antony-第12章

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　the　time　that　had　been　required　to　reach　it　came；　he　said；　to　the　same　result；　for　the　night　was　almost　spent。　And；　at　the　same　time；　others　came　with　information　that　all　the　confusion　in　the　camp　proceeded　only　from　their　own　violence　and　robbery　among　themselves。　To　compose　this　tumult；　and　bring　them　again　into　some　order　after　their　distraction；　he　commanded　the　signal　to　be　given　for　a　halt。　　　Day　began　to　break；　and　quiet　and　regularity　were　just　reappearing；　when　the　Parthian　arrows　began　to　fly　among　the　rear；　and　the　light…armed　troops　were　ordered　out　to　battle。　And；　being　seconded　by　the　heavy　infantry；　who　covered　one　another　as　before　described　with　their　shields；　they　bravely　received　the　enemy；　who　did　not　think　convenient　to　advance　any　further；　while　the　van　of　the　army；　marching　forward　leisurely　in　this　manner；　came　in　sight　of　the　river；　and　Antony；　drawing　up　the　cavalry　on　the　banks　to　confront　the　enemy；　first　passed　over　the　sick　and　wounded。　And；　by　this　time；　even　those　who　were　engaged　with　the　enemy　had　opportunity　to　drink　at　their　ease；　for　the　Parthians；　on　seeing　the　river；　unbent　their　bows；　and　told　the　Romans　they　might　pass　over　freely；　and　made　them　great　compliments　in　praise　of　their　valour。　Having　crossed　without　molestation；　they　rested　themselves　awhile；　and　presently　went　forward；　not　giving　perfect　credit　to　the　fair　words　of　their　enemies。　Six　days　after　this　last　battle；　they　arrived　at　the　river　Araxes；　which　divides　Media　and　Armenia；　and　seemed；　both　by　its　deepness　and　the　violence　of　the　current；　to　be　very　dangerous　to　pass。　A　report；　also；　had　crept　in　amongst　them；　that　the　enemy　was　in　ambush；　ready　to　set　upon　them　as　soon　as　they　should　be　occupied　with　their　passage。　But　when　they　were　got　over　on　the　other　side；　and　found　themselves　in　Armenia；　just　as　if　land　was　now　sighted　after　a　storm　at　sea；　they　kissed　the　ground　for　joy；　shedding　tears　and　embracing　each　other　in　their　delight。　But　taking　their　journey　through　a　land　that　abounded　in　all　sorts　of　plenty；　they　ate；　after　their　long　want；　with　that　excess　of　everything　they　met　with　that　they　suffered　from　dropsies　and　dysenteries。　　　Here　Antony；　making　a　review　of　his　army；　found　that　he　had　lost　twenty　thousand　foot　and　four　thousand　horse；　of　which　the　better　half　not　by　the　enemy；　but　by　diseases。　Their　march　was　of　twenty…seven　days　from　Phraata；　during　which　they　had　beaten　the　Parthians　in　eighteen　battles；　though　with　little　effect　or　lasting　result；　because　of　their　being　so　unable　to　pursue。　By　which　it　is　manifest　that　it　was　Artavasdes　who　lost　Antony　the　benefit　of　the　expedition。　For　had　the　sixteen　thousand　horsemen　whom　he　led　away；　out　of　Media；　armed　in　the　same　style　as　the　Parthians；　and　accustomed　to　their　manner　of　fight；　been　there　to　follow　the　pursuit　when　the　Romans　put　them　to　flight；　it　is　impossible　they　could　have　rallied　so　often　after　their　defeats；　and　reappeared　again　as　they　did　to　renew　their　attacks。　For　this　reason；　the　whole　army　was　very　earnest　with　Antony　to　march　into　Armenia　to　take　revenge。　But　he；　with　more　reflection；　forbore　to　notice　the　desertion；　and　continued　all　his　former　courtesies；　feeling　that　the　army　was　wearied　out；　and　in　want　of　all　manner　of　necessaries。　Afterwards；　however；　entering　Armenia；　with　invitations　and　fair　promises　he　prevailed　upon　Artavasdes　to　meet　him；　when　he　seized　him；　bound　him；　and　carried　him　to　Alexandria；　and　there　led　him　in　a　triumph；　one　of　the　things　which　most　offended　the　Romans；　who　felt　as　if　all　the　honours　and　solemn　observances　of　their　country　were；　for　Cleopatra's　sake；　handed　over　to　the　Egyptians。　　　This；　however；　was　at　an　after　time。　For　the　present；　marching　his　army　in　great　haste　in　the　depth　of　winter　through　continual　storms　of　snow；　he　lost　eight　thousand　of　his　men；　and　came　with　much　diminished　numbers　to　a　place　called　the　White　Village；　between　Sidon　and　Berytus；　on　the　sea…coast；　where　he　waited　for　the　arrival　of　Cleopatra。　