1Such is the godlike and incredible merit of this commander. 1What then? 1his other qualities, which I had begun to mention a little earlier, how great and how many they are! 1For it is not only skill in war that must be sought in a supreme and perfect commander; there are many outstanding qualities that serve and accompany this merit. 1And first, how great should be the integrity of commanders, and then how great their self-control in all things, how great their good faith, their approachability, their intelligence, their humanity! 1Let us consider briefly what these qualities are like in Pompey. 1They are all of the highest degree, citizens, but they can be recognised and understood better by comparison with others than in and of themselves.
37For what commander can we regard as of any account in whose army centurionships are being sold and have been sold? 37What great or noble thought can we suppose this man has for the state, who has either distributed among magistrates the money drawn from the treasury for conducting the war, out of eagerness to keep his province, or, out of avarice, left it at Rome to earn interest? 37Your murmuring, citizens, makes it seem that you recognise who have done these things; 37but I name no one; 37so no one will be able to be angry with me unless he chooses first to make a confession about himself. 37And so, because of this avarice of commanders, who does not know what disasters our armies bring wherever they go?
38Recall the marches which our commanders have made in these years in Italy through the fields and towns of Roman citizens; 38then you will more easily decide what you think happens among foreign nations. 38Do you think that in these years more cities of the enemy have been destroyed by the arms of your soldiers, or more communities of allies by their winter quarters? 38For a commander cannot control an army if he does not control himself, nor be strict in judging if he does not want others to be strict judges of him. 38Are we surprised, then, that this man so far excels the rest, whose legions reached Asia in such a way that not only the hand of so great an army but not even its footstep is said to have harmed anyone at peace?
39And now, how the soldiers are passing the winter is reported daily in conversations and letters; 39not only is no one forced to spend money on a soldier, but no one is allowed to, even if he wishes. 39For our ancestors wanted the homes of allies and friends to be a refuge from winter, not for avarice.