isle of Pha'ros to the
continent, from which post Caesar was resolved to dislodge him. 21. In
the heat of the action, some mariners, partly through curiosity, and
partly through ambition, came and joined the combatants; but, being
seized with a panic, instantly fled, and spread a general terror
through the army. All Caeesar's endeavours to rally his forces were in
vain, the confusion was past remedy, and numbers were drowned or put
to the sword in attempting to escape. 22. Now, therefore, seeing the
irremediable disorder of his troops, he fled to a ship, in order to
get to the palace that was just opposite; but he was no sooner on
board, than such crowds entered after him, that being apprehensive of
the ship's sinking, he jumped into the sea, and swam two hundred paces
to the fleet which lay before the palace, all the time holding his
Commentaries in his left hand above the water, and his coat of mail in
his teeth.

23. The Alexandrians, finding their efforts to take the palace
ineffectual, endeavoured at least to get their king out of Caesar's
power, as he had seized upon his person in the beginning of their
disputes. For this purpose they made use of their customary arts of
dissimulation, professing the utmost desire of peace, and only wanting
the presence of their lawful prince to give a sanction to the treaty.
24. Caesar was sensible of their perfidy, but concealed his suspicions,
and gave them their king, as he was under no apprehensions from the
abilities of a boy. Ptol'emy, however, the instant he was set at
liberty, instead of promoting the peace, made every effort to give
vigour to his hostilities.

25. In this manner was Caesar hemmed in for some time by an artful and
insidious enemy, and surrounded with almost insurmountable
difficulties; but he was at last relieved from this mortifying
situation by Mithrida'tes Pergame'nus, one of his most faithful
partizans, who came with an army to his assistance. This general
marched into Egypt, took the city of Pelu'sium, repulsed the Egyptian
army with loss, and, at last, joining with Caesar, attacked their camp
with a great slaughter of the Egyptians. Ptol'emy himself, attempting
to escape on board a vessel, was drowned by the ship's sinking. 26.
Caesar thus became master of all Egypt, without any farther opposition.
He appointed Cleopa'tra, with her younger brother, who was then an
infant, joint governors, according to the intent of their father's
will, and drove o