aemilius paulus-第2章

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there　with　Gauls　and　Iberians　of　the　coast。　Besides；　at　that　time　they
had　turned　their　thoughts　to　the　seas　and　sailing　as　far　as　the
Pillars　of　Hercules　in　light　vessels　fitted　for　that　purpose；　robbed
and　destroyed　all　that　trafficked　in　those　parts。　They；　with　an　army
of　forty　thousand；　waited　the　coming　of　Aemilius；　who　brought　with　him
not　above　eight　thousand；　so　that　the　enemy　was　five　to　one　when
they　engaged；　yet　he　vanquished　and　put　them　to　flight；　forcing　them
to　retire　into　their　walled　towns；　and　in　this　condition　offered
them　fair　conditions　of　accommodation；　it　being　the　policy　of　the
Romans　not　utterly　to　destroy　the　Ligurians；　because　they　were　a
sort　of　guard　and　bulwark　against　the　frequent　attempts　of　the　Gauls
to　overrun　Italy。　Trusting　wholly　therefore　to　Aemilius；　they
delivered　up　their　towns　and　shipping　into　his　hands。　He；　at　the
utmost；　razed　only　the　fortifications　and　delivered　their　towns　to
them　again；　but　took　away　all　their　shipping　with　him；　leaving　them　no
vessels　bigger　than　those　of　three　oars；　and　set　at　liberty　great
numbers　of　prisoners　they　had　taken　both　by　sea　and　land；　strangers　as
well　as　Romans。　These　were　the　acts　most　worthy　of　remark　in　his　first
consulship。
　　Afterwards　he　frequently　intimated　his　desire　of　being　a　second　time
consul；　and　was　once　candidate；　but　meeting　with　a　repulse　and　being
passed　by；　he　gave　up　all　thought　of　it；　and　devoted　himself　to　his
duties　as　augur；　and　to　the　education　of　his　children；　whom　he　not
only　brought　up；　as　he　himself　had　been；　in　the　Roman　and　ancient
discipline；　but　also　with　unusual　zeal　in　that　of　Greece。　To　this
purpose　he　not　only　procured　masters　to　teach　them　grammar；　logic；　and
rhetoric；　but　had　for　them　also　preceptors　in　modelling　and　drawing；
managers　of　horses　and　dogs；　and　instructors　in　field　sports；　all　from
Greece。　And；　if　he　was　not　hindered　by　public　affairs；　he　himself
would　be　with　them　at　their　studies；　and　see　them　perform　their
exercises；　being　the　most　affectionate　father　in　Rome。
　　This　was　the　time；　in　public　matters；　when　the　Romans　were　engaged
in　war　with　Perseus；　King　of　the　Macedonians；　and　great　complaints
were　made　of　their　commanders；　who；　either　through　their　want　of　skill
or　courage；　were　conducting　matters　so　shamefully；　that　they　did
less　hurt　to　the　enemy　than　they　received　from　him。　They　that　not　long
before　had　forced　Antiochus　the　Great　to　quit　the　rest　of　Asia；　to
retire　beyond　Mount　Taurus；　and　confine　himself　to　Syria；　glad　to
buy　his　peace　with　fifteen　thousand　talents；　they　that　not　long
since　had　vanquished　King　Philip　in　Thessaly；　and　freed　the　Greeks
from　the　Macedonian　yoke；　nay；　had　overcome　Hannibal　himself；　who
far　surpassed　all　kings　in　daring　and　power…　thought　it　scorn　that
Perseus　should　think　himself　an　enemy　fit　to　match　the　Romans；　and
to　be　able　to　wage　war　with　them　so　long　on　equal　terms；　with　the
remainder　only　of　his　father's　routed　forces；　not　being　aware　that
Philip　after　his　defeat　had　greatly　improved　both　the　strength　and
discipline　of　the　Macedonian　army。　To　make　which　appear；　I　shall
briefly　recount　the　story　from　the　beginning。
　　Antigonus；　the　most　powerful　amongst　the　captains　and　successors
of　Alexander；　having　obtained　for　himself　and　his　posterity　the
title　of　king；　had　a　son　named　Demetrius；　father　to　Antigonus；
called　Gonatas；　and　he　had　a　son　Demetrius；　who；　reigning　some　short
time；　died　and　left　a　young　son　called　Philip。　The　chief　men　of
Macedon；　fearing　great　confusion　might　arise　in　his　minority；　called
in　Antigonus；　cousin…german　to　the　late　king；　and　married　him　to　the
widow；　the　mother　of　Philip。　At　first　they　only　styled　him　regent
and　general；　but　when　they　found　by　experience　that　he　governed　the
kingdom　with　moderation　and　to　general　advantage；　gave　him　the　title
of　king。　This　was　he　that　was　surnamed　Doson；　as　if　he　was　a　great
promiser　and　a　bad　performer。　To　him　succeeded　Philip；　who　in　his
youth　gave　great　hopes　of　equalling　the　best　of　kings；　and　that　he　one
