42

42XLII. When they both came into the country of Pharsalia, and troth camps lay before each other, Pompey returned again to his former determination, and the rather, because he had ill signs and tokens of misfortune in his sleep.

For he thought in his sleep that, when he entered into the theatre, all the Romans received him with great clapping of hands*. Whereupon they that were about him grew to such boldness

and security, assuring themselves of victory, that Domitius, Spinther, and Scipio in a bravery contended between themselves for the chief bishopric which Caesar had. Furthermore, there were divers that sent unto Rome to hire the nearest houses unto the market-place, as being the fittest places for Praetors and Consuls: making their account already, that those offices could not scape them, incontinently after the wars. But besides those, the young gentlemen and Roman knights were marvelous desirous to fight, that were bravely mounted, and armed with glistering gilt armors, their horses fat and very finely kept, and themselves goodly young men, to the number of seven thousand, where the gentlemen of Caesar's side were but one thousand only. The number of his footmen also were much after the same reckoning.

For he had five and forty thousand against two and twenty thousand.