The main force, therefore, by which Caesar was now attacked, consisted of the population of the city, headed, perhaps, by the few guards which the young king had at his command.
Caesar, on his part, had but a small portion of his forces at the palace where he was attacked.

The rest were scattered about the city.

He, however, seems to have felt no alarm.

He did not even confine himself to acting on the defensive.

He sent out a detachment of his soldiers with orders to seize Ptolemy and bring him in a prisoner.