day　would　restore　Macedon　to　its　former　state　and　dignity；　and　prove
himself　the　one　man　able　to　check　the　power　of　the　Romans；　now
rising　and　extending　over　the　whole　world。　But；　being　vanquished　in
a　pitched　battle　by　Titus　Flaminius　near　Scotussa；　his　resolution
failed；　and　he　yielded　himself　and　all　that　he　had　to　the　mercy　of　the
Romans；　well　contented　that　he　could　escape　with　paying　a　small
tribute。　Yet　afterwards；　recollecting　himself；　he　bore　it　with　great
impatience；　and　though　he　lived　rather　like　a　slave　that　was　pleased
with　ease；　than　a　man　of　sense　and　courage；　whilst　he　held　his　kingdom
at　the　pleasure　of　his　conquerors；　which　made　him　turn　his　whole
mind　to　war；　and　prepare　himself　with　as　much　cunning　and　privacy　as
possible。　To　this　end；　he　left　his　cities　on　the　high　roads　and
sea…coast　ungarrisoned；　and　almost　desolate；　that　they　might　seem
inconsiderable；　in　the　meantime；　collecting　large　forces　up　the
country；　and　furnishing　his　inland　posts；　strongholds；　and　towns；　with
arms；　money；　and　men　fit　for　service；　he　thus　provided　himself　for
war；　and　yet　kept　his　preparations　close。　He　had　in　his　armoury　arms
for　thirty　thousand　men；　in　granaries；　in　places　of　strength；　eight
millions　of　bushels　of　corn；　and　as　much　ready　money　as　would　defray
the　charge　of　maintaining　ten　thousand　mercenary　soldiers　for　ten
years　in　defence　of　the　country。　But　before　he　could　put　these
things　into　motion；　and　carry　his　designs　into　effect；　he　died　for
griefs　and　anguish　of　mind；　being　sensible　he　had　put　his　innocent　son
Demetrius　to　death；　upon　the　calumnies　of　one　that　was　far　more
guilty。　Perseus；　his　son　that　survived；　inherited　his　hatred　to　the
Romans　as　well　as　his　kingdom；　but　was　incompetent　to　carry　out　his
designs；　through　want　of　courage　and　the　viciousness　of　a　character　in
which；　among　faults　and　diseases　of　various　sorts；　covetousness　bore
the　chief　place。　There　is　a　statement　also　of　his　not　being　true…born；
that　the　wife　of　King　Philip　took　him　from　his　mother；　Gnathaenion
（a　woman　of　Argos；　that　earned　her　living　as　a　seamstress）；　as　soon　as
he　was　born；　and　passed　him　upon　her　husband　as　her　own。　And　this
might　be　the　chief　cause　of　his　contriving　the　death　of　Demetrius；
as　he　might　well　fear　that；　so　long　as　there　was　a　lawful　successor　in
the　family；　there　was　no　security　that　his　spurious　birth　might　not　be
revealed。
　　Notwithstanding　all　this；　and　though　his　spirit　was　so　mean　and
temper　so　sordid；　yet　trusting　to　the　strength　of　his　resources；　he
engaged　in　a　war　with　the　Romans；　and　for　a　long　time　maintained　it；
repulsing　and　even　vanquishing　some　generals　of　consular　dignity；
and　some　great　armies　and　fleets。　He　routed　Publius　Licinius；　who
was　the　first　that　invaded　Macedonia；　in　a　cavalry　battle；　slew
twenty…five　hundred　practiced　soldiers；　and　took　six　hundred
prisoners；　and　surprising　their　fleet　as　they　rode　at　anchor　before
Orens　he　took　twenty　ships　of　burden　with　all　their　lading；　sunk　the
rest　that　were　freighted　with　corn；　and；　besides　this；　made　himself
master　of　four　galleys　with　five　banks　of　oars。　He　fought　a　second
battle　with　Hostilius；　a　consular　officer；　as　he　was　making　his　way
into　the　country　at　Elimiae；　and　forced　him　to　retreat；　and；　when　he
afterwards　by　stealth　designed　an　invasion　through　Thessaly　challenged
him　to　fight；　which　the　other　feared　to　accept。　Nay　more；　to　show
his　contempt　to　the　Romans；　and　that　he　wanted　employment；　as　a　war　by
the　by；　he　made　an　expedition　against　the　Dardanians；　in　which　he　slew
ten　thousand　of　those　barbarian　people；　and　brought　a　great　spoil
away。　He　privately；　moreover；　solicited　the　Gauls　（also　called
Basternae）；　a　warlike　nation　and　famous　for　horsemen；　dwelling　near
the　Danube；　and　incited　the　Illyrians；　by　the　means　of　Genthius
their　king；　to　join　with　him　in　the　war。　It　was　also　reported　that　the
barbarians；　allured　by　promise　of　rewards；　were　to　make　an　irruption
into　Italy；　through　the　lower　Gaul　by　the　shore　of　the　Adriatic　Sea。
　　The　Romans；　being　advertised　of　these　things；　thought　it　necessary
no　longer　to　choose　their　commanders　by　favour　or　solicitation；　but　of
their　o