Julius Caesar and the foundation of the Roman imperial system . e at any point inCaesars lines; and thus, by at least one vigorousattack on his enemys extreme left, while the workwas still going on, he contrived to push back thatwing and thereby to extend, by some two or threemiles, the whole circuit of circumvallation, andseriously to delay its completion on this side. Healso succeeded in constructing a series of defences,within Caesars lines, with the object of keeping hisenemy at a distance, and of securing the ground hehad gained on his right. It would be tedious here to detail the operati
Julius Caesar and the foundation of the Roman imperial system . e at any point inCaesars lines; and thus, by at least one vigorousattack on his enemys extreme left, while the workwas still going on, he contrived to push back thatwing and thereby to extend, by some two or threemiles, the whole circuit of circumvallation, andseriously to delay its completion on this side. Healso succeeded in constructing a series of defences,within Caesars lines, with the object of keeping hisenemy at a distance, and of securing the ground hehad gained on his right. It would be tedious here to detail the operationsof this blockade. It answered its purpose for sometime; a vigorous attempt to break out at Dyrrha-chium, backed by simultaneous attacks on otherparts of the lines, was foiled with heavy loss. Atlast Pompeius began to feel severely the want offodder and water for his numerous cavalry. Thehorses were dying in numbers, though ships werecontinually arriving with supplies for the army on the other hand was in excellent *See B. C, iii., 44, 2; 45, JO to s MACEDONIA AND GREECE. 48 ] Dyrrhachium and Pharsalus, 291 health, and well supplied with water; their corn sup-ply had been exhausted, but they had discovered aroot growing on the hills, which when pounded withmilk made a very palatable bread. They even de-clared that they would sooner eat the bark of treesthan let Pompeius slip out of their grasp. It was probably the mortality among his horseswhich caused Pompeius to make a last desperateattempt to break out of the net which enclosed cavalry was his most useful arm, and that which,as we saw just now, Caesar feared most. An unex-pected opportunity soon occurred. Two Gauls inCaesars army, who had served him well and had beenamply rewarded, were detected in malpractices; andthough not punished by him, they thought theircredit was gone, went over to Pompeius, and gavehim complete information about the disposition ofCaesars army, and the weak points in his
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