pompey-第21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！


lightly　as　if　they　were　to　engage　only　with　Tigranes；　King　of　Armenia；
or　some　petty　Nabathaean　king；　not　with　that　Caesar　and　his　army
that　had　stormed　a　thousand　towns；　and　subdued　more　than　three　hundred
several　nations；　that　had　fought　innumerable　battles　with　the
Germans　and　Gauls；　and　always　carried　the　victory；　that　had　taken　a
million　of　men　prisoners；　and　slain　as　many　upon　the　spot　in　pitched
battles？
　　But　they　went　on　soliciting　and　clamouring；　and　on　reaching　the
plain　of　Pharsalia；　they　forced　Pompey　by　their　pressure　and
importunities　to　call　a　council　of　war；　where　Labienus；　general　of　the
horse；　stood　up　first　and　swore　that　he　would　not　return　out　of　the
battle　if　he　did　not　rout　the　enemies；　and　all　the　rest　took　the
same　oath。　That　night　Pompey　dreamed　that；　as　he　went　into　the
theatre；　the　people　received　him　with　great　applause；　and　that　he
himself　adorned　the　temple　of　Venus　the　Victorious　with　many　spoils。
This　vision　partly　encouraged；　but　partly　also　disheartened　him；
fearing　lest　that　splendour　and　ornament　to　Venus　should　be　made
with　spoils　furnished　by　himself　to　Caesar；　who　derived　his　family
from　that　goddess。　Besides　there　were　some　panic　fears　and　alarms　that
ran　through　the　camp；　with　such　a　noise　that　it　awakened　him　out　of
his　sleep。　And　about　the　time　of　renewing　the　watch　towards　morning；
there　appeared　a　great　light　over　Caesar's　camp　whilst　they　were　all
at　rest；　and　from　thence　a　ball　of　flaming　fire　was　carried　into
Pompey's　camp；　which　Caesar　himself　says　he　saw　as　he　was　walking
his　rounds。
　　Now　Caesar　having　designed　to　raise　his　camp　with　the　morning　and
move　to　Scotussa；　whilst　the　soldiers　were　busy　in　pulling　down
their　tents；　and　sending　on　their　cattle　and　servants　before　them　with
their　baggage；　there　came　in　scouts　who　brought　word　that　they　saw
arms　carried　to　and　fro　in　the　enemy's　camp；　and　heard　a　noise　and
running　up　and　down　as　of　men　preparing　for　battle；　not　long　after
there　came　in　other　scouts　with　further　intelligence；　that　the　first
ranks　were　already　set　in　battle　array。　Thereupon　Caesar；　when　he
had　told　them　that　the　wished…for　day　was　come　at　last；　when　they
should　fight　with　men；　not　with　hunger　and　famine；　instantly　gave
orders　for　the　red　colours　to　be　set　up　before　his　tent；　that　being
the　ordinary　signal　of　battle　among　the　Romans。　As　soon　as　the
soldiers　saw　that；　they　left　their　tents；　and　with　great　shouts　of　joy
ran　to　their　arms；　the　officers　likewise；　on　their　part；　drawing　up
their　companies　in　order　of　battle；　every　man　fell　into　his　proper
rank　without　any　trouble　or　noise；　as　quietly　and　orderly　as　if　they
had　been　in　a　dance。
　　Pompey　himself　led　the　right　wing　of　his　army　against　Antony；　and
placed　his　father…in…law；　Scipio；　in　the　middle　against　Lucius
Calvinus。　The　left　wing　was　commanded　by　Lucius　Domitius；　and
supported　by　the　great　mass　of　the　horse。　For　almost　the　whole　cavalry
was　posted　there　in　the　hope　of　crushing　Caesar；　and　cutting　off　the
tenth　legion；　which　was　spoken　of　as　the　stoutest　in　all　the　army；　and
in　which　Caesar　himself　usually　fought　in　person。　Caesar　observing　the
left　wing　of　the　enemy　to　be　lined　and　fortified　with　such　a　mighty
guard　of　horse；　and　alarmed　at　the　gallantry　of　their　appearance；　sent
for　a　detachment　of　six　cohorts　out　of　the　reserves；　and　placed　them
in　the　rear　of　the　tenth　legion；　commanding　them　not　to　stir；　lest
they　should　be　discovered　by　the　enemy；　but　when　the　enemy's　horse
should　begin　to　charge；　and　press　upon　them；　that　they　should　make
up　with　all　speed　to　the　front　through　the　foremost　ranks　and　not
throw　their　javelins　at　a　distance；　as　is　usual　with　brave　soldiers；
that　they　come　to　a　close　fight　with　their　swords　the　sooner；　but　that
they　should　strike　them　upwards　into　the　eyes　and　faces　of　the
enemy；　telling　them　that　those　fine　young　dancers　would　never　endure
the　steel　shining　in　their　eyes；　but　would　fly　to　save　their
handsome　faces。　This　was　Caesar's　employment　at　that　time。　But　while
he　was　thus　instructing　his　soldiers；　Pompey　on　horseback　was
