marcellus-第3章

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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　and　ally。
　　When　Hannibal　invaded　Italy；　Marcellus　was　despatched　with　a　fleet
to　Sicily。　And　when　the　army　had　been　defeated　at　Cannae；　and　many
thousands　of　them　perished；　and　a　few　had　saved　themselves　by　flying
to　Canusium；　and　all　feared　lest　Hannibal；　who　had　destroyed　the
strength　of　the　Roman　army；　should　advance　at　once　with　his　victorious
troops　to　Rome；　Marcellus　first　sent　for　the　protection　of　the　city
fifteen　hundred　soldiers　from　the　fleet。　Then；　by　decree　of　the
senate；　going　to　Canusium；　having　heard　that　many　of　the　soldiers
had　come　together　in　that　place；　he　led　them　out　of　the　fortifications
to　prevent　the　enemy　from　ravaging　the　country。　The　chief　Roman
commanders　had　most　of　them　fallen　in　battles；　and　the　citizens
complained　that　the　extreme　caution　of　Fabius　Maximus；　whose　integrity
and　wisdom　gave　him　the　highest　authority；　verged　upon　timidity　and
inaction。　They　confided　in　him　to　keep　them　out　of　danger；　but　could
not　expect　that　he　would　enable　them　to　retaliate。　Fixing；
therefore；　their　thoughts　upon　Marcellus；　and　hoping　to　combine　his
boldness；　confidence；　and　promptitude　with　Fabius's　caution　and
prudence；　and　to　temper　the　one　by　the　other；　they　sent；　sometimes
both　with　consular　command；　sometimes　one　as　consul；　the　other　as
proconsul；　against　the　enemy。　Posidonius　writes；　that　Fabius　was
called　the　buckler；　Marcellus　the　sword　of　Rome。　Certainly；　Hannibal
himself　confessed　that　he　feared　Fabius　as　a　schoolmaster；　Marcellus
as　an　adversary：　the　former；　lest　he　should　be　hindered　from　doing
mischief；　the　latter；　lest　he　should　receive　harm　himself。
　　And　first；　when　among　Hannibal's　soldiers；　proud　of　their　victory；
carelessness　and　boldness　had　grown　to　a　great　height；　Marcellus；
attacking　all　their　stragglers　and　plundering　parties；　cut　them　off；
and　by　little　and　little　diminished　their　forces。　Then　carrying　aid　to
the　Neopolitans　and　Nolans；　he　confirmed　the　minds　of　the　former；　who；
indeed；　were　of　their　own　accord　faithful　enough　to　the　Romans；　but　in
Nola　he　found　a　state　of　discord；　the　senate　not　being　able　to　rule
and　keep　in　the　common　people；　who　were　generally　favourers　of
Hannibal。　There　was　in　the　town　one　Bantius；　a　man　renowned　for　his
high　birth　and　courage。　This　man；　after　he　had　fought　most　fiercely　at
Cannae；　and　had　killed　many　of　the　enemies；　at　last　was　found　lying　in
a　heap　of　dead　bodies；　covered　with　darts；　and　was　brought　to
Hannibal；　who　so　honoured　him；　that　he　not　only　dismissed　him
without　ransom；　but　also　contracted　friendship　with　him；　and　made
him　his　guest。　In　gratitude　for　this　great　favour；　he　became　one　of
the　strongest　partisans　of　Hannibal；　and　urged　the　people　to　revolt。
Marcellus　could　not　be　induced　to　put　to　death　a　man　of　such　eminence；
and　who　had　endured　such　dangers　in　fighting　on　the　Roman　side；　but；
knowing　himself　able；　by　the　general　kindliness　of　his　disposition；
and　in　particular　by　the　attractiveness　of　his　address；　to　gain　over　a
character　whose　passion　was　for　honour；　one　day　when　Bantius　saluted
him；　he　asked　him　who　he　was；　not　that　he　knew　him　not　before；　but
seeking　an　occasion　of　further　conference。　When　Bantius　had　told　who
he　was；　Marcellus；　seeming　surprised　with　joy　and　wonder；　replied：
〃Are　you　that　Bantius　whom　the　Romans　commend　above　the　rest　that
fought　at　Cannae；　and　praise　as　the　one　man　that　not　only　did　not
forsake　the　consul　Paulus　Aemilius；　but　received　in　his　own　body
many　darts　thrown　at　him？〃　Bantius　owning　himself　to　be　that　very　man；
and　showing　his　scars：　〃Why；　then；〃　said　Marcellus；　〃did　not　you；
having　such　proofs　to　show　of　your　affection　to　us；　come　to　me　at　my
first　arrival　here？　Do　you　think　that　we　are　unwilling　to　requite　with
favour　those　who　have　well　deserved；　and　who　are　honoured　even　by
our　enemies？〃　He　followed　up　his　courtesies　by　a　present　of　a
war…horse　and　five　hundred　drachmas　in　money。　From　that　time　Bantius
