aemilius paulus-第10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！


that　stood　in　need　of　comfort　from　others；　but　one　that　undertook　to
support　his　fellow…citizens　in　their　grief　for　the　sufferings　he
himself　underwent。
　　〃I；〃　he　said；　〃who　never　yet　feared　anything　that　was　human；　have；
amongst　such　as　were　divine；　always　had　a　dread　of　Fortune　as
faithless　and　inconstant；　and；　for　the　very　reason　that　in　this　war
she　had　been　as　a　favourable　gale　in　all　my　affairs；　I　still
expected　some　change　and　reflux　of　things。　In　one　day　I　passed　the
Ionian　sea；　and　reached　Corcyra　from　Brundisium；　thence　in　five　more　I
sacrificed　at　Delphi；　and　in　other　five　days　came　to　my　forces　in
Macedonia；　where；　after　I　had　finished　the　usual　sacrifices　for　the
purifying　of　the　army；　I　entered　on　my　duties；　and；　in　space　of
fifteen　days；　put　an　honourable　period　to　the　war。　Still　retaining　a
jealousy　of　Fortune；　even　from　the　smooth　current　of　my　affairs；　and
seeing　myself　secure　and　free　from　the　danger　of　any　enemy；　I
chiefly　dreaded　the　change　of　the　goddess　at　sea；　whilst　conveying
home　my　victorious　army；　vast　spoils；　and　a　captive　king。　Nay；　indeed；
after　I　was　returned　to　you　safe；　and　saw　the　city　full　of　joy；
congratulating；　and　sacrifices；　yet　still　I　distrusted；　well　knowing
that　Fortune　never　conferred　any　great　benefits　that　were　unmixed
and　unattended　with　probabilities　of　reverse。　Nor　could　my　mind；
that　was　still　as　it　were　in　labour；　and　always　foreseeing　something
to　befall　this　city；　free　itself　from　this　fear；　until　this　great
misfortune　befell　me　in　my　own　family；　and　till；　in　the　midst　of　those
days　set　apart　for　triumph；　I　carried　two　of　the　best　sons；　my　only
destined　successors；　one　after　another　to　their　funerals。　Now；
therefore；　I　am　myself　safe　from　danger；　at　least　as　to　what　was　my
greatest　care；　and　I　trust　and　am　verily　persuaded　that　for　the　time
to　come　Fortune　will　prove　constant　and　harmless　unto　you；　since　she
has　sufficiently　wreaked　her　jealousy　at　our　great　success　on　me　and
mine；　and　has　made　the　conqueror　as　marked　an　example　of　human
instability　as　the　captive　whom　he　led　in　triumph；　with　this　only
difference；　that　Perseus；　though　conquered；　does　yet　enjoy　his
children；　while　the　conqueror；　Aemilius；　is　deprived　of　his。〃　This　was
the　generous　and　magnanimous　oration　Aemilius　is　said　to　have　spoken
to　the　people；　from　a　heart　truly　sincere　and　free　from　all　artifice。
　　Although　he　very　much　pitied　the　condition　of　Perseus；　and　studied
to　befriend　him　in　what　he　was　able；　yet　he　could　procure　no　other
favour　than　his　removal　from　the　common　prison；　the　Carcer；　into　a
more　cleanly　and　humane　place　of　security；　where；　whilst　he　was
guarded；　it　is　said；　he　starved　himself　to　death。　Others　state　his
death　to　be　of　the　strangest　and　most　unusual　character：　that　the
soldiers　who　were　his　guard；　having　conceived　a　spite　and　hatred
against　him　for　some　reason；　and　finding　no　other　way　to　grieve　and
afflict　him；　kept　him　from　sleep；　took　pains　to　disturb　him　when　he
was　disposed　to　rest；　and　found　out　contrivances　to　keep　him
continually　awake；　by　which　means　at　length　he　was　utterly　worn　out；
and　expired。　Two　of　his　children；　also；　died　soon　after　him；　the
third；　who　was　named　Alexander；　they　say　proved　an　exquisite　artist　in
turning　and　graving　small　figures；　and　learned　so　perfectly　to　speak
and　write　the　Roman　language；　that　he　became　clerk　to　the　magistrates；
and　behaved　himself　in　his　office　with　great　skill　and　conduct。
　　They　ascribed　to　Aemilius's　conquest　of　Macedonia　this　most
acceptable　benefit　to　the　people；　that　he　brought　so　vast　a　quantity
of　money　into　the　public　treasury；　that　they　never　paid　any　taxes；
until　Hirtius　and　Pansa　were　consuls；　which　was　in　the　first　war
between　Antony　and　Caesar。　This　also　was　peculiar　and　remarkable　in
Aemilius；　that　though　he　was　extremely　beloved　and　honoured　by　the
people；　yet　he　always　sided　with　the　nobles；　nor　would　he　either　say
or　do　anything　to　ingratiate　himself　with　the　multitude；　but
constantly　adhered　to　the　nobility；　in　all　political　matters；　which　in