viewing　the　order　of　both　armies；　and　when　he　saw　how　well　the　enemy
kept　their　ranks；　expecting　quietly　the　signal　of　battle；　and；　on
the　contrary；　how　impatient　and　unsteady　his　own　men　were；　waving　up
and　down　in　disorder　for　want　of　experience；　he　was　very　much　afraid
that　their　ranks　would　be　broken　upon　the　first　onset；　and　therefore
he　gave　out　orders　that　the　van　should　make　a　stand；　and　keeping　close
in　their　ranks　should　receive　the　enemy's　charge。　Caesar　much　condemns
this　command；　which；　he　says；　not　only　took　off　from　the　strength　of
the　blows；　which　would　otherwise　have　been　made　with　a　spring；　but
also　lost　the　men　the　impetus；　which；　more　than　anything；　in　the
moment　of　their　coming　upon　the　enemy；　fills　soldiers　with　impulse　and
inspiration；　the　very　shouts　and　rapid　pace　adding　to　their　fury；　of
which　Pompey　deprived　his　men；　arresting　them　in　their　course　and
cooling　down　their　heat。
　　Caesar's　army　consisted　of　twenty…two　thousand；　and　Pompey's　of
somewhat　above　twice　as　many。　When　the　signal　of　battle　was　given　on
both　sides；　and　the　trumpets　began　to　sound　a　charge；　most　men　of
course　were　fully　occupied　with　their　own　matters；　only　some　few　of
the　noblest　Romans；　together　with　certain　Greeks　there　present；
standing　as　spectators　without　the　battle；　seeing　the　armies　now　ready
to　join；　could　not　but　consider　in　themselves　to　what　a　pass　private
ambition　and　emulation　had　brought　the　empire。　Common　arms；　and
kindred　ranks　drawn　up　under　the　selfsame　standards；　the　whole
flower　and　strength　of　the　same　single　city　here　meeting　in
collision　with　itself；　offered　plain　proof　how　blind　and　how　mad　a
thing　human　nature　is　when　once　possessed　with　any　passion；　for　if
they　had　been　desirous　only　to　rule；　and　enjoy　in　peace　what　they
had　conquered　in　war；　the　greatest　and　best　part　of　the　world　was
subject　to　them　both　by　sea　and　land。　But　if　there　was　yet　a　thirst　in
their　ambition；　that　must　still　be　fed　with　new　trophies　and　triumphs；
the　Parthian　and　German　wars　would　yield　matter　enough　to　satisfy
the　most　covetous　of　honour。　Scythia；　moreover；　was　yet　unconquered；
and　the　Indians　too；　where　their　ambition　might　be　coloured　over
with　the　specious　pretext　of　civilizing　barbarous　nations。　And　what
Scythian　horse；　Parthian　arrows；　or　Indian　riches　could　be　able　to
resist　seventy　thousand　Roman　soldiers；　well　appointed　in　arms；
under　the　command　of　two　such　generals　as　Pompey　and　Caesar；　whose
names　they　had　heard　of　before　that　of　the　Romans；　and　whose
prowess；　by　their　conquests　of　such　wild；　remote；　savage；　and
brutish　nations；　was　spread　further　than　the　fame　of　the　Romans
themselves？　To…day　they　met　in　conflict；　and　could　no　longer　be
induced　to　spare　their　country；　even　out　of　regard　for　their　own　glory
or　the　fear　of　losing　the　name　which　till　this　day　both　had　held；　of
having　never　yet　been　defeated。　As　for　their　former　private　ties；
and　the　charms　of　Julia；　and　the　marriage　that　had　made　them　near
connections；　these　could　now　only　be　looked　upon　as　tricks　of　state；
the　mere　securities　of　a　treaty　made　to　serve　the　needs　of　an
occasion；　not　the　pledges　of　any　real　friendship。
　　Now；　therefore；　as　soon　as　the　plains　of　Pharsalia　were　covered　with
men；　horse；　and　armour；　and　that　the　signal　of　battle　was　raised　on
either　side；　Caius　Crassianus；　a　centurion；　who　commanded　a　company　of
one　hundred　and　twenty　men；　was　the　first　that　advanced　out　of
Caesar's　army　to　give　the　charge　and　acquit　himself　of　a　solemn
engagement　that　he　had　made　to　Caesar。　He　had　been　the　first　man
that　Caesar　had　seen　going　out　of　the　camp　in　the　morning；　and　Caesar；
after　saluting　him；　had　asked　him　what　he　thought　of　the　coming
battle。　To　which　he；　stretching　out　his　right　hand；　replied　aloud；
〃Thine　is　the　victory；　O　Caesar；　thou　shalt　conquer　gloriously；　and
I　myself　this　day　will　be　the　subject　of　thy　praise　either　alive　or
dead。〃　In　pursuance　of　this　promise　he　hastened　forward；　and　being
followed　by　many　more；　charged　into　the　midst　of　the　enemy。　There　they
came　at　once　to　a　close　fight　with　their　swords；　and　made　a　gre