marcellus-第2章

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entrails　of　a　beast　slain　for　sacrifice；　from　the　latter；　because；
while　he　was　immolating；　the　tufted　cap　which　the　Flamens　wear　had
fallen　from　his　head。　Minucius；　the　dictator；　who　had　already　named
Caius　Flaminius　master　of　the　horse；　they　deposed　from　his　command；
because　the　squeak　of　a　mouse　was　heard；　and　put　others　into　their
places。　And　yet；　notwithstanding；　by　observing　so　anxiously　these
little　niceties　they　did　not　run　into　any　superstition；　because　they
never　varied　from　nor　exceeded　the　observances　of　their　ancestors。
　　So　soon　as　Flaminius　with　his　colleague　had　resigned　the
consulate；　Marcellus　was　declared　consul　by　the　presiding　officers
called　Interrexes；　and；　entering　into　the　magistracy；　chose　Cnaeus
Cornelius　his　colleague。　There　was　a　report　that；　the　Gauls
proposing　a　pacification；　and　the　senate　also　inclining　to　peace；
Marcellus　inflamed　the　people　to　war；　but　a　peace　appears　to　have　been
agreed　upon；　which　the　Gaesatae　broke；　who；　passing　the　Alps；
stirred　up　the　Insubrians　（they　being　thirty　thousand　in　number；　and
the　Insubrians　more　numerous　by　far）；　and　proud　of　their　strength；
marched　directly　to　Acerrae；　a　city　seated　on　the　north　of　the　river
Po。　From　thence　Britomartus；　king　of　the　Gaesatae；　taking　with　him　ten
thousand　soldiers；　harassed　the　country　round　about。　News　of　which
being　brought　to　Marcellus；　leaving　his　colleague　at　Acerrae　with
the　foot　and　all　the　heavy　arms　and　a　third　part　of　the　horse；　and
carrying　with　him　the　rest　of　the　horse　and　six　hundred　light…armed
foot；　marching　night　and　day　without　remission；　he　stayed　not　till
he　came　up　to　these　ten　thousand　near　a　Gaulish　village　called
Clastidium；　which　not　long　before　had　been　reduced　under　the　Roman
jurisdiction。　Nor　had　he　time　to　refresh　his　soldiers　or　to　give
them　rest。　For　the　barbarians；　that　were　then　present；　immediately
observed　his　approach；　and　contemned　him；　because　he　had　very　few　foot
with　him。　The　Gauls　were　singularly　skilful　in　horsemanship；　and
thought　to　excel　in　it；　and　as　at　present　they　also　exceeded　Marcellus
in　number；　they　made　no　account　of　him。　They；　therefore；　with　their
king　at　their　head；　instantly　charged　upon　him；　as　if　they　would
trample　him　under　their　horses'　feet；　threatening　all　kinds　of
cruelties。　Marcellus；　because　his　men　were　few；　that　they　might　not　be
encompassed　and　charged　on　all　sides　by　the　enemy；　extended　his
wings　of　horse；　and；　riding　about；　drew　out　his　wings　of　foot　in
length；　till　he　came　near　to　the　enemy。　Just　as　he　was　in　the　act　of
turning　round　to　face　the　enemy；　it　so　happened　that　his　horse；
startled　with　their　fierce　look　and　their　cries；　gave　back；　and
carried　him　forcibly　aside。　Fearing　lest　this　accident；　if　converted
into　an　omen；　might　discourage　his　soldiers；　he　quickly　brought　his
horse　round　to　confront　the　enemy；　and　made　a　gesture　of　adoration
to　the　sun；　as　if　he　had　wheeled　about　not　by　chance；　but　for　a
purpose　of　devotion。　For　it　was　customary　to　the　Romans；　when　they
offered　worship　to　the　gods；　to　turn　round；　and　in　this　moment　of
meeting　the　enemy；　he　is　said　to　have　vowed　the　best　of　the　arms　to
Jupiter　Feretrius。
　　The　king　of　the　Gauls　beholding　Marcellus；　and　from　the　badges　of
his　authority　conjecturing　him　to　be　the　general；　advanced　some　way
before　his　embattled　army；　and　with　a　loud　voice　challenged　him；
and；　brandishing　his　lance；　fiercely　ran　in　full　career　at　him；
exceeding　the　rest　of　the　Gauls　in　stature；　and　with　his　armour；
that　was　adorned　with　gold　and　silver　and　various　colours；　shining
like　lightning。　These　arms　seeming　to　Marcellus；　while　he　viewed　the
enemy's　army　drawn　up　in　battalia；　to　be　the　best　and　fairest；　and
thinking　them　to　be　those　he　had　vowed　to　Jupiter；　he　instantly　ran
upon　the　king；　and　pierced　through　his　breastplate　with　his　lance；
then　pressing　upon　him　with　the　weight　of　his　horse；　threw　him　to
the　ground；　and　with　two　or　three　strokes　more　slew　him。　Immediately
he　leapt　from　his　horse；　laid　his　hand　upon　the　dead　king's　arm　and；
