antony-第8章

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ose；　or　threw　dice；　Antony　was　still　the　loser；　and　when　they　fought　game…cocks　or　quails；　Caesar's　had　the　victory。　This　gave　Antony　a　secret　displeasure；　and　made　him　put　the　more　confidence　in　the　skill　of　his　Egyptian。　So；　leaving　the　management　of　his　home　affairs　to　Caesar；　he　left　Italy；　and　took　Octavia；　who　had　lately　borne　him　a　daughter；　along　with　him　into　Greece。　　　Here；　whilst　he　wintered　in　Athens；　he　received　the　first　news　of　Ventidius's　successes　over　the　Parthians；　of　his　having　defeated　them　in　a　battle；　having　slain　Labienus　and　Pharnapates；　the　best　general　their　king；　Hyrodes；　possessed。　For　the　celebrating　of　which　he　made　public　feast　through　Greece；　and　for　the　prizes　which　were　contested　at　Athens　he　himself　acted　as　steward；　and；　leaving　at　home　the　ensigns　that　are　carried　before　the　general；　he　made　his　public　appearance　in　a　gown　and　white　shoes；　with　the　steward's　wands　marching　before；　and　he　performed　his　duty　in　taking　the　combatants　by　the　neck；　to　part　them；　when　they　had　fought　enough。　　　When　the　time　came　for　him　to　set　out　for　the　war；　he　took　a　garland　from　the　sacred　olive；　and；　in　obedience　to　some　oracle；　he　filled　a　vessel　with　the　water　of　the　Clepsydra　to　carry　along　with　him。　In　this　interval；　Pacorus；　the　Parthian　king's　son；　who　was　marching　into　Syria　with　a　large　army；　was　met　by　Ventidius；　who　gave　him　battle　in　the　country　of　Cyrrhestica；　slew　a　large　number　of　his　men；　and　Pacorus　among　the　first。　This　victory　was　one　of　the　most　renowned　achievements　of　the　Romans；　and　fully　avenged　their　defeats　under　Crassus；　the　Parthians　being　obliged；　after　the　loss　of　three　battles　successively；　to　keep　themselves　within　the　bounds　of　Media　and　Mesopotamia。　Ventidius　was　not　willing　to　push　his　good　fortune　further；　for　fear　of　raising　some　jealousy　in　Antony；　but　turning　his　aims　against　those　that　had　quitted　the　Roman　interest；　he　reduced　them　to　their　former　obedience。　Among　the　rest；　he　besieged　Antiochus；　King　of　Commagene；　in　the　city　of　Samosata；　who　made　an　offer　of　a　thousand　talents　for　his　pardon；　and　a　promise　of　submission　to　Antony's　commands。　But　Ventidius　told　him　that　he　must　send　to　Antony；　who　was　already　on　his　march；　and　had　sent　word　to　Ventidius　to　make　no　terms　with　Antiochus；　wishing　that　at　any　rate　this　one　exploit　might　be　ascribed　to　him；　and　that　people　might　not　think　that　all　his　successes　were　won　by　his　lieutenants。　The　siege；　however；　was　long　protracted；　for　when　those　within　found　their　offers　refused；　they　defended　themselves　stoutly；　till；　at　last；　Antony；　finding　he　was　doing　nothing；　in　shame　and　regret　for　having　refused　the　first　offer；　was　glad　to　make　an　accommodation　with　Antiochus　for　three　hundred　talents。　And；　having　given　some　orders　for　the　affairs　of　Syria；　he　returned　to　Athens；　and；　paying　Ventidius　the　honours　he　well　deserved；　dismissed　him　to　receive　his　triumph。　He　is　the　only　man　that　has　ever　yet　triumphed　for　victories　obtained　over　the　Parthians；　he　was　of　obscure　birth；　but；　by　means　of　Antony's　friendship；　obtained　an　opportunity　of　showing　his　capacity；　and　doing　great　things；　and　his　making　such　glorious　use　of　it　gave　new　credit　to　the　current　observation　about　Caesar　and　Antony；　that　they　were　more　fortunate　in　what　they　did　by　their　lieutenants　than　in　their　own　persons。　For　Sossius；　also；　had　great　success；　and　Canidius；　whom　he　left　in　Armenia；　defeated　the　people　there；　and　also　the　kings　of　the　Albanians　and　Iberians；　and　marched　victorious　as　far　as　Caucasus；　by　which　means　the　fame　of　Antony's　arms　had　become　great　among　the　barbarous　nations。　　　He；　however；　once　more；　upon　some　unfavourable　stories；　taking　offence　against　Caesar；　set　sail　with　three　hundred　ships　for　Italy；　and；　being　refused　admittance　to　the　port　of　Brundusium；　made　for　Tarentum。　