aemilius paulus-第7章

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lightning　fell　upon　the　altar；　set　the　wood　on　fire；　and　completed　the
immolation　of　the　sacrifice。　The　most　signal　manifestation；　however；
of　preternatural　agency　appears　in　the　story　of　the　rumour　of　his
success。　For　on　the　fourth　day　after　Perseus　was　vanquished　at
Pydna；　whilst　the　people　at　Rome　were　seeing　the　horse…races；　a　report
suddenly　rose　at　the　entrance　of　the　theatre　that　Aemilius　had
defeated　Perseus　in　a　great　battle；　and　was　reducing　all　Macedonia
under　his　power；　and　from　thence　it　spread　amongst　the　people；　and
created　general　joy；　with　shoutings　and　acclamations　for　that　whole
day　through　the　city。　But　when　no　certain　author　was　found　of　the
news；　and　every　one　alike　had　taken　it　at　random；　it　was　abandoned　for
the　present　and　thought　no　more　of；　until；　a　few　days　after；　certain
intelligence　came；　and　then　the　first　was　looked　upon　as　no　less
than　a　miracle；　having；　under　an　appearance　of　fiction；　contained　what
was　real　and　true。　It　is　reported　also；　that　the　news　of　the　battle
fought　in　Italy；　near　the　river　Sagra；　was　conveyed　into
Peloponnesus　the　same　day；　and　of　that　at　Mycale　against　the　Medes；　to
Plataea。　When　the　Romans　had　defeated　the　Tarquins；　who　were
combined　with　the　Latins；　a　little　after　there　were　seen　at　Rome　two
tall　and　comely　men；　who　professed　to　bring　the　news　from　the　camp。
They　were　conjectured　to　be　Castor　and　Pollux。　The　first　man　that
spoke　to　them　in　the　forum；　near　the　fountain　where　they　were
cooling　their　horses；　which　were　all　of　a　foam；　expressed　surprise
at　the　report　of　the　victory；　when；　it　is　said；　they　smiled；　and
gently　touched　his　beard　with　their　hands；　the　hair　of　which　from
being　black　was；　on　the　spot；　changed　to　yellow。　This　gave　credit　to
what　they　said；　and　fixed　the　name　of　Ahenobarbus；　or　Brazen…beard；　on
the　man。　And　a　thing　which　happened　in　our　own　time　will　make　all
these　credible。　For　when　Antonius　rebelled　against　Domitian；　and
Rome　was　in　consternation；　expecting　great　wars　from　the　quarter　of
Germany；　all　on　a　sudden；　and　nobody　knows　upon　what　account；　the
people　spontaneously　gave　out　a　rumour　of　victory；　and　the　news　ran
current　through　the　city；　that　Antonius　himself　was　slain；　his　whole
army　destroyed；　and　not　so　much　as　a　part　of　it　escaped；　nay；　this
belief　was　so　strong　and　positive；　that　many　of　the　magistrates
offered　up　sacrifice。　But　when；　at　length；　the　author　was　sought
for；　and　none　was　to　be　found；　it　vanished　by　degrees；　every　one
shifting　it　off　from　himself　to　another；　and；　at　last；　was　lost　in　the
numberless　crowd；　as　in　a　vast　ocean；　and；　having　no　solid　ground　to
support　its　credit；　was　in　a　short　time　not　so　much　as　named　in　the
city。　Nevertheless；　when　Domitian　marched　out　with　his　forces　to　the
war；　he　met　with　messengers　and　letters　that　gave　him　a　relation　of
the　victory；　and　the　rumour；　it　was　found；　had　come　the　very　day　it
was　gained；　though　the　distance　between　the　places　was　more　than
twenty…five　hundred　miles。　The　truth　of　this　no　man　of　our　time　is
ignorant　of。
　　But　to　proceed。　Cnaeus　Octavius；　who　was　joined　in　command　with
Aemilius；　came　to　an　anchor　with　his　fleet　under　Samothrace；　where；
out　of　respect　to　the　gods；　he　permitted　Perseus　to　enjoy　the
benefit　of　refuge；　but　took　care　that　he　should　not　escape　by　sea。
Notwithstanding；　Perseus　secretly　persuaded　Oroandes　of　Crete；
master　of　a　small　vessel；　to　convey　him　and　his　treasure　away。　He；
however；　playing　the　true　Cretan；　took　in　the　treasure；　and　bade　him
come；　in　the　night；　with　his　children　and　most　necessary　attendants；
to　the　port　by　the　temple　of　Ceres；　but；　as　soon　as　it　was　evening；
set　sail　without　him。　It　had　been　sad　enough　for　Perseus　to　be
forced　to　let　down　himself；　his　wife；　and　children　through　a　narrow
window　by　a　wall…　people　altogether　unaccustomed　to　hardship　and
flying；　but　that　which　drew　a　far　sadder　sigh　from　his　heart　was；　when
he　was　told　by　a　man；　as　he　wandered　on　the　shore；　that　he　had　seen
Oroandes　under　sail　in　the　main　sea；　it　being　now　about　daybreak。