And；　being　impatient　of　the　delay　she　made；　he　bethought　himself　of　shortening　the　time　wine　and　drunkenness；　and　yet　could　not　endure　the　tediousness　of　a　meal；　but　would　start　from　table　and　run　to　see　if　she　were　coming。　Till　at　last　she　came　into　port；　and　brought　with　her　clothes　and　money　for　the　soldiers。　Though　some　say　that　Antony　only　received　the　clothes　from　her　and　distributed　his　own　money　in　her　name。　　　A　quarrel　presently　happened　between　the　King　of　Media　and　Phraates　of　Parthia；　beginning；　it　is　said；　about　the　division　of　the　booty　that　was　taken　from　the　Romans；　and　creating　great　apprehension　in　the　Median　lest　he　should　lose　his　kingdom。　He　sent；　therefore；　ambassadors　to　Antony；　with　offers　of　entering　into　a　confederate　war　against　Phraates。　And　Antony；　full　of　hopes　at　being　thus　asked；　as　a　favour；　to　accept　that　one　thing；　horse　and　archers；　the　want　of　which　had　hindered　his　beating　the　Parthians　before；　began　at　once　to　prepare　for　a　return　to　Armenia；　there　to　join　the　Medes　on　the　Araxes；　and　begin　the　war　afresh。　But　Octavia；　in　Rome；　being　desirous　to　see　Antony；　asked　Caesar's　leave　to　go　to　him；　which　he　gave　her；　not　so　much；　say　most　authors；　to　gratify　his　sister；　as　to　obtain　a　fair　pretence　to　begin　the　war　upon　her　dishonourable　reception。　She　no　sooner　arrived　at　Athens；　but　by　letters　from　Antony　she　was　informed　of　his　new　expedition；　and　his　will　that　she　should　await　him　there。　And；　though　she　were　much　displeased；　not　being　ignorant　of　the　real　reason　of　this　usage；　yet　she　wrote　to　him　to　know　to　what　place　he　would　be　pleased　she　should　send　the　things　she　had　brought　with　her　for　his　use；　for　she　had　brought　clothes　for　his　soldiers；　baggage；　cattle；　money；　and　presents　for　his　friends　and　officers；　and　two　thousand　chosen　soldiers　sumptuously　armed；　to　form　praetorian　cohorts。　This　message　was　brought　from　Octavia　to　Antony　by　Niger；　one　of　his　friends；　who　added　to　it　the　praises　she　deserved　so　well。　Cleopatra；　feeling　her　rival　already；　as　it　were；　at　hand；　was　seized　with　fear；　lest　if　to　her　noble　life　and　her　high　alliance；　she　once　could　add　the　charm　of　daily　habit　and　affectionate　intercourse；　she　should　become　irresistible；　and　be　his　absolute　mistress　forever。　So　she　feigned　to　be　dying　for　love　of　Antony；　bringing　her　body　down　by　slender　diet；　when　he　entered　the　room；　she　fixed　her　eyes　upon　him　in　a　rapture；　and　when　he　left；　seemed　to　languish　and　half　faint　away。　She　took　great　pains　that　he　should　see　her　in　tears；　and；　as　soon　as　he　noticed　it；　hastily　dried　them　up　and　turned　away；　as　if　it　were　her　wish　that　he　should　know　nothing　of　it。　All　this　was　acting　while　he　prepared　for　Media；　and　Cleopatra's　creatures　were　not　slow　to　forward　the　design；　upbraiding　Antony　with　his　unfeeling；　hard…hearted　temper；　thus　letting　a　woman　perish　whose　soul　depended　upon　him　and　him　alone。　Octavia；　it　was　true；　was　his　wife；　and　had　been　married　to　him　because　it　was　found　convenient　for　the　affairs　of　her　brother　that　it　should　be　so；　and　she　had　the　honour　of　the　title；　but　Cleopatra；　the　sovereign　queen　of　many　nations；　had　been　contented　with　the　name　of　his　mistress；　nor　did　she　shun　or　despise　the　character　whilst　she　might　see　him；　might　live　with　him；　and　enjoy　him；　if　she　were　bereaved　of　this；　she　would　not　survive　the　loss。　In　fine；　they　so　melted　and　unmanned　him　that；　fully　believing　she　would　die　if　he　forsook　her；　he　put　off　the　war　and　returned　to　Alexandria；　deferring　his　Median　expedition　until　next　summer；　though　news　came　of　the　Parthians　being　all　in　confusion　with　intestine　disputes。　Nevertheless；　he　did　some　time　after　go　into　that　country；　and　made　an　alliance　with　the　King　of　Media；　by　marriage　of　a　son　of　his　by　Cleopatra　to　the　king's　daughter；　who　was　yet　very　young；　and　so　returned；　with　his　thoughts　taken　up　about　the　civil　war。　　　When　Octavia　returned　from　Athens；　Caesar；　who　considered　she　had　been　injuriously　treated；　commanded　her　to　live　in　a　separate　house；　but　she　refused　to　leave　the　house　of　her　husband；　and　entreated　him；　unless　he　had　already　resolved；　upon　other　motives；　to　make　war　with　Antony；　that　he　would　on　her　account　let　it　alone；　it　would　be　intolerable　to　have　it　said　of　the　two