aemilius paulus-第3章

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no　longer　to　choose　their　commanders　by　favour　or　solicitation；　but　of
their　own　motion　to　select　a　general　of　wisdom　and　capacity　for　the
management　of　great　affairs。　And　such　was　Paulus　Aemilius；　advanced　in
years；　being　nearly　threescore；　yet　vigorous　in　his　own　person；　and
rich　in　valiant　sons　and　sons…in…law；　besides　a　great　number　of
influential　relations　and　friends；　all　of　whom　joined　in　urging　him　to
yield　to　the　desires　of　the　people；　who　called　him　to　the
consulship。　He　at　first　manifested　some　shyness　of　the　people　and
withdrew　himself　from　their　importunity；　professing　reluctance　to　hold
office；　but；　when　they　daily　came　to　his　doors；　urging　him　to　come
forth　to　the　place　of　election；　and　pressing　him　with　noise　and
clamour；　he　acceded　to　their　request。　When　he　appeared　amongst　the
candidates；　it　did　not　look　as　if　it　were　to　sue　for　the　consulship；
but　to　bring　victory　and　success；　that　he　came　down　into　the　Campus；
they　all　received　him　there　with　such　hopes　and　such　gladness；
unanimously　choosing　him　a　second　time　consul；　nor　would　they　suffer
the　lots　to　be　cast；　as　was　usual；　to　determine　which　province
should　fall　to　his　share；　but　immediately　decreed　him　the　command　of
the　Macedonian　war。　It　is　told；　that　when　he　had　been　proclaimed
general　against　Perseus；　and　was　honourably　accompanied　home　by
great　numbers　of　people；　he　found　his　daughter　Tertia；　a　very　little
girl；　weeping；　and　taking　her　to　him　asked　her　why　she　was　crying。
She；　catching　him　about　the　neck　and　kissing　him；　said；　〃O　father；
do　you　not　know　that　Perseus　is　dead？〃　meaning　a　little　dog　of　that
name　that　was　brought　up　in　the　house　with　her；　to　which　Aemilius
replied；　〃Good　fortune；　my　daughter；　I　embrace　the　omen。〃　This　Cicero；
the　orator；　relates　in　his　book　on　divination。
　　It　was　the　custom　for　such　as　were　chosen　consuls；　from　a　stage
designed　for　such　purposes；　to　address　the　people；　and　return　them
thanks　for　their　favour。　Aemilius；　therefore；　having　gathered　an
assembly；　spoke　and　said　that　he　sued　for　the　first　consulship；
because　he　himself　stood　in　need　of　such　honour；　but　for　the　second；
because　they　wanted　a　general；　upon　which　account　he　thought　there　was
no　thanks　due：　if　they　judged　they　could　manage　the　war　by　any　other
to　more　advantage；　he　would　willingly　yield　up　his　charge；　but；　if
they　confided　in　him；　they　were　not　to　make　themselves　his
colleagues　in　his　office；　or　raise　reports；　and　criticize　his　actions；
but；　without　talking；　supply　him　with　means　and　assistance　necessary
to　the　carrying　on　of　the　war；　for　if　they　proposed　to　command　their
own　commander　they　would　render　this　expedition　more　ridiculous　than
the　former。　By　this　speech　he　inspired　great　reverence　for　him　amongst
the　citizens　and　great　expectations　of　future　success；　all　were　well
pleased　that　they　had　passed　by　such　as　sought　to　be　preferred　by
flattery；　and　fixed　upon　a　commander　endued　with　wisdom　and　courage　to
tell　them　the　truth。　So　entirely　did　the　people　of　Rome；　that　they
might　rule；　and　become　masters　of　the　world；　yield　obedience　and
service　to　reason　and　superior　virtue。
　　That　Aemilius；　setting　forward　to　the　war；　by　a　prosperous　voyage
and　successful　journey；　arrived　with　speed　and　safety　at　his　camp　I
attribute　to　good　fortune；　but；　when　I　see　how　the　war　under　his
command　was　brought　to　a　happy　issue；　partly　by　his　own　daring
boldness；　partly　by　his　good　counsel；　partly　by　the　ready
administration　of　his　friends；　partly　by　his　presence　of　mind　and
skill　to　embrace　the　most　proper　advice　in　the　extremity　of　danger；
I　cannot　ascribe　any　of　his　remarkable　and　famous　actions　（as　I　can
those　of　other　commanders）　to　his　so　much　celebrated　good　fortune；
unless　you　will　say　that　the　covetousness　of　Perseus　was　the　good
fortune　of　Aemilius。　The　truth　is；　Perseus'　fear　of　spending　his　money
was　the　destruction　and　utter　ruin　of　all　those　splendid　and　great
preparations　with　which　the　Macedonians　were　in　high　hopes　to　carry　on
the　war　with　success。　For　there　came　at　his　request　ten　thousand
