poplicola-第6章

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near　Rome；　in　wooded　and　hollow　spots；　with　a　design　that　some　few
horsemen；　as　soon　as　it　was　day；　should　go　out　and　ravage　the　country；
commanding　them　upon　their　approach　to　the　town　so　to　retreat　as　to
draw　the　enemy　into　the　ambush。　Poplicola；　however；　soon　advertised　of
these　designs　by　deserters；　disposed　his　forces　to　their　respective
charges。　Postumius　Balbus；　his　son…in…law；　going　out　with　three
thousand　men　in　the　evening；　was　ordered　to　take　the　hills；　under
which　the　ambush　lay；　there　to　observe　their　motions；　his　colleague；
Lucretius；　attended　with　a　body　of　the　lightest　and　boldest　men；　was
appointed　to　meet　the　Sabine　horse；　whilst　he；　with　the　rest　of　the
army；　encompassed　the　enemy。　And　a　thick　mist　rising　accidentally；
Postumius；　early　in　the　morning；　with　shouts　from　the　hills；
assailed　the　ambuscade；　Lucretius　charged　the　light…horse；　and
Poplicola　besieged　the　camp；　so　that　on　all　sides　defeat　and　ruin　came
upon　the　Sabines；　and　without　any　resistance　the　Romans　killed　them　in
their　flight；　their　very　hopes　leading　them　to　their　death；　for　each
division；　presuming　that　the　other　was　safe；　gave　up　all　thought　of
fighting　or　keeping　their　ground；　and　these　quitting　the　camp　to
retire　to　the　ambuscade；　and　the　ambuscade　flying　to　the　camp；
fugitives　thus　met　fugitives；　and　found　those　from　whom　they
expected　succour　as　much　in　need　of　succour　from　themselves。　The
nearness；　however；　of　the　city　Fidenae　was　the　preservation　of　the
Sabines；　especially　those　that　fled　from　the　camp；　those　that　could
not　gain　the　city　either　perished　in　the　field；　or　were　taken
prisoners。　This　victory；　the　Romans；　though　usually　ascribing　such
success　to　some　god；　attributed　to　the　conduct　of　one　captain；　and
it　was　observed　to　be　heard　amongst　the　soldiers；　that　Poplicola　had
delivered　their　enemies　lame　and　blind；　and　only　not　in　chains；　to
be　despatched　by　their　swords。　From　the　spoil　and　prisoners　great
wealth　accrued　to　the　people。
　　Poplicola；　having　completed　his　triumph；　and　bequeathed　the　city
to　the　care　of　the　succeeding　consuls；　died；　thus　closing　a　life
which；　so　far　as　human　life　may　be；　had　been　full　of　all　that　is
good　and　honourable。　The　people；　as　though　they　had　not　duly
rewarded　his　deserts　when　alive；　but　still　were　in　his　debt；　decreed
him　a　public　interment；　every　one　contributing　his　quadrans　towards
the　charge；　the　women；　besides；　by　private　consent；　mourned　a　whole
year；　a　signal　mark　of　honour　to　his　memory。　He　was　buried；　by　the
people's　desire；　within　the　city；　in　the　part　called　Velia；　where
his　posterity　had　likewise　privilege　of　burial；　now；　however；　none
of　the　family　are　interred　there；　but　the　body　is　carried　thither
and　set　down；　and　some　one　places　a　burning　torch　under　it　and
immediately　takes　it　away；　as　an　attestation　of　the　deceased's
privilege；　and　his　receding　from　his　honour；　after　which　the　body　is
removed。




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