There were skirmishes, struggles, sieges, blockades, and many brief and partial conflicts, but no general and decided battle.

Now the advantage seemed on one side, and now on the other.

Pompey so hemmed in Caesar's troops at one period, and so cut off his supplies, that the men were reduced to extreme distress for food.

At length they found a kind of root which they dug from the ground, and, after drying and pulverizing it, they made a sort of bread of the powder, which the soldiers were willing to eat rather than either starve or give up the contest.

They told Caesar, in fact, that they would live on the bark of trees rather than abandon his cause.