marcellus-第7章

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the　Greek　euasmus；　because　they　act　it　with　shouting　and　cries　of　Eua：
for　so　do　they　also　the　proper　triumphs。　The　Greeks　have　wrested　the
word　to　their　own　language；　thinking　that　this　honour；　also；　must　have
some　connection　with　Bacchus；　who　in　Greek　has　the　titles　of　Euius　and
Thriambus。　But　the　thing　is　otherwise。　For　it　was　the　custom　for
commanders；　in　their　triumph；　to　immolate　an　ox；　but　in　their　ovation；
a　sheep：　hence　they　named　it　Ovation；　from　the　Latin　ovis。　It　is　worth
observing；　how　exactly　opposite　the　sacrifices　appointed　by　the
Spartan　legislator　are　to　those　of　the　Romans。　For　at　Lacedaemon；　a
captain；　who　had　performed　the　work　he　had　undertook　by　cunning；　or
courteous　treaty；　on　laying　down　his　command；　immolated　an　ox；　he　that
did　the　business　by　battle；　offered　a　cock；　the　Lacedaemonians；　though
most　warlike；　thinking　exploit　performed　by　reason　and　wisdom　to　be
more　excellent　and　more　congruous　to　man；　than　one　effected　by　mere
force　and　courage。　Which　of　the　two　is　to　be　preferred　I　leave　to
the　determination　of　others。
　　Marcellus　being　the　fourth　time　consul；　his　enemies　suborned　the
Syracusans　to　come　to　Rome　to　accuse　him；　and　to　complain　that　they
had　suffered　indignities　and　wrongs；　contrary　to　the　conditions
granted　them。　It　happened　that　Marcellus　was　in　the　capitol　offering
sacrifice　when　the　Syracusans　petitioned　the　senate；　yet　sitting；　that
they　might　have　leave　to　accuse　him　and　present　their　grievances。
Marcellus's　colleague；　eager　to　protect　him　in　his　absence；　put　them
out　of　the　court。　But　Marcellus　himself　came　as　soon　as　he　heard　of
it。　And　first；　in　his　curule　chair　as　consul；　he　referred　to　the
senate　the　cognizance　of　other　matters：　but　when　these　were
transacted；　rising　from　his　seat；　he　passed　as　a　private　man　into
the　place　where　the　accused　were　wont　to　make　their　defence；　and
gave　free　liberty　to　the　Syracusans　to　impeach　him。　But　they；　struck
with　consternation　by　his　majesty　and　confidence；　stood　astonished；
and　the　power　of　his　presence　now；　in　his　robe　of　state；　appeared
far　more　terrible　and　severe　than　it　had　done　when　he　was　arrayed　in
armour。　Yet；　reanimated　at　length　by　Marcellus's　rivals；　they　began
their　impeachment；　and　made　an　oration　in　which　pleas　of　justice
mingled　with　lamentation　and　complaint；　the　sum　of　which　was；　that
being　allies　and　friends　of　the　people　of　Rome；　they　had；
notwithstanding；　suffered　things　which　other　commanders　had
abstained　from　inflicting　upon　enemies。　To　this　Marcellus　answered
that　they　had　committed　many　acts　of　hostility　against　the　people　of
Rome；　and　had　suffered　nothing　but　what　enemies　conquered　and　captured
in　war　cannot　possibly　be　protected　from　suffering：　that　it　was
their　own　fault　they　had　been　made　captives；　because　they　refused　to
give　ear　to　his　frequent　attempts　to　persuade　them　by　gentle　means：
neither　were　they　forced　into　war　by　the　power　of　tyrants；　but　had
rather　chosen　the　tyrants　themselves　for　the　express　object　that
they　might　make　war。　The　orations　ended；　and　the　Syracusans；　according
to　the　custom；　having　retired；　Marcellus　left　his　colleague　to　ask　the
sentences；　and；　withdrawing　with　the　Syracusans；　stayed　expecting　at
the　doors　of　the　senate…house；　not　in　the　least　discomposed　in　spirit；
either　with　alarm　at　the　accusation；　or　by　anger　against　the
Syracusans；　but　with　perfect　calmness　and　serenity　attending　the　issue
of　the　cause。　The　sentences　at　length　being　all　asked；　and　a　decree　of
the　senate　made　in　vindication　of　Marcellus；　the　Syracusans；　with
tears　flowing　from　their　eyes；　cast　themselves　at　his　knees；
beseeching　him　to　forgive　themselves　there　present；　and　to　be　moved　by
the　misery　of　the　rest　of　their　city；　which　would　ever　be　mindful
of；　and　grateful　for；　his　benefits。　Thus　Marcellus；　softened　by
their　tears　and　distress；　was　not　only　reconciled　to　the　deputies；　but
ever　afterwards　continued　to　find　opportunity　of　doing　kindness　to　the
Syracusans。　The　liberty　which　he　had　restored　to　them；　and　their
rights；　laws；　and　goods　that　were　left；　the　senate　confirmed。　Upon
