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C^SAR, 313 asked them whether they were not ashamed to deliver him into the hands of boys ? At last, with great difficulty, and the best efforts he could make, he forced back the enemy, killing thirty thousand of them, though with the loss of one thousand of his best men. When he came back from the fight, he told his friends that he had often fought for victory, but this was the first time that he had ever fought for life. This battle was won on the feast of Bacchus, the very day in which Pompey, four years be- fore, had set out for the war. The younger of Pompey's sons escaped ; but Didius, some days after the fight, brought the head of the elder to Cossar. This was the last war he was engaged in. The triumph which he cel- ebrated for this victory, displeased the Romans beyond any thing. For he had not defeated foreign generals, or barbarian kings, but had destroyed the children and fam- ily of one of the greatest men of Rome, though unfortu- nate ; and it did not look well to lead a procession in cel- ebration of the calamities of his country, and to rejoice in those things for which no other apology could be made either to gods or men, than their being absolutely neces- sary. Besides that, hitherto he had never sent letters or messengers to announce any victory over his fellow-citi- zens, but had seemed rather to be ashamed of the action, than to expect honor from it. Nevertheless his countrymen, conceding all to his for- tune, and accepting the bit, in the hope that the govern- ment of a single person would give them time to breathe after so many civil wars and calamities, made him dicta- tor for life. This was indeed a tyranny avowed, since his power now was not only absolute, but perpetual too. Cicero made the first proposals to the senate for confer- ring honors upon him, which might in some sort be said not to exceed the limits of ordinary human moderation. But others, striving which should deserve most, carried