pompey-第14章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


another　triumph。　In　the　first　place；　there　were　tables　carried；
inscribed　with　the　names　and　titles　of　the　nations　over　whom　he
triumphed；　Pontus；　Armenia；　Cappadocia；　Paphlagonia；　Media；　Colchis；
the　Iberians；　the　Albanians；　Syria；　Cilicia；　and　Mesopotamia；　together
with　Phoenicia　and　Palestine；　Judaea；　Arabia；　and　all　the　power　of　the
pirates　subdued　by　sea　and　land。　And　in　these　different　countries
there　appeared　the　capture　of　no　less　than　one　thousand　fortified
places；　nor　much　less　than　nine　hundred　cities；　together　with　eight
hundred　ships　of　the　pirates；　and　the　foundation　of　thirty…nine　towns。
Besides；　there　was　set　forth　in　these　tables　an　account　of　all　the
tributes　throughout　the　empire；　and　how　that　before　these　conquests
the　revenue　amounted　but　to　fifty　millions；　whereas　from　his
acquisitions　they　had　a　revenue　of　eighty…five　millions；　and　that　in
present　payment　he　was　bringing　into　the　common　treasury　ready
money；　and　gold　and　silver　plate；　and　ornaments；　to　the　value　of
twenty　thousand　talents；　over　and　above　what　had　been　distributed
among　the　soldiers；　of　whom　he　that　had　least　had　fifteen　hundred
drachmas　for　his　share。　The　prisoners　of　war　that　were　led　in　triumph；
besides　the　chief　pirates；　were　the　son　of　Tigranes；　King　of　Armenia
with　his　wife　and　daughter；　as　also　Zosime；　wife　of　King　Tigranes
himself；　and　Aristobulus；　King　of　Judaea；　the　sister　of　King
Mithridates；　and　her　five　sons；　and　some　Scythian　women。　There　were
likewise　the　hostages　of　the　Albanians　and　Iberians；　and　of　the　King
of　Commagene；　besides　a　vast　number　of　trophies；　one　for　every
battle　in　which　he　was　conqueror；　either　himself　in　person　or　by　his
lieutenants。　But　that　which　seemed　to　be　his　greatest　glory；　being　one
which　no　other　Roman　ever　attained　to；　was　this；　that　he　made　his
third　triumph　over　the　third　division　of　the　world。　For　others　among
the　Romans　had　the　honour　of　triumphing　thrice；　but　his　first
triumph　was　over　Africa；　his　second　over　Europe；　and　this　last　over
Asia；　so　that　he　seemed　in　these　three　triumphs　to　have　led　the
whole　world　captive。
　　As　for　his　age；　those　who　affect　to　make　the　parallel　exact　in　all
things　betwixt　him　and　Alexander　the　Great；　do　not　allow　him　to　have
been　quite　thirty…four；　whereas　in　truth　at　that　time　he　was　near
forty。　And　well　had　it　been　for　him　had　he　terminated　his　life　at　this
date；　while　he　still　enjoyed　Alexander's　fortune；　since　all　his
after…time　served　only　either　to　bring　him　prosperity　that　made　him
odious；　or　calamities　too　great　to　be　retrieved。　For　that　great
authority　which　he　had　gained　in　the　city　by　his　merits　he　made　use　of
only　in　patronizing　the　iniquities　of　others；　so　that　by　advancing
their　fortunes　he　detracted　from　his　own　glory；　till　at　last　he　was
overthrown　even　by　the　force　and　greatness　of　his　own　power。　And　as
the　strongest　citadel　or　fort　in　a　town；　when　it　is　taken　by　an　enemy；
does　then　afford　the　same　strength　to　the　foe　as　it　had　done　to
friends　before；　so　Caesar；　after　Pompey's　aid　had　made　him　strong
enough　to　defy　his　country；　ruined　and　overthrew　at　last　the　power
which　had　availed　him　against　the　rest。　The　course　of　things　was　as
follows。　Lucullus；　when　he　returned　out　of　Asia；　where　he　had　been
treated　with　insult　by　Pompey；　was　received　by　the　senate　with　great
honour；　which　was　yet　increased　when　Pompey　came　home；　to　check
whose　ambition　they　encourage　him　to　assume　the　administration　of
the　government；　whereas　he　was　now　grown　cold　and　disinclined　to
business；　having　given　himself　over　to　the　pleasures　of　ease　and　the
enjoyment　of　a　splendid　fortune。　However；　he　began　for　the　time　to
exert　himself　against　Pompey；　attacked　him　sharply；　and　succeeded　in
having　his　own　acts　and　decrees；　which　were　repealed　by　Pompey；
re…established；　and；　with　the　assistance　of　Cato；　gained　the
superiority　in　the　senate。
　　Pompey　having　fallen　from　his　hopes　in　such　an　unworthy　repulse；　was
forced　to　fly　to　the　tribunes　of　the　people　for　refuge；　and　to
attach　himself　to　the　young　men；　among　whom　was　Clodius；　the　vilest