aftertimes　was　cast　in　Scipio　Africanus's　teeth　by　Appius；　these　two
being　in　their　time　the　most　considerable　men　in　the　city；　and
standing　in　competition　for　the　office　of　censor。　The　one　had　on　his
side　the　nobles　and　the　senate；　to　which　party　the　Appii　were　always
attached；　the　other；　although　his　own　interest　was　great；　yet　made　use
of　the　favour　and　love　of　the　people。　When；　therefore；　Appius　saw
Scipio　come　to　the　market…place；　surrounded　with　men　of　mean　rank；　and
such　as　were　but　newly　made　free；　yet　were　very　fit　to　manage　a
debate；　to　gather　together　the　rabble；　and　to　carry　whatsoever　they
designed　by　importunity　and　noise；　crying　out　with　a　loud　voice：
〃Groan　now；〃　said　he；　〃O　Aemilius　Paulus；　if　you　have　knowledge　in
your　grave　of　what　is　done　above；　that　your　son　aspires　to　be
censor；　by　the　help　of　Aemilius；　the　common　crier；　and　Licinius
Philonicus。〃　Scipio　always　had　the　goodwill　of　the　people；　because
he　was　constantly　heaping　favours　on　them；　but　Aemilius；　although　he
still　took　part　with　the　nobles；　yet　was　as　much　the　people's
favourite　as　those　who　most　sought　popularity　and　used　every　art　to
obtain　it。　This　they　made　manifest；　when；　amongst　other　dignities；
they　thought　him　worthy　of　the　office　of　censor；　a　trust　accounted
most　sacred　and　of　great　authority；　as　well　in　other　things；　as　in　the
strict　examination　into　men's　lives。　For　the　censors　had　power　to
expel　a　senator；　and　enrol　whom　they　judged　most　fit　in　his　room；
and　to　disgrace　such　young　men　as　lived　licentiously；　by　taking　away
their　horses。　Besides　this；　they　were　to　value　and　assess　each　man's
estate；　and　register　the　number　of　the　people。　There　were　numbered
by　Aemilius　347；452　men。　He　declared　Marcus　Aemilius　Lepidus　first
senator；　who　had　already　four　times　held　that　honour；　and　he　removed
from　their　office　three　of　the　senators　of　the　least　note。　The　same
moderation　he　and　his　fellow…censor；　Marcius　Philippus；　used　at　the
muster　of　the　knights。
　　Whilst　he　was　thus　busy　about　many　and　weighty　affairs　he　fell
sick　of　a　disease；　which　at　first　seemed　hazardous；　and　although　after
a　while　it　proved　without　danger；　yet　was　troublesome　and　difficult　to
be　cured：　so　that　by　the　advice　of　his　physicians　he　sailed　to
Velia；　in　south　Italy；　and　there　dwelt　a　long　time　near　the　sea；　where
he　enjoyed　all　possible　quietness。　The　Romans；　in　the　meanwhile；
longed　for　his　return；　and　oftentimes　by　their　expressions　in　the
theatres　gave　public　testimony　of　their　great　desire　and　impatience　to
see　him。　When；　therefore；　the　time　drew　nigh　that　a　solemn　sacrifice
was　of　necessity　to　be　offered；　and　he　found；　as　he　thought；　his
body　strong　enough；　he　came　back　again　to　Rome；　and　there　performed
the　holy　rites　with　the　rest　of　the　priests；　the　people　in　the
meantime　crowding　about　him　and　congratulating　his　return。　The　next
day　he　sacrificed　again　to　the　gods　for　his　recovery；　and；　having
finished　the　sacrifice；　returned　to　his　house　and　sat　down　to
dinner；　when；　all　on　a　sudden　and　when　no　change　was　expected；　he　fell
into　a　fit　of　delirium；　and；　being　quite　deprived　of　his　senses；　the
third　day　after　ended　a　life　in　which　he　had　wanted　no　manner　of　thing
which　is　thought　to　conduct　to　happiness。　Nay；　his　very　funeral　pomp
had　something　in　it　remarkable　and　to　be　admired；　and　his　virtue　was
graced　with　the　most　solemn　and　happy　rites　at　his　burial；　consisting；
not　in　gold　and　ivory；　or　in　the　usual　sumptuousness　and　splendour
of　such　preparations；　but　in　the　goodwill；　honour；　and　love；　not
only　of　his　fellow…citizens；　but　of　his　enemies　themselves。　For　as
many　Spaniards；　Ligurians；　and　Macedonians　as　happened　to　be　present
at　the　solemnity；　that　were　young　and　of　vigorous　bodies；　took　up
the　bier　and　carried　it；　whilst　the　more　aged　followed；　called
Aemilius　the　benefactor　and　preserver　of　their　countries。　For　not　only
at　the　time　of　his　conquest　had　he　acted　to　all　with　kindness　and
clemency；　but；　through　the　whole　course　of　his　life；　he　continued　to
do　them　good　and　look　after　their　concerns；　as　if　they　had　been　his
familiars　and　relations。　They　report　that　the　whole　of　his　estate
sc