aemilius paulus-第6章

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make　any　entrance…　a　sort　of　palisade；　as　it　were；　impregnable　and
unapproachable；　with　its　close　array　of　long　spears　everywhere　meeting
the　assailant。　Nevertheless；　the　unequalness　of　the　ground　would　not
permit　a　widely　extended　front　to　be　so　exactly　drawn　up　as　to　have
their　shields　everywhere　joined；　and　Aemilius　perceived　that　there
were　a　great　many　interstices　and　breaches　in　the　Macedonian
phalanx；　as　it　usually　happens　in　all　great　armies；　according　to　the
different　efforts　of　the　combatants；　who　in　one　part　press　forward
with　eagerness；　and　in　another　are　forced　to　fall　back。　Taking；
therefore；　this　occasion；　with　all　speed　he　broke　up　his　men　into
their　cohorts；　and　gave　them　order　to　fall　into　the　intervals　and
openings　of　the　enemy's　body；　and　not　to　make　one　general　attack
upon　them　all；　but　to　engage；　as　they　were　divided；　in　several　partial
battles。　These　commands　Aemilius　gave　to　his　captains；　and　they　to
their　soldiers；　and　no　sooner　had　they　entered　the　spaces　and
separated　their　enemies；　but　they　charged　them；　some　on　their　sides
where　they　were　naked　and　exposed；　and　others；　making　a　circuit；
behind；　and　thus　destroyed　the　force　of　the　phalanx；　which　consists　in
common　action　and　close　union。　And　now；　come　to　fight　man　to　man；　or
in　small　parties；　the　Macedonians　smote　in　vain　upon　firm　and　long
shields　with　their　little　swords；　whilst　their　slight　bucklers　were
not　able　to　sustain　the　weight　and　force　of　the　Roman　swords；　which
pierced　through　all　their　armour　to　their　bodies；　they　turned；　in
fine；　and　fled。
　　The　conflict　was　obstinate。　And　here　Marcus；　the　son　of　Cato；　and
son…in…law　of　Aemilius；　whilst　he　showed　all　possible　courage；　let
fall　his　sword。　Being　a　young　man　carefully　brought　up　and
disciplined；　and；　son　of　so　renowned　a　father；　bound　to　give　proof
of　more　than　ordinary　virtue；　he　thought　his　life　but　a　burden；　should
he　live　and　permit　his　enemies　to　enjoy　this　spoil。　He　hurried
hither　and　thither；　and　wherever　he　espied　a　friend　or　companion；
declared　his　misfortune；　and　begged　their　assistance；　a　considerable
number　of　brave　men　being　thus　collected；　with　one　accord　they　made
their　way　through　their　fellows　after　their　leader；　and　fell　upon
the　enemy；　whom　after　a　sharp　conflict；　many　wounds；　and　much
slaughter；　they　repulsed；　possessed　the　place　that　was　now　deserted
and　free；　and　set　themselves　to　search　for　the　sword；　which　at　last
they　found　covered　with　a　great　heap　of　arms　and　dead　bodies。
Overjoyed　with　this　success；　they　raised　the　song　of　triumph；　and；
with　more　eagerness　than　ever；　charged　the　foes　that　yet　remained　firm
and　unbroken。　In　the　end；　three　thousand　of　the　chosen　men；　who　kept
their　ground　and　fought　valiantly　to　the　last；　were　all　cut　in　pieces；
while　the　slaughter　of　such　as　fled　was　also　very　great。　The　plain　and
the　lower　part　of　the　hills　were　filled　with　dead　bodies；　and　the
water　of　the　river　Leucus；　which　the　Romans　did　not　pass　till　the　next
day　after　the　battle；　was　then　mingled　with　blood。　For　it　is　said
there　fell　more　than　twenty…five　thousand　of　the　enemy；　of　the　Romans；
as　Posidonius　relates；　a　hundred；　as　Nasica；　only　fourscore。　This
battle；　though　so　great；　was　very　quickly　decided；　it　being　three　in
the　afternoon　when　they　first　engaged；　and　not　four　when　the　enemy　was
vanquished；　the　rest　of　the　day　was　spent　in　pursuit　of　the　fugitives；
whom　they　followed　about　thirteen　or　fourteen　miles；　so　that　it　was
far　in　the　night　when　they　returned。
　　All　the　others　were　met　by　their　servants　with　torches；　and
brought　back　with　joy　and　great　triumph　to　their　tents；　which　were　set
out　with　lights；　and　decked　with　wreaths　of　ivy　and　laurel。　But　the
general　himself　was　in　great　grief。　Of　the　two　sons　that　served
under　him　in　the　war；　the　youngest　was　missing；　whom　he　held　most
dear；　and　whose　courage　and　good　qualities　he　perceived　much　to
excel　those　of　his　brothers。　Bold　and　eager　for　distinction；　and　still
a　mere　child　in　age；　he　concluded　that　he　had　perished；　whilst　for
