Excerpt from Encyclopædia Britannica, or a Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, and Miscellaneous Literature, Vol. 5: Constructed on a Plan, by Which the Different Sciences and Arts Are Digested Into the Form of Distinct Treatises or Systems, Comprehending the History, Theory, and Practices, of Each, According to the Latest Discoveries and Improvements

He no fooner arrived at the city, however, than he fell, as he tells us, into the very flame of civil dif cord, and found the war in effect proclaimed for the fenate had juft voted a decree, that sar fhould dif band his army by a certain day, or be declared an enemy; and Cafar's. Fudden march towards Rome effectually confirmed it. In the midft of all this hurry and confufion, C: .ar was extremely folicitous about Cicero; not fo much to gain him, for that was not to be expected, as to prevail with him to fraud neuter. He wrote to him feveral times to that effect; and employed all their common friends to prefs him with letters on that ftibject: all which was done; but in vain, for Cicero was impatient to be gone to Pompey. In the mean time, thefe letters give us a mott fen flble proof of the high eileem and credit in which Ci cero flourifhed at this time in Rome when, in a con teft for empire, which force alone was to decide, we fee the chiefs on both fides fo folicitous to gain a man to their party, who had no peculiar {kill in arms or talents for war. Purfuing, however, the refult of all his deliberations, he embarked at length to follow Pompey, who had been obliged to quit Italy fome time before, and was then at Dyrrhachium; and ar rived fafely in his camp with his fon, his brother; and his nephew, committing the fortunes of the whole family to the iffue of that caufe. After the battle of Pharfalia, in which Pompey was defeated, Cicero re turned into Italy, and was afterwards received into great favour by Caefar, who was now declared di&a tor the feeond time, and Mark Antony his mailer of horfe.. We may ealily imagine, what we find indeed from his letters, that he was not a little difcompofed at the thoughts of an interview with Czefar, and the indignity of offering himfelf to a conqueror againlt whom he had been in arms: for though upon many ac counts he had reafon to expef't a kind reception from Caefar, yet he hardly thought his life, he fays3 worth hegging; fince what was given by a maiter might ai ways be taken away again at pleafure. But at their meeting he had no occaiion to fay or do any thing that was below his dignity: for Caefar no fooner faw him than he alighted, ran to embrace him; and walked with him alone, converfmg very familiarly, for feveral furlongs.

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