and　most　impudent　wretch　alive；　who　took　him　about；　and　exposed　him　as
a　tool　to　the　people；　carrying　him　up　and　down　among　the　throngs　in
the　market…place；　to　countenance　those　laws　and　speeches　which　he　made
to　cajole　the　people　and　ingratiate　himself。　And　at　last；　for　his
reward；　he　demanded　Pompey；　as　if　he　had　not　disgraced；　but　done　him　a
great　kindness；　that　he　should　forsake　（as　in　the　end　he　did
forsake）　Cicero；　his　friend；　who　on　many　public　occasions　had　done　him
the　greatest　service。　And　so　when　Cicero　was　in　danger；　and　implored
his　aid；　he　would　not　admit　him　into　his　presence；　but　shutting　up　his
gates　against　those　that　came　to　mediate　for　him；　slipt　out　at　a
back　door；　whereupon　Cicero；　fearing　the　result　of　his　trial；　departed
privately　from　Rome。
　　About　that　time　Caesar；　returning　from　military　service；　started　a
course　of　policy　which　brought　him　great　present　favour；　and　much
increased　his　power　for　the　future；　and　proved　extremely　destructive
both　to　Pompey　and　the　commonwealth。　For　now　he　stood　candidate　for
his　first　consulship；　and　well　observing　the　enmity　betwixt　Pompey　and
Crassus；　and　finding　that　by　joining　with　one　he　should　make　the　other
his　enemy；　he　endeavoured　by　all　means　to　reconcile　them；　an　object　in
itself　honourable　and　tending　to　the　public　good；　but；　as　he　undertook
it；　a　mischievous　and　subtle　intrigue。　For　he　well　knew　that
opposite　parties　or　factions　in　a　commonwealth；　like　passengers　in　a
boat；　serve　to　trim　and　balance　the　unsteady　motions　of　power　there；
whereas　if　they　combine　and　come　all　over　to　one　side；　they　cause　a
shock　which　will　be　sure　to　overset　the　vessel　and　carry　down
everything。　And　therefore　Cato　wisely　told　those　who　charged　all　the
calamities　of　Rome　upon　the　disagreement　betwixt　Pompey　and　Caesar
that　they　were　in　error　in　charging　all　the　crime　upon　the　last　cause；
for　it　was　not　their　discord　and　enmity；　but　their　unanimity　and
friendship；　that　gave　the　first　and　greatest　blow　to　the　commonwealth。
　　Caesar　being　thus　elected　consul；　began　at　once　to　make　an
interest　with　the　poor　and　meaner　sort；　by　preferring　and　establishing
laws　for　planting　colonies　and　dividing　lands；　lowering　the　dignity　of
his　office；　and　turning　his　consulship　into　a　sort　of　tribuneship
rather。　And　when　Bibulus；　his　colleague；　opposed　him；　and　Cato　was
prepared　to　second　Bibulus；　and　assist　him　vigorously；　Caesar
brought　Pompey　upon　the　hustings；　and　addressing　him　in　the　sight　of
the　people；　demanded　his　opinion　upon　the　laws　that　were　proposed。
Pompey　gave　his　approbation。　〃Then；〃　said　Caesar；　〃in　case　any　man
should　offer　violence　to　these　laws；　will　you　be　ready　to　give
assistance　to　the　people？〃　〃Yes；〃　replied　Pompey；　〃I　shall　be　ready；
and　against　those　that　threaten　the　sword；　I　will　appear　with　sword
and　buckler。〃　Nothing　ever　was　said　or　done　by　Pompey　up　to　that　day
that　seemed　more　insolent　or　overbearing；　so　that　his　friends
endeavoured　to　apologize　for　it　as　a　word　spoken　inadvertently；　but　by
his　actions　afterwards　it　appeared　plainly　that　he　was　totally　devoted
to　Caesar's　service。　For　on　a　sudden；　contrary　to　all　expectation；
he　married　Julian；　the　daughter　of　Caesar；　who　had　been　affianced
before　and　was　to　be　married　within　a　few　days　to　Caepio。　And　to
appease　Caepio's　wrath；　he　gave　him　his　own　daughter　in　marriage；
who　had　been　espoused　before　to　Faustus；　the　son　of　Sylla。　Caesar
himself　married　Calpurnia；　the　daughter　of　Piso。
　　Upon　this　Pompey；　filling　the　city　with　soldiers；　carried　all　things
by　force　as　he　pleased。　As　Bibulus；　the　consul；　was　going　to　the
forum；　accompanied　by　Lucullus　and　Cato；　they　fell　upon　him　on　a
sudden　and　broke　his　rods；　and　somebody　threw　a　vessel　of　ordure
upon　the　head　of　Bibulus　himself；　and　two　tribunes　of　the　people；
who　escorted　him；　were　desperately　wounded　in　the　fray。　And　thus
having　cleared　the　forum　of　all　their　adversaries；　they　got　their　bill
for　the　division　of　lands　established　and　passed　into　an　act；　and
not　only　so；　but　the　whole　populace；　being　taken　with　this　bait；
became　totally　at　their　devotion；　inquiring　into　n