There　his　wife　Octavia；　who　came　from　Greece　with　him；　obtained　leave　to　visit　her　brother；　she　being　then　great　with　child；　having　already　borne　her　husband　a　second　daughter；　and　as　she　was　on　her　way　she　met　Caesar；　with　his　two　friends　Agrippa　and　Maecenas；　and；　taking　these　two　aside；　with　great　entreaties　and　lamentations　she　told　them；　that　of　the　most　fortunate　woman　upon　earth；　she　was　in　danger　of　becoming　the　most　unhappy；　for　as　yet　every　one's　eyes　were　fixed　upon　her　as　the　wife　and　sister　of　the　two　great　commanders；　but；　if　rash　counsels　should　prevail；　and　war　ensue；　〃I　shall　be　miserable；〃　said　she；　〃without　redress；　for　on　what　side　soever　victory　falls；　I　shall　be　sure　to　be　a　loser。〃　Caesar　was　overcome　by　these　entreaties；　and　advanced　in　a　peaceable　temper　to　Tarentum；　where　those　that　were　present　beheld　a　most　stately　spectacle；　a　vast　army　the　up　by　the　shore；　and　as　great　a　fleet　in　the　harbour；　all　without　the　occurrence　of　friends；　and　other　expressions　of　joy　and　kindness；　passing　from　one　armament　to　the　other。　Antony　first　entertained　Caesar；　this　also　being　a　concession　on　Caesar's　part　to　his　sister；　and　when　at　length　an　agreement　was　made　between　them；　that　Caesar　should　give　Antony　two　of　his　legions　to　serve　him　in　the　Parthian　war；　and　that　Antony　should　in　return　leave　with　him　a　hundred　armed　galleys；　Octavia　further　obtained　of　her　husband；　besides　this；　twenty　light　ships　for　her　brother；　and　of　her　brother；　a　thousand　foot　for　her　husband。　So；　having　parted　good　friends；　Caesar　went　immediately　to　make　war　with　Pompey　to　conquer　Sicily。　And　Antony；　leaving　in　Caesar's　charge　his　wife　and　children；　and　his　children　by　his　former　wife　Fulvia；　set　sail　for　Asia。　　　But　the　mischief　that　thus　long　had　lain　still；　the　passion　for　Cleopatra；　which　better　thoughts　had　seemed　to　have　lulled　and　charmed　into　oblivion；　upon　his　approach　to　Syria　gathered　strength　again；　and　broke　out　into　a　flame。　And；　in　fine；　like　Plato's　restive　and　rebellious　horse　of　the　human　soul；　flinging　off　all　good　and　wholesome　counsel；　and　breaking　fairly　loose；　he　sends　Fonteius　Capito　to　bring　Cleopatra　into　Syria。　To　whom　at　her　arrival　he　made　no　small　or　trifling　present；　Phoenicia；　Coele…Syria；　Cyprus；　great　part　of　Cilicia；　that　side　of　Judaea　which　produces　balm；　that　part　of　Arabia　where　the　Nabathaeans　extend　to　the　outer　sea；　profuse　gifts　which　much　displeased　the　Romans。　For　although　he　had　invested　several　private　persons　in　great　governments　and　kingdoms；　and　bereaved　many　kings　of　theirs；　as　Antigonus　of　Judaea；　whose　head　he　caused　to　be　struck　off　（the　first　example　of　that　punishment　being　inflicted　on　a　king）；　yet　nothing　stung　the　Romans　like　the　shame　of　these　honours　paid　to　Cleopatra。　Their　dissatisfaction　was　augmented　also　by　his　acknowledging　as　his　own　the　twin　children　he　had　by　her；　giving　them　the　name　of　Alexander　and　Cleopatra；　and　adding；　as　their　surnames；　the　titles　of　Sun　and　Moon。　But　he；　who　knew　how　to　put　a　good　colour　on　the　most　dishonest　action；　would　say　that　the　greatness　of　the　Roman　empire　consisted　more　in　giving　than　in　taking　kingdoms；　and　that　the　way　to　carry　noble　blood　through　the　world　was　by　begetting　in　every　place　a　new　line　and　series　of　kings；　his　own　ancestor　had　thus　been　born　of　Hercules；　Hercules　had　not　limited　his　hopes　of　progeny　to　a　single　womb；　nor　feared　any　law　like　Solon's　or　any　audit　of　procreation；　but　had　freely　let　nature　take　her　will　in　the　foundation　and　first　commencement　of　many　families。　　　After　Phraates　had　killed　his　father　Hyrodes；　and　taken　possession　of　his　kingdom；　many　of　the　Parthians　left　their　country；　among　the　rest　Monaeses；　a　man　of　great　distinction　and　authority；　sought　refuge　with　Antony；　who；　looking　on　his　case　as　similar　to　that　of　Themistocles；　and　likening　his　own　opulence　and　magnanimity　to　those　of　the　former　Persian　kings；　gave　him　three　cities；　Larissa；　Arethusa；　and　Hierapolis；　which　was　formerly　called　Bambyce。　But　when　the　King　of　Parthia　soon　recalled　him；　giving　him　his　word　and　honour　for　his　safety；　Antony　was　not　unwilling　to　give　him　leave　to　return；　hoping　thereby　to　surprise　Phraates；　who　would　believe　that　peace　would　continue；　for　he　only　made　the　demand　of　him　that　he　should　send　back　the　Roman　ensigns　which　were　taken　when　Crassus　was　slain；　and　the　prisoners　that　remained　yet　alive。　This　done；　he　sent　Cleopatra　to　Egypt；　and　marched　th