which　account　the　Syracusans；　besides　other　signal　honours；　made　a
law；　that　if　Marcellus　should　at　any　time　come　into　Sicily；　or　any
of　his　posterity；　the　Syracusans　should　wear　garlands　and　offer　public
sacrifice　to　the　gods。
　　After　this　he　moved　against　Hannibal。　And　whereas　the　other
consuls　and　commanders；　since　the　defeat　received　at　Cannae；　had　all
made　use　of　the　same　policy　against　Hannibal；　namely；　to　decline
coming　to　a　battle　with　him；　and　none　had　had　the　courage　to　encounter
him　in　the　field　and　put　themselves　to　the　decision　by　the　sword；
Marcellus　entered　upon　the　opposite　course；　thinking　that　Italy
would　be　destroyed　by　the　very　delay　by　which　they　looked　to　wear
out　Hannibal；　and　that　Fabius；　who；　adhering　to　his　cautious　policy；
waited　to　see　the　war　extinguished；　while　Rome　itself　meantime
wasted　away　（like　timid　physicians；　who；　dreading　to　administer
remedies；　stay　waiting；　and　believe　that　what　is　the　decay　of　the
patient's　strength　is　the　decline　of　the　disease）；　was　not　taking　a
right　course　to　heal　the　sickness　of　his　country。　And　first；　the　great
cities　of　the　Samnites；　which　had　revolted；　came　into　his　power；　in
which　he　found　a　large　quantity　of　corn　and　money；　and　three
thousand　of　Hannibal's　soldiers；　that　were　left　for　the　defence。　After
this；　the　proconsul　Cnaeus　Fulvius　with　eleven　tribunes　of　the
soldiers　being　slain　in　Apulia；　and　the　greatest　part　of　the　army　also
at　the　same　time　cut　off；　he　despatched　letters　to　Rome；　and　bade
the　people　be　of　good　courage；　for　that　he　was　now　upon　the　march
against　Hannibal；　to　turn　his　triumph　into　sadness。　On　these　letters
being　read；　Livy　writes　that　the　people　were　not　only　not
encouraged；　but　more　discouraged　than　before。　For　danger；　they
thought；　was　but　the　greater　in　proportion　as　Marcellus　was　of　more
value　than　Fulvius。　He；　as　he　had　written；　advancing　into　the
territories　of　the　Lucanians；　came　up　to　him　at　Numistro；　and；　the
enemy　keeping　himself　upon　the　hills；　pitched　his　camp　in　a　level
plain；　and　the　next　day　drew　forth　his　army　in　order　for　fight。　Nor
did　Hannibal　refuse　the　challenge。　They　fought　long　and　obstinately　on
both　sides；　victory　yet　seeming　undecided；　when；　after　three　hours'
conflict；　night　hardly　parted　them。　The　next　day；　as　soon　as　the　sun
was　risen；　Marcellus　again　brought　forth　his　troops；　and　ranged　them
among　the　dead　bodies　of　the　slain；　challenging　Hannibal　to　solve
the　question　by　another　trial。　When　he　dislodged　and　drew　off；
Marcellus；　gathering　up　the　spoils　of　the　enemies；　and　burying　the
bodies　of　his　slain　soldiers；　closely　followed　him。　And　though
Hannibal　often　used　stratagems；　and　laid　ambushes　to　entrap　Marcellus；
yet　he　never　could　circumvent　him。　By　skirmishes；　meantime；　in　all
of　which　he　was　superior；　Marcellus　gained　himself　such　high　repute；
that；　when　the　time　of　the　Comitia　at　Rome　was　near　at　hand；　the
senate　thought　fit　rather　to　recall　the　other　consul　from　Sicily
than　to　withdraw　Marcellus　from　his　conflict　with　Hannibal；　and　on　his
arrival　they　bid　him　name　Quintus　Fulvius　dictator。　For　the　dictator
is　created　neither　by　the　people　nor　by　the　senate；　but　the　consul
of　the　praetor；　before　the　popular　assembly；　pronounces　him　to　be
dictator　whom　he　himself　chooses。　Hence　he　is　called　dictator；
dicere　meaning　to　name。　Others　say　that　he　is　named　dictator　because
his　word　is　a　law；　and　he　orders　what　he　pleases；　without　submitting
it　to　the　vote。　For　the　Romans　call　the　orders　of　magistrates　Edicts。
　　And　now　because　Marcellus's　colleague；　who　was　recalled　from　Sicily；
had　a　mind　to　name　another　man　dictator；　and　would　not　be　forced　to
change　his　opinion；　he　sailed　away　by　night　back　to　Sicily。　So　the
common　people　made　an　order　that　Quintus　Fulvius　should　be　chosen
dictator：　and　the　senate；　by　an　express；　commanded　Marcellus　to
nominate　him。　He　obeying　proclaimed　him　dictator　according　to　the
order　of　the　people；　but　the　office　of　proconsul　was　continued　to
himself　for　a　year。　And　having　arranged　with　Fabius　Maximus　that；
while　he　besieged　Tarentum；　he　would；　by　following　Hannibal　and