pompey-第7章

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consulship　before　he　had　applied　to　Pompey。　The　request　was　made
accordingly；　and　was　eagerly　embraced　by　Pompey；　who　had　long　sought
an　occasion　to　oblige　him　in　some　friendly　office；　so　that　he
solicited　for　Crassus；　and　entreated　the　people　heartily；　declaring
that　their　favour　would　be　no　less　to　him　in　choosing　Crassus　his
colleague；　than　in　making　himself　consul。　Yet　for　all　this；　when
they　were　created　consuls；　they　were　always　at　variance；　and
opposing　one　another。　Crassus　prevailed　most　in　the　senate；　and
Pompey's　power　was　no　less　with　the　people；　he　having　restored　to　them
the　office　of　tribune；　and　having　allowed　the　courts　of　judicature
to　be　transferred　back　to　the　knights　by　a　new　law。　He　himself　in
person；　too；　afforded　them　a　most　grateful　spectacle；　when　he　appeared
and　craved　his　discharge　from　the　military　service。　For　it　is　an
ancient　custom　among　the　Romans　that　the　knights；　when　they　had　served
out　their　legal　time　in　the　wars；　should　lead　their　horses　into　the
market…place　before　the　two　officers；　called　censors；　and　having　given
an　account　of　the　commanders　and　generals　under　whom　they　served；　as
also　of　the　places　and　actions　of　their　service；　should　be　discharged；
every　man　with　honour　or　disgrace；　according　to　his　deserts。　There
were　then　sitting　in　state　upon　the　bench　two　censors；　Gellius　and
Lentulus；　inspecting　the　knights；　who　were　passing　by　in　muster　before
them；　when　Pompey　was　seen　coming　down　into　the　forum；　with　all　the
ensigns　of　a　consul；　but　leading　his　horse　in　his　hand。　When　he　came
up；　he　bade　his　lictors　make　way　for　him；　and　so　he　led　his　horse　to
the　bench；　the　people　being　all　this　while　in　a　sort　of　amaze；　and　all
in　silence；　and　the　censors　themselves　regarding　the　sight　with　a
mixture　of　respect　and　gratification。　Then　the　senior　censor
examined　him：　〃Pompeius　Magnus；　I　demand　of　you　whether　you　have
served　the　full　time　in　the　wars　that　is　prescribed　by　the　law？〃
〃Yes；〃　replied　Pompey；　with　a　loud　voice；　〃I　have　served　all；　and
all　under　myself　as　general。〃　The　people　hearing　this　gave　a　great
shout；　and　made　such　an　outcry　for　delight；　that　there　was　no
appeasing　it；　and　the　censors　rising　from　their　judgment　seat
accompanied　him　home　to　gratify　the　multitude　who　followed　after；
clapping　their　hands　and　shouting。
　　Pompey's　consulship　was　now　expiring；　and　yet　his　difference　with
Crassus　increasing；　when　one　Caius　Aurelius；　a　knight；　a　man　who　had
declined　public　business　all　his　lifetime；　mounted　the　hustings；　and
addressed　himself　in　an　oration　to　the　assembly；　declaring　that
Jupiter　had　appeared　to　him　in　a　dream；　commanding　him　to　tell　the
consuls　that　they　should　not　give　up　office　until　they　were　friends。
After　this　was　said；　Pompey　stood　silent；　but　Crassus　took　him　by
the　hand；　and　spoke　in　this　manner：　〃I　do　not　think；
fellow…citizens；　that　I　shall　do　anything　mean　or　dishonourable　in
yielding　first　to　Pompey；　whom　you　were　pleased　to　ennoble　with　the
title　of　Great；　when　as　yet　he　scarce　had　a　hair　on　his　face；　and
granted　the　honour　of　two　triumphs　before　he　had　a　place　in　the
senate。〃　Hereupon　they　were　reconciled　and　laid　down　their　office。
Crassus　resumed　the　manner　of　life　which　he　had　always　pursued　before；
but　Pompey　in　the　great　generality　of　causes　for　judgment　declined
appearing　on　either　side；　and　by　degrees　withdrew　himself　totally　from
the　forum；　showing　himself　but　seldom　in　public；　and；　whenever　he　did；
it　was　with　a　great　train　after　him。　Neither　was　it　easy　to　meet　or
visit　him　without　a　crowd　of　people　about　him；　he　was　most　pleased
to　make　his　appearance　before　large　numbers　at　once；　as　though　he
wished　to　maintain　in　this　way　his　state　and　majesty；　and　as　if　he
held　himself　bound　to　preserve　his　dignity　from　contact　with　the
addresses　and　conversation　of　common　people。　And　life　in　the　robe　of
peace　is　only　too　apt　to　lower　the　reputation　of　men　that　have　grown
great　by　arms；　who　naturally　find　difficulty　in　adapting　themselves　to
the　habits　of　civil　equality。　They　expect　to　be　treated　as　the　first