horsemen　of　the　Basternae；　and　as　many　foot；　who　were　to　keep　pace
with　them；　and　supply　their　places　in　case　of　failure；　all　of　them
professed　soldiers；　men　skilled　neither　in　tilling　of　land；　nor　in
navigation　of　ships；　nor　able　to　get　their　living　by　grazing；　but
whose　only　business　and　single　art　and　trade　it　was　to　fight　and
conquer　all　that　resisted　them。　When　these　came　into　the　district　of
Maedica；　and　encamped　and　mixed　with　the　king's　soldiers；　being　men　of
great　stature；　admirable　at　their　exercises；　great　boasters；　and
loud　in　their　threats　against　their　enemies；　they　gave　new　courage
to　the　Macedonians；　who　were　ready　to　think　the　Romans　would　not　be
able　to　confront　them；　but　would　be　struck　with　terror　at　their
looks　and　motions；　they　were　so　strange　and　so　formidable　to　behold。
When　Perseus　had　thus　encouraged　his　men；　and　elevated　them　with　these
great　hopes；　as　soon　as　a　thousand　gold　pieces　were　demanded　for
each　captain；　he　was　so　amazed　and　beside　himself　at　the　vastness　of
the　amount；　that　out　of　mere　stinginess　he　drew　back　and　let　himself
lose　their　assistance；　as　if　he　had　been　some　steward；　not　the　enemy
of　the　Romans；　and　would　have　to　give　an　exact　account　of　the　expenses
of　the　war　to　those　with　whom　he　waged　it。　Nay；　when　he　had　his　foes
as　tutors；　to　instruct　him　what　he　had　to　do；　who；　besides　their　other
preparations；　had　a　hundred　thousand　men　drawn　together　and　in
readiness　for　their　service；　yet　he　that　was　to　engage　against　so
considerable　a　force；　and　in　a　war　that　was　maintaining　such　numbers
as　this；　nevertheless　doled　out　his　money；　and　put　seals　on　his
bags；　and　was　as　fearful　of　touching　it；　as　if　it　had　belonged　to　some
one　else。　And　all　this　was　done　by　one；　not　descended　from　Lydians
or　Phoenicians；　but　who　could　pretend　to　some　share　of　the　virtues
of　Alexander　and　Philip；　whom　he　was　allied　to　by　birth；　men　who
conquered　the　world　by　judging　that　empire　was　to　be　purchased　by
money；　not　money　by　empire。　Certainly　it　became　a　proverb；　that　not
Philip；　but　his　gold；　took　the　cities　of　Greece。　And　Alexander；　when
he　undertook　his　expedition　against　the　Indians；　and　found　his
Macedonians　encumbered　and　appear　to　march　heavily　with　their
Persian　spoils；　first　set　fire　to　his　own　carriages；　and　thence
persuaded　the　rest　to　imitate　his　example；　that　thus　freed　they
might　proceed　to　the　war　without　hindrance。　Whereas　Perseus；　abounding
in　wealth；　would　not　preserve　himself；　his　children；　and　his
kingdom；　at　the　expense　of　a　small　part　of　his　treasure；　but　chose
rather　to　be　carried　away　with　numbers　of　his　subjects　with　the　name
of　the　wealthy　captive；　and　show　the　Romans　what　great　riches　he　had
husbanded　and　preserved　for　them。　For　he　not　only　played　false　with
the　Gauls；　and　sent　them　away；　but　also；　after　alluring　Genthius；　King
of　the　Illyrians；　by　the　hopes　of　three　hundred　talents；　to　assist　him
in　the　war；　he　caused　the　money　to　be　counted　out　in　the　presence　of
his　messengers；　and　to　be　sealed　up。　Upon　which　Genthius；　thinking
himself　possessed　of　what　he　desired；　committed　a　wicked　and
shameful　act：　he　seized　and　imprisoned　the　ambassadors　sent　to　him
from　the　Romans。　Whence　Perseus；　concluding　that　there　was　no　need
of　money　to　make　Genthius　an　enemy　to　the　Romans；　but　that　he　had
given　a　lasting　earnest　of　his　enmity；　and　by　his　flagrant　injustice
sufficiently　involved　himself　in　the　war；　defrauded　the　unfortunate
king　of　his　three　hundred　talents；　and　without　any　concern　beheld　him；
his　wife；　and　children；　in　a　short　time　after；　carried　out　of　their
kingdom；　as　from　their　nest；　by　Lucius　Anicius；　who　was　sent　against
him　with　an　army。
　　Aemilius；　coming　against　such　an　adversary；　made　light　indeed　of
him；　but　admired　his　preparation　and　power。　For　he　had　four　thousand
horse；　and　not　much　fewer　than　forty　thousand　full…armed　foot　of　the
phalanx；　and　planting　himself　along　the　seaside；　at　the　foot　of
Mount　Olympus；　in　ground　with　no　access　on　any　side；　and　on　all
sides　fortified　with　fences　and　bulwarks　of　wood；　remained　in　great
security；　thinking　by　delay　and　expense　to　weary　out　Aemilius。　But　he