looking　up　towards　Heaven；　thus　spoke：　〃O　Jupiter　Feretrius；　arbiter
of　the　exploits　of　captains；　and　of　the　acts　of　commanders　in　war
and　battles；　be　thou　witness　that　I；　a　general；　have　slain　a
general：　I；　a　consul；　have　slain　a　king　with　my　own　hand；　third　of　all
the　Romans；　and　that　to　thee　I　consecrate　these　first　and　most
excellent　of　the　spoils。　Grant　to　us　to　despatch　the　relics　of　the　war
with　the　same　course　of　fortune。〃　Then　the　Roman　horse　joining
battle　not　only　with　the　enemy's　horse；　but　also　with　the　foot　who
attacked　them；　obtained　a　singular　and　unheard…of　victory。　For　never
before　or　since　have　so　few　horse　defeated　such　numerous　forces　of
horse　and　foot　together。　The　enemies　being　to　a　great　number　slain；
and　the　spoils　collected；　he　returned　to　his　colleague；　who　was
conducting　the　war；　with　ill…success；　against　the　enemies　near　the
greatest　and　most　populous　of　the　Gallic　cities；　Milan。　This　was　their
capital；　and；　therefore；　fighting　valiantly　in　defence　of　it；　they
were　not　so　much　besieged　by　Cornelius；　as　they　besieged　him。　But
Marcellus　having　returned；　and　the　Gaesatae　retiring　as　soon　as　they
were　certified　of　the　death　of　the　king　and　the　defeat　of　his　army；
Milan　was　taken。　The　rest　of　their　towns；　and　all　they　had；　the
Gauls　delivered　up　of　their　own　accord　to　the　Romans；　and　had　peace
upon　equitable　conditions　granted　to　them。
　　Marcellus　alone；　by　a　decree　of　the　senate；　triumphed。　The　triumph
was　in　magnificence；　opulence；　spoils；　and　the　gigantic　bodies　of
the　captives　most　remarkable。　But　the　most　grateful　and　most　rare
spectacle　of　all　was　the　general　himself；　carrying　the　arms　of　the
barbarian　king　to　the　god　to　whom　he　had　vowed　them。　He　had　taken　a
tall　and　straight　stock　of　an　oak；　and　had　lopped　and　formed　it　to　a
trophy。　Upon　this　he　fastened　and　hung　about　the　arms　of　the　king；
arranging　all　the　pieces　in　their　suitable　places。　The　procession
advancing　solemnly；　he；　carrying　this　trophy；　ascended　the　chariot；
and　thus；　himself　the　fairest　and　most　glorious　triumphant　image；
was　conveyed　into　the　city。　The　army　adorned　with　shining　armour
followed　in　order；　and　with　verses　composed　for　the　occasion；　and　with
songs　of　victory　celebrated　the　praises　of　Jupiter　and　of　their
general。　Then　entering　the　temple　of　Jupiter　Feretrius；　he　dedicated
his　gift；　the　third；　and　to　our　memory　the　last；　that　ever　did　so。　The
first　was　Romulus；　after　having　slain　Acron；　king　of　the
Caeninenses：　the　second；　Cornelius　Cossus；　who　slew　Tolumnius　the
Etruscan：　after　them　Marcellus；　having　killed　Britomartus；　king　of　the
Gauls；　after　Marcellus；　no　man。　The　god　to　whom　these　spoils　were
consecrated　is　called　Jupiter　Feretrius；　from　the　trophy　carried　on
the　feretrum；　one　of　the　Greek　words　which　at　that　time　still
existed　in　great　numbers　in　Latin：　or；　as　others　say；　it　is　the
surname　of　the　Thundering　Jupiter　derived　from　ferire；　to　strike。
Others　there　are　who　would　have　the　name　to　be　deduced　from　the
strokes　that　are　given　in　fight；　since　even　now　in　battles；　when
they　press　upon　their　enemies；　they　constantly　call　out　to　each　other；
strike；　in　Latin　feri。　Spoils　in　general　they　call　Spolia；　and　these
in　particular　Opima；　though；　indeed；　they　say　that　Numa　Pompilius；
in　his　commentaries；　makes　mention　of　first；　second；　and　third
Spolia　Opima；　and　that　he　prescribes　that　the　first　taken　be
consecrated　to　Jupiter　Feretrius；　the　second　to　Mars；　the　third　to
Quirinus；　as　also　that　the　reward　of　the　first　be　three　hundred　asses；
of　the　second；　two　hundred；　of　the　third；　one　hundred。　The　general
account；　however；　prevails；　that　those　spoils　only　are　Opima　which　the
general　first　takes　in　set　battle；　and　takes　from　the　enemy's　chief
captain　whom　he　has　slain　with　his　own　hand。　But　of　this　enough。　The
victory　and　the　ending　of　the　war　was　so　welcome　to　the　people　of
Rome；　that　they　sent　to　Apollo　of　Delphi；　in　testimony　of　their
gratitude；　a　present　of　a　golden　cup　of　an　hundred　pound　weight；　and
gave　a　great　part　of　the　spoil　to　their　associate　cities；　and　took
care　that　many　presents　should　be　sent　also　to　Hiero；　King　of　the
Syracusans；　their　friend　a