Labienus cleared his throat. “He has risked a great deal to make a secure landing, sir. Until the spring crops have ripened, his men, his pack animals must survive on nothing more than they brought with them. At best, they can have two weeks’ rations in dried meal and meat. After that, they will grow weak. The decision could only have been made in desperation, sir. He will regret it.”

Pompey’s eyes seemed to darken as fury overtook him once more. “How many times have I heard that he has overreached himself? Yet still he seems to go on, while my advisers tell me he should be long dead. His luck is uncanny, Labienus.”

“Sir, we have his measure. I have ordered our fleet to block the coast behind him. He cannot be supplied by sea. No matter how lucky he is, he cannot put grain that doesn’t exist into the stomachs of seven legions. Perhaps if he were left unchallenged, he could raid the cities to steal food, but when we are there to harry his flank, he will command slowly starving men.”

“Oh I shall be there, Labienus. Gather our legions ready to move against him. I will not let him roam Greece as if he owns it!”

“Yes, sir,” Labienus replied swiftly, pleased to have been given the order after an hour of enduring Pompey’s temper. He saluted and turned to leave, but Pompey’s voice interrupted once again.

“Be sure that Brutus is there to be seen by all of Caesar’s followers,” Pompey said, his voice strained. “He will prove loyal or be cut down.”

Labienus nodded. “My own legion will never be far from him, sir. There are men I trust to contain him if he is false.” He would have left then, but could not help but voice the concern that nagged at him. “It would be easier, sir, if he had only the cohorts he arrived with. The extra thousand you gave him will be an obstacle if he turns against your authority.”

Pompey looked away from his general’s coolly assessing eyes. “If he honors his oath to me, they will play a key part in the conflict to come. I would be a fool to hamstring the man who knows Caesar’s tactics best of all with only two cohorts. The decision is final, Labienus.”

Labienus left, still wondering who could have been influencing Pompey. Perhaps it was a voice in the exiled Senate that claimed so much of his time. Though it was uncomfortable even to think such disloyal thoughts, Labienus had found little to respect in the bickering old men Pompey had brought from Rome. He comforted himself with the knowledge that he could honor the senators for their position, no matter how much he disliked them personally.