[History of Julius Caesar by Jacob Abbott]@TWC D-Link bookHistory of Julius Caesar CHAPTER V 3/27
Pompey contrived to discover this plan, but, instead of being at all discomposed by it, he made arrangements for a guard about his father's tent and then went to supper as usual with Terentius, conversing with him all the time in even a more free and friendly manner than usual. That night he arranged his bed so as to make it appear as if he was in it, and then stole away.
When the appointed hour arrived, Terentius came into the tent, and, approaching the couch where he supposed Pompey was lying asleep, stabbed it again and again, piercing the coverlets in many places, but doing no harm, of course, to his intended victim. [Sidenote: Pompey's adventures and escapes.] [Sidenote: Death of his father.] [Sidenote: Pompey appears in his father's defense.] In the course of the wars between Marius and Sylla, Pompey passed through a great variety of scenes, and met with many extraordinary adventures and narrow escapes, which, however, can not be here particularly detailed.
His father, who was as much hated by his soldiers as the son was beloved, was at last, one day, struck by lightning in his tent.
The soldiers were inspired with such a hatred for his memory, in consequence, probably, of the cruelties and oppressions which they had suffered from him, that they would not allow his body to be honored with the ordinary funeral obsequies.
They pulled it off from the bier on which it was to have been borne to the funeral pile, and dragged it ignominiously away.
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