want　of　experience　he　had　engaged　himself　too　far　amongst　his　enemies。
His　sorrow　and　fears　became　known　to　the　army；　the　soldiers；
quitting　their　suppers；　ran　about　with　lights；　some　to　Aemilius's
tent；　some　out　of　the　trenches；　to　seek　him　amongst　such　as　were　slain
in　the　first　onset。　There　was　nothing　but　grief　in　the　camp；　and　the
plain　was　filled　with　the　cries　of　men　calling　out　for　Scipio；　for；
from　his　very　youth；　he　was　an　object　of　admiration；　endowed　above　any
of　his　equals　with　the　good　qualities　requisite　either　for　command
or　counsel。　At　length；　when　it　was　late；　and　they　almost　despaired；　he
returned　from　the　pursuit　with　only　two　or　three　of　his　companions　all
covered　with　the　fresh　blood　of　his　enemies；　having　been；　like　some
dog　of　noble　breed；　carried　away　by　the　pleasure；　greater　than　he
could　control；　of　his　first　victory。　This　was　that　Scipio　that
afterwards　destroyed　Carthage　and　Numantia；　and　was；　without
dispute；　the　first　of　the　Romans　in　merit；　and　had　the　greatest
authority　amongst　them。　Thus　Fortune；　deferring　her　displeasure　and
jealousy　of　such　great　success　to　some　other　time；　let　Aemilius　at
present　enjoy　this　victory；　without　any　detraction　or　diminution。
　　As　for　Perseus；　from　Pydna　he　fled　to　Pella　with　his　cavalry；
which　was　as　yet　almost　entire。　But　when　the　foot　came　up　with　them；
and；　upbraiding　them　as　cowards　and　traitors；　tried　to　pull　them　off
their　horses；　and　fell　to　blows；　Perseus；　fearing　the　tumult；
forsook　the　common　road；　and；　lest　he　should　be　known；　pulled　off
his　purple；　and　carried　it　before　him；　and　took　his　crown　in　his
hand　and；　that　he　might　the　better　converse　with　his　friends；　alighted
from　his　horse　and　led　him。　Of　those　that　were　about　him；　one　stopped；
pretending　to　tie　his　shoe　that　was　loose；　another　to　water　his　horse；
a　third　to　drink　himself；　and　thus　lagging　behind；　by　degrees　left
him；　they　having　not　so　much　reason　to　fear　their　enemies　as　his
cruelty；　for　he；　disordered　by　his　misfortune；　sought　to　clear　himself
by　laying　the　cause　of　the　overthrow　upon　everybody　else。　He　arrived
at　Pella　in　the　night；　where　Euctus　and　Eudaeus；　two　of　his
treasurers；　came　to　him；　and；　what　with　their　reflecting　on　his　former
faults；　and　their　free　and　ill…timed　admonitions　and　counsels；　so
exasperated　him；　that　he　killed　them　both；　stabbing　them　with　his
own　dagger。　After　this；　nobody　stuck　to　him　but　Evander　the　Cretan；
Archedemus　the　Aetolian；　and　Neon　the　Boeotian。　Of　the　common　soldiers
there　followed　him　only　those　from　Crete；　not　out　of　any　good…will；
but　because　they　were　as　constant　to　his　riches　as　the　bees　to　their
hive。　For　he　carried　a　great　treasure　with　him；　out　of　which　he　had
suffered　them　to　take　cups；　bowls；　and　other　vessels　of　silver　and
gold；　to　the　value　of　fifty　talents。　But　when　he　was　come　to
Amphipolis；　and　afterwards　to　Galepsus；　and　his　fears　were　a　little
abated；　he　relapsed　into　his　old　and　constitutional　disease　of
covetousness；　and　lamented　to　his　friends　that　he　had；　through
inadvertency；　allowed　some　gold　plate　which　had　belonged　to
Alexander　the　Great　to　go　into　the　hands　of　the　Cretans；　and
besought　those　that　had　it；　with　tears　in　his　eyes；　to　exchange　with
him　again　for　money。　Those　that　understood　him　thoroughly　knew　very
well　that　he　only　played　the　Cretan　with　the　Cretans；　but　those　that
believed　him；　and　restored　what　they　had；　were　cheated；　as　he　not　only
did　not　pay　the　money；　but　by　craft　got　thirty　talents　more　of　his
friends　into　his　hands　（which　in　a　short　time　after　fell　to　the
enemy）；　and　with　them　sailed　to　Samothrace；　and　there　fled　to　the
temple　of　Castor　and　Pollux　for　refuge。
　　The　Macedonians　were　always　accounted　great　lovers　of　their　kings；
but　now；　as　if　their　chief　prop　was　broken；　they　all　gave　way
together；　and　submitted　to　Aemilius；　and　in　two　days　made　him　master
of　their　whole　country。　This　seems　to　confirm　the　opinion　which
ascribes　whatever　he　did　to　good　fortune。　The　omen；　also；　that
happened　at　Amphipolis　has　a　supernatural　character。　When　he　was。
sacrificing　there；　and　the　holy　rites　were　just　begun；　on　a　sudden；
lightning　fell　upon　the　altar；　set