Dios Rome, Vol. 2 | Page 6

career. The pirates,
occupied in plundering, kept troubling continually those who sailed as
well as the dwellers on land. There was never a time when piracy was
not practiced, nor may it cease so long as the nature of mankind
remains the same. But formerly plundering was limited to certain

localities and small bands operating only during the regular season on
sea and on land; whereas at this time, ever since war had been carried
on continuously in many different places, and many cities had been
uprooted, while sentences hung over the heads of all the fugitives even,
and fear confronted men in everything, large numbers turned to
plundering. Now the bandit organizations on the mainland, being rather
in sight of towns, which could thus perceive a source of injury close by,
proved not so very difficult to overwhelm and were somehow broken
up with a fair degree of ease; but those on the sea had grown to the
greatest proportions. While the Romans were busy with antagonists
they flourished. They sailed about to many quarters, adding to their
band all of like condition, and some of these, after the fashion of allies,
assisted many others.[-21-] How much they accomplished with the help
of the outsiders has been told. When those nations were overthrown,
instead of ceasing they did much serious damage alone by themselves
to the Romans and Roman allies. They were no longer in small force,
but were accustomed to sail in great expeditions; and they had generals,
so that they had acquired a great reputation. They robbed and harried
first and foremost sailors: for such not even the winter season was any
longer safe; the pirates through daring and through practice and through
success were now showing absolute fearlessness in their seamanship.
Second, they pillaged even craft lying in harbors. If any one ventured to
put out against them, usually he was defeated and perished; but even if
he conquered he would be unable to capture any of the enemy by
reason of the speed of their ships. Accordingly, they would return after
a little, as if victors, to ravage and set in flames not only farms and
country districts, but also whole cities. But other places they conciliated,
so as to gain apparently friendly naval stations and winter quarters.
[-22-] As they progressed by these means it became customary for them
to go into the interior, and they did much mischief even among those
who had no sea-traffic. This is the way they treated not only those
outside of their body of allies, but the land of Italy itself. Believing that
they would obtain greater gains from that quarter and that they would
terrify all others still more, if they refused to hold their hands even
from that country, they sailed into the very harbor of Ostia, and also of
other cities in the vicinity, burned the ships and ravaged everything.
Finally, as no setback occurred, they took up their abode on the land,

disposing of whatever men they did not kill, and of the spoils they took
quite fearlessly, as if in their own territory. And though some plundered
in one region and others elsewhere,--it not being possible for the same
persons to do harm the whole length of the sea,--they nevertheless
showed such friendship one for another that they sent money and
assistance even to those entirely unknown, as if to nearest kin. One of
the largest elements in their strength was that those who helped any of
them all would honor, and those who came into collision with any of
them all would despoil.
[-23-] To such an extent did the supremacy of the pirates grow that
their hostility became a matter of moment, constant, admitting no
precaution, implacable. The Romans, of course, from time to time
heard and saw a little of what was going on, inasmuch as imports in
general ceased coming in and the corn supply was shut off entirely; but
they gave no serious attention to it when they ought. On the contrary,
they would send out fleets and generals, according as they were stirred
by individual reports, but effected nothing; instead, they caused their
allies all the greater distress by these very means, until they were
finally reduced to extremities. Then at last they came together and
deliberated many days as to what steps must be taken. Wearied by the
continued dangers and noting how great and far reaching was the war
raised against them, and believing, too, that it was impossible to assail
the pirates all at once or individually, because the latter gave mutual
assistance and it was impracticable to drive them back everywhere at
once, the people fell into a dilemma and into great despair of making
any successful stroke. In the end one Aulus Gabinius, a