So；　there　being　no　hopes　left　of　escaping；　he　fled　back　again　to　the
wall；　which　he　and　his　wife　recovered；　though　they　were　seen　by　the
Romans；　before　they　could　reach　them。　His　children　he　himself　had
delivered　into　the　hands　of　Ion；　one　that　had　been　his　favourite；
but　now　proved　his　betrayer；　and　was　the　chief　cause　that　forced　him
（beasts　themselves　will　do　so　when　their　young　ones　are　taken）　to　come
and　yield　himself　up　to　those　that　had　them　in　their　power。　His
greatest　confidence　was　in　Nasica；　and　it　was　for　him　he　called；　but
he　not　being　there；　he　bewailed　his　misfortune；　and；　seeing　there
was　no　possible　remedy；　surrendered　himself　to　Octavius。　And　here；
in　particular；　he　made　it　manifest　that　he　was　possessed　with　a　vice
more　sordid　than　covetousness　itself；　namely；　the　fondness　of　life；　by
which　he　deprived　himself　even　of　pity；　the　only　thing　that　fortune
never　takes　away　from　the　most　wretched。　He　desired　to　be　brought　to
Aemilius；　who　arose　from　his　seat；　and；　accompanied　with　his
friends；　went　to　receive　him；　with　tears　in　his　eyes；　as　a　great　man
fallen　by　the　anger　of　the　gods　and　his　own　ill…fortune；　when　Perseus…
the　most　shameful　of　sights…　threw　himself　at　his　feet；　embraced　his
knees；　and　uttered　unmanly　cries　and　petitions；　such　as　Aemilius　was
not　able　to　bear；　nor　would　vouchsafe　to　hear：　but　looking　on　him　with
a　sad　and　angry　countenance　he　said；　〃Why；　unhappy　man；　do　you　thus
take　pains　to　exonerate　fortune　of　your　heaviest　charge　against　her；
by　conduct　that　will　make　it　seem　that　you　are　not　unjustly　in
calamity；　and　that　it　is　not　your　present　condition；　but　your　former
happiness；　that　was　more　than　your　deserts？　And　why　depreciate　also　my
victory；　and　make　my　conquests　insignificant；　by　proving　yourself　a
coward；　and　a　foe　beneath　a　Roman？　Distressed　valour　challenges
great　respect；　even　from　enemies；　but　cowardice；　though　never　so
successful；　from　the　Romans　has　always　met　with　scorn。〃　Yet　for　all
this　he　took　him　up；　gave　him　his　hand；　and　delivered　him　into　the
custody　of　Tubero。　Meantime；　he　himself　carried　his　sons；　his
sons…in…law；　and　others　of　chief　rank；　especially　of　the　younger　sort；
back　with　him　into　his　tent；　where　for　a　long　time　he　sat　down　without
speaking　one　word；　insomuch　that　they　all　wondered　at　him。　At　last；　he
began　to　discourse　of　fortune　and　human　affairs。　〃Is　it　meet；〃　said
he；　〃for　him　that　knows　he　is　but　man；　in　his　greatest　prosperity　to
pride　himself；　and　be　exalted　at　the　conquest　of　a　city；　nation；　or
kingdom；　and　not　rather　well　to　weigh　this　change　of　fortune；　in　which
all　warriors　may　see　an　example　of　their　common　frailty；　and　learn　a
lesson　that　there　is　nothing　durable　or　constant？　For　what　time　can
men　select　to　think　themselves　secure；　when　that　of　victory　itself
forces　us　more　than　any　to　dread　our　own　fortune？　and　a　very　little
consideration　on　the　law　of　things；　and　how　all　are　hurried　round；　and
each　man's　station　changed；　will　introduce　sadness　in　the　midst　of　the
greatest　joy。　Or　can　you；　when　you　see　before　your　eyes　the　succession
of　Alexander　himself；　who　arrived　at　the　height　of　power　and　ruled　the
greatest　empire；　in　the　short　space　of　an　hour　trodden　underfoot…　when
you　behold　a　king；　that　was　but　even　now　surrounded　with　so　numerous
an　army；　receiving　nourishment　to　support　his　life　from　the　hands　of
his　conquerors…　can　you；　I　say；　believe　there　is　any　certainty　in　what
we　now　possess　whilst　there　is　such　a　thing　as　chance？　No；　young
men；　cast　off　that　vain　pride　and　empty　boast　of　victory；　sit　down
with　humility；　looking　always　for　what　is　yet　to　come；　and　the
possible　future　reverses　which　the　divine　displeasure　may　eventually
make　the　end　of　our　present　happiness。〃　It　is　said　that　Aemilius；
having　spoken　much　more　to　the　same　purpose；　dismissed　the　young　men
properly　humbled；　and　with　their　vainglory　and　insolence　thoroughly
chastened　and　curbed　by　his　address。
　　When　this　was　done；　he　put　his　army　into　garrisons；　to　refresh
themselves；　and　went　himself　to　visit　Greece；　and　to　spend　a　short
time　in　relaxations　equally　honourable　and　humane。　For　as　he　passed；
he　eased　the　peo