became　the　most　faithful　assistant　and　ally　of　Marcellus；　and　a　most
keen　discoverer　of　those　that　attempted　innovation　and　sedition。
　　These　were　many；　and　had　entered　into　a　conspiracy　to　plunder　the
baggage　of　the　Romans；　when　they　should　make　an　irruption　against
the　enemy。　Marcellus；　therefore；　having　marshalled　his　army　within　the
city；　placed　the　baggage　near　to　the　gates；　and；　by　an　edict；
forbade　the　Nolans　to　go　to　the　walls。　Thus；　outside　the　city；　no　arms
could　be　seen；　by　which　prudent　device　he　allured　Hannibal　to　move
with　his　army　in　some　disorder　to　the　city；　thinking　that　things
were　in　a　tumult　there。　Then　Marcellus；　the　nearest　gate　being；　as
he　had　commanded；　thrown　open；　issuing　forth　with　the　flower　of　his
horse　in　front；　charged　the　enemy。　By　and　by　the　foot；　sallying　out　of
another　gate；　with　a　loud　shout　joined　in　the　battle。　And　while
Hannibal　opposes　part　of　his　forces　to　these；　the　third　gate　also　is
opened；　out　of　which　the　rest　break　forth；　and　on　all　quarters　fall
upon　the　enemies；　who　were　dismayed　at　this　unexpected　encounter；
and　did　but　feebly　resist　those　with　whom　they　had　been　first　engaged；
because　of　their　attack　by　these　others　who　sallied　out　later。　Here
Hannibal's　soldiers；　with　much　bloodshed　and　many　wounds；　were
beaten　back　to　their　camp；　and　for　the　first　time　turned　their　backs
to　the　Romans。　There　fell　in　this　action；　as　it　is　related；　more
than　five　thousand　of　them；　of　the　Romans；　not　above　five　hundred。
Livy　does　not　affirm　that　either　the　victory　or　the　slaughter　of　the
enemy　was　so　great；　but　certain　it　is　that　the　adventure　brought　great
glory　to　Marcellus；　and　to　the　Romans；　after　their　calamities；　a　great
revival　of　confidence；　as　they　began　now　to　entertain　a　hope　that
the　enemy　with　whom　they　contended　was　not　invincible；　but　liable　like
themselves　to　defeats。
　　Therefore；　the　other　consul　being　deceased；　the　people　recalled
Marcellus；　that　they　might　put　him　into　his　place；　and；　in　spite　of
the　magistrates；　succeeded　in　postponing　the　election　till　his
arrival；　when　he　was　by　all　the　suffrages　created　consul。　But
because　it　happened　to　thunder；　the　augurs　accounting　that　he　was
not　legitimately　created；　and　yet　not　daring；　for　fear　of　the
people；　to　declare　their　sentence　openly；　Marcellus　voluntarily
resigned　the　consulate；　retaining　however　his　command。　Being　created
proconsul；　and　returning　to　the　camp　at　Nola；　he　proceeded　to　harass
those　that　followed　the　party　of　the　Carthaginians；　on　whose　coming
with　speed　to　succour　them；　Marcellus　declined　a　challenge　to　a　set
battle；　but　when　Hannibal　had　sent　out　a　party　to　plunder；　and　now
expected　no　fight；　he　broke　out　upon　him　with　his　army。　He　had
distributed　to　the　foot　long　lances；　such　as　are　commonly　used　in
naval　fights；　and　instructed　them　to　throw　them　with　great　force　at
convenient　distances　against　the　enemies；　who　were　inexperienced　in
that　way　of　darting；　and　used　to　fight　with　short　darts　hand　to
hand。　This　seems　to　have　been　the　cause　of　the　total　rout　and　open
flight　of　all　the　Carthaginians　who　were　then　engaged；　there　fell　of
them　five　thousand；　four　elephants　were　killed；　and　two　taken；　but
what　was　of　the　greatest　moment；　on　the　third　day　after；　more　than
three　hundred　horse；　Spaniards　and　Numidians　mixed；　deserted　to　him；　a
disaster　that　had　never　to　that　day　happened　to　Hannibal；　who　had　kept
together　in　harmony　an　army　of　barbarians；　collected　out　of　many
various　and　discordant　nations。　Marcellus　and　his　successors　in　all
this　war　made　good　use　of　the　faithful　service　of　these　horsemen。
　　He　now　was　a　third　time　created　consul；　and　sailed　over　into　Sicily。
For　the　success　of　Hannibal　had　excited　the　Carthaginians　to　lay　claim
to　that　whole　island；　chiefly　because；　after　the　murder　of　the
tyrant　Hieronymus；　all　things　had　been　in　tumult　and　confusion　at
Syracuse。　For　which　reason　the　Romans　also　had　sent　before　to　that
city　a　force　under　the　conduct　of　Appius；　as　praetor。　While
Marcellus　was　receiving　that　army；　a　number　of　Roman　soldiers　cast
themselves　at　his　feet；　upon　occasion　of　the　fol