their schemes, but sur rendered the king, who exerted himself in carrying on the war with new vigour.
Alithridates, king of Pontus, one of Caesar's faithful allies, had collected a numerous army in Syria for the purpose of relieving Cesar. He accordingly took Pelusium, and defeating the Egyptians, he joined his forces to those of Caesar, and then attacking their camp, he put great numbers to the sword. Ptolemy, who had escaped on board a vessel, was drowned by the sinking of the ship; and Cxsar having thus obtained the mastery over his enemies, appointed Cleopatra and her younger brother joint sovereigns of Egypt, and banished Arsinoe and Ganymede from the country.
Seduced by the charms of the Egyptian queen, Cxsar abandoned himself for awhile to the dissipa tions of peace; but when he proposed to accompany Cleopatra to Ethiopia, his brave troops remonstrated against his conduct, and being thus roused to a proper sense of his duty, he tore himself from the spells of his enchantress, and marched against Pharnaces king of Pontus, who had gained some advantages over Cneius Domitius Calvinus governor of Asia.
When Cxsar was approaching to Armenia, Phar naces attempted to deceive him by offers of peace ; but Cesar understanding his object, appeared very desirous of meeting his views. \Vhen Cesar arrived in Pontus, and had collected his forces, Pharnaces of fered him a crown of gold and his daughter in mar riage. Cesar offered him conditions of peace, to which Pharnaces assented ; but being dilatory in ful filling them, Cesar attacked him unexpectedly in his camp, and defeated him with great loss. Cxsar divid
ed the spoils of his camp among the soldiers, and made Mithridates Pergarneus the king of Bosphorus sove reign of Pontus.
Having thus settled the affairs of Pontus, and left Domitius in it with adequate forces, Cxsar returned to Italy, and found Rome agitated by commotions which Mark Antony had given rise to by the riotous and unprincipled life which he led. Cxsar, however, treated all parties with moderation and humanity ; and when he had given tranquillity to the capital, and established his own authority, he set out on an expedi tion to Africa, where Scipio and Cato, aided by Juba king of Mauritania, still supported the cause of Pom pey. Caesar invested the city of Thapsus, and having thus drawn to its relief Scipio and Juba, he brought on a general engagement, in which his enemies were totally overthrown. Juba and his general Petreius slew each other in a fit of distraction, and Scipio was slain in an attempt to escape into Spain. Cato retired to Utica, but finding his adherents unwilling to stand a siege, he stabbed himself with his sword.
The war in Africa being thus ended, Csar returned in triumph to Rome. The splendour of this triumphal procession exceeded every thing that had formerly been seen. The procession continued four days, one for Gaul, one for Egypt, a third for Asia, and a fourth for Africa. Every soldier received about £150, and every citizen ten bushels of corn, ten pounds of oil, and a sum equivalent to £2. The populace were entertain ed at 20,000 tables, and Rome was crowded with visi tors from every part of Italy to witness the celebration of Caesar's glory.
The popularity of Cesar rose to the most unexam pled pitch. He received the title of emperor, and fa ther of his people ; his person was declared sacred, and every species of incense was offered to this great warrior. Flattering as these marks of favour were to a mind like Caesar's, there never was a sovereign who used his power with more wisdom and moderation.— The first act of his authority was to repress vice, and promote private and public virtue. He restrained the luxuries of the rich by sumptuary laws, and he vested the power of judicature in the senate and the knights. From the midst of these wise regulations he was sud denly called into Spain, to oppose an army under the two sons of Pompey and Labienus. The insurgent leaders endeavoured to protract the war ; but Csar at last forced them to a battle on the plains of Munda, where, after a desperate and bloody encounter, Porn pey was defeated with the loss of 30,000 men.