in　the　city；　even　as　they　were　in　the　camp；　and　on　the　other　hand；　men
who　in　war　were　nobody；　think　it　intolerable　if　in　the　city　at　any
rate　they　are　not　to　take　the　lead。　And　so　when　a　warrior　renowned　for
victories　and　triumphs　shall　turn　advocate　and　appear　among　them　in
the　forum；　they　endeavour　their　utmost　to　obscure　and　depress　him；
whereas；　if　he　gives　up　any　pretensions　here　and　retires；　they　will
maintain　his　military　honour　and　authority　beyond　the　reach　of　envy。
Events　themselves　not　long　after　showed　the　truth　of　this。
　　The　power　of　the　pirates　first　commenced　in　Cilicia；　having　in　truth
but　a　precarious　and　obscure　beginning；　but　gained　life　and　boldness
afterwards　in　the　wars　of　Mithridates；　where　they　hired　themselves　out
and　took　employment　in　the　king's　service。　Afterwards；　whilst　the
Romans　were　embroiled　in　their　civil　wars；　being　engaged　against　one
another　even　before　the　very　gates　of　Rome；　the　seas　lay　waste　and
unguarded；　and　by　degrees　enticed　and　drew　them　on　not　only　to　seize
upon　and　spoil　the　merchants　and　ships　upon　the　seas；　but　also　to
lay　waste　the　islands　and　seaport　towns。　So　that　now　there　embarked
with　these　pirates　men　of　wealth　and　noble　birth　and　superior
abilities；　as　if　it　had　been　a　natural　occupation　to　gain
distinction　in。　They　had　divers　arsenals；　or　piratic　harbours；　as
likewise　watch…towers　and　beacons；　all　along　the　sea…coast；　and　fleets
were　here　received　that　were　well　manned　with　the　finest　mariners；　and
well　served　with　the　expertest　pilots；　and　composed　of　swift…sailing
and　light…built　vessels　adapted　for　their　special　purpose。　Nor　was
it　merely　their　being　thus　formidable　that　excited　indignation；　they
were　even　more　odious　for　their　ostentation　than　they　were　feared
for　their　force。　Their　ships　had　gilded　masts　at　their　stems；　the
sails　woven　of　purple；　and　the　oars　plated　with　silver；　as　if　their
delight　were　to　glory　in　their　iniquity。　There　was　nothing　but　music
and　dancing；　banqueting　and　revels；　all　along　the　shore。　Officers　in
command　were　taken　prisoners；　and　cities　put　under　contribution；　to
the　reproach　and　dishonour　of　the　Roman　supremacy。
　　There　were　of　these　corsairs　above　one　thousand　sail；　and　they　had
taken　no　less　than　four　hundred　cities；　committing　sacrilege　upon
the　temples　of　the　gods；　and　enriching　themselves　with　the　spoils　of
many　never　violated　before；　such　as　were　those　of　Claros；　Didyma；
and　Samothrace；　and　the　temple　of　the　Earth　in　Hermione；　and　that　of
Aesculapius　in　Epidaurus；　those　of　Neptune　at　the　Isthmus；　at
Taenarus；　and　at　Calauria；　those　of　Apollo　at　Actium　and　Leucas；　and
those　of　Juno　in　Samos；　at　Argos；　and　at　Lacinium。　They　themselves
offered　strange　sacrifices　upon　Mount　Olympus；　and　performed　certain
secret　rites　or　religious　mysteries；　among　which　those　of　Mithras　have
been　preserved　to　our　own　time　having　received　their　previous
institution　from　them。　But　besides　these　insolencies　by　sea；　they　were
also　injurious　to　the　Romans　by　land；　for　they　would　often　go　inland
up　the　roads；　plundering　and　destroying　their　villages　and
country…houses。　Once　they　seized　upon　two　Roman　praetors；　Sextilius
and　Bellinus；　in　their　purple…edged　robes；　and　carried　them　off
together　with　their　officers　and　lictors。　The　daughter　also　of
Antonius。　a　man　that　had　had　the　honour　of　a　triumph；　taking　a　journey
into　the　country；　was　seized；　and　redeemed　upon　payment　of　a　large
ransom。　But　it　was　most　abusive　of　all　that；　when　any　of　the
captives　declared　himself　to　be　a　Roman；　and　told　his　name；　they
affected　to　be　surprised；　and　feigning　fear；　smote　their　thighs　and
fell　down　at　his　feet　humbly　beseeching　him　to　be　gracious　and　forgive
them。
　　The　captives；　seeing　them　so　humble　and　suppliant；　believed　them
to　be　in　earnest；　and　some　of　them　now　would　proceed　to　put　Roman
shoes　on　his　feet；　and　to　dress　him　in　a　Roman　gown；　to　prevent；
they　said；　his　being　mistaken　another　time。　After　all　this
pageantry；　when　they　had　thus　deluded　and　mocked　him　long　enough；　at
last　putting　out　a　ship's　ladder；　when　they　were　in　the　midst　of　the
sea；　they　told　him　he　was　free