aemilius paulus-第9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！


one　scar　to　show　on　his　skin；　that　is　smooth　and　sleek　with　ease　and
homekeeping　habits；　will　undertake　to　define　the　office　and　duties
of　a　general　before　us；　who　with　our　own　wounds　have　been　taught　how
to　judge　of　the　valour　or　the　cowardice　of　commanders。〃　And；　at　the
same　time；　putting　aside　his　garment；　he　showed　an　infinite　number
of　scars　upon　his　breast；　and；　turning　about；　he　exposed　some　parts　of
his　person　which　it　is　usual　to　conceal；　and；　addressing　Galba；
said：　〃You　deride　me　for　these；　in　which　I　glory　before　my
fellow…citizens；　for　it　is　in　their　service；　in　which　I　have　ridden
night　and　day；　that　I　received　them；　but　go　collect　the　votes；
whilst　I　follow　after；　and　note　the　base　and　ungrateful；　and　such　as
choose　rather　to　be　flattered　and　courted　than　commanded　by　their
general。〃　It　is　said　this　speech　so　stopped　the　soldiers'　mouths；
and　altered　their　minds；　that　all　the　tribes　decreed　a　triumph　for
Aemilius；　which　was　performed　after　this　manner。
　　The　people　erected　scaffolds　in　the　forum；　in　the　circuses；　as
they　call　their　buildings　for　horse…races；　and　in　all　other　parts　of
the　city　where　they　could　best　behold　the　show。　The　spectators　were
clad　in　white　garments；　all　the　temples　were　open；　and　full　of
garlands　and　perfumes；　the　ways　were　cleared　and　kept　open　by　numerous
officers；　who　drove　back　all　who　crowded　into　or　ran　across　the　main
avenue。　This　triumph　lasted　three　days。　On　the　first；　which　was
scarcely　long　enough　for　the　sight；　were　to　be　seen　the　statues；
pictures；　and　colossal　images　which　were　taken　from　the　enemy；　drawn
upon　two　hundred　and　fifty　chariots。　On　the　second　was　carried　in　a
great　many　wagons　the　finest　and　richest　armour　of　the　Macedonians；
both　of　brass　and　steel；　all　newly　polished　and　glittering　the
pieces　of　which　were　piled　up　and　arranged　purposely　with　the　greatest
art；　so　as　to　seem　to　be　tumbled　in　heaps　carelessly　and　by　chance：
helmets　were　thrown　upon　shields；　coats　of　mail　upon　greaves；　Cretan
targets；　and　Thracian　bucklers　and　quivers　of　arrows；　lay　huddled
amongst　horses'　bits；　and　through　these　there　appeared　the　points　of
naked　swords；　intermixed　with　long　Macedonian　sarissas。　All　these　arms
were　fastened　together　with　just　so　much　looseness　that　they　struck
against　one　another　as　they　were　drawn　along；　and　made　a　harsh　and
alarming　noise；　so　that；　even　as　spoils　of　a　conquered　enemy；　they
could　not　be　beheld　without　dread。　After　these　wagons　loaded　with
armour　there　followed　three　thousand　men　who　carried　the　silver　that
was　coined；　in　seven　hundred　and　fifty　vessels；　each　of　which
weighed　three　talents；　and　was　carried　by　four　men。　Others　brought
silver　bowls　and　goblets　and　cups；　all　disposed　in　such　order　as　to
make　the　best　show；　and　all　curious　as　well　for　their　size　as　the
solidity　of　their　embossed　work。
　　On　the　third　day；　early　in　the　morning；　first　came　the　trumpeters；
who　did　not　sound　as　they　were　wont　in　a　procession　or　solemn　entry；
but　such　a　charge　as　the　Romans　use　when　they　encourage　the　soldiers
to　fight。　Next　followed　young　men　wearing　frocks　with　ornamented
borders；　who　led　to　the　sacrifice　a　hundred　and　twenty　stalled　oxen；
with　their　horns　gilded；　and　their　heads　adorned　with　ribbons　and
garlands；　and　with　these　were　boys　that　carried　basins　for　libation；
of　silver　and　gold。　After　this　was　brought　the　gold　coin；　which　was
divided　into　vessels　that　weighed　three　talents；　like　those　that
contained　the　silver；　they　were　in　number　seventy…seven。　These　were
followed　by　those　that　brought　the　consecrated　bowl　which　Aemilius　had
caused　to　be　made；　that　weighed　ten　talents；　and　was　set　with　precious
stones。　Then　were　exposed　to　view　the　cups　of　Antigonus　and
Seleucus；　and　those　of　the　Thericlean　make；　and　all　the　gold　plate
that　was　used　at　Perseus's　table。　Next　to　these　came　Perseus's
chariot；　in　which　his　armour　was　placed；　and　on　that　his　diadem。
And；　after　a　little　intermission；　the　king's　children　were　led
captives；　and　with　them　a　train　of　their　attendants；　masters；　and
teachers；　all　shedding　tears；　and　stretching　out　hands　to　the
spectators；　and　making　the　children　themselves　also　beg　and　entreat
their　compassion。　There　were　two　sons　and　a　daughter；　whose　tender　age
made　them　but　little　sensible　of　the　greatness　of　their　misery；
which　very　insensibility　of　their　condition　rendered　it　the　more
deplorable；　insomuch　that　Perseus　himself　was　scarcely　regarded　as
he　went　along；　whilst　pity　fixed　the　eyes　of　the　Romans　upon　the
infants；　and　many　of　them　could　not　forbear　tears；　and　all　beheld
the　sight　with　a　mixture　of　sorrow　and　pleasure；　until　the　children
were　passed。
　　After　his　children　and　their　attendants　came　Perseus　himself；　clad
all　in　black；　and　wearing　the　boots　of　his　country；　and　looking　like
one　altogether　stunned　and　deprived　of　reason；　through　the　greatness
of　his　misfortunes。　Next　followed　a　great　company　of　his　friends　and
familiars；　whose　countenances　were　disfigured　with　grief；　and　who
let　the　spectators　see；　by　their　tears　and　their　continual　looking
upon　Perseus；　that　it　was　his　fortune　they　so　much　lamented；　and
that　they　were　regardless　of　their　own。　Perseus　sent　to　Aemilius　to
entreat　that　he　might　not　be　led　in　pomp；　but　be　left　out　of　the
triumph；　who；　deriding；　as　was　but　just；　his　cowardice　and　fondness　of
life；　sent　him　this　answer；　that　as　for　that；　it　had　been　before；
and　was　now；　in　his　own　power；　giving　him　to　understand　that　the
disgrace　could　be　avoided　by　death；　which　the　faint…hearted　man　not
having　the　spirit　for；　and　made　effeminate　by　I　know　not　what　hopes；
allowed　himself　to　appear　as　a　part　of　his　own　spoils。　After　these
were　carried　four　hundred　crowns；　all　made　of　gold；　sent　from　the
cities　by　their　respective　deputations　to　Aemilius；　in　honour　of　his
victory。　Then　he　himself　came；　seated　on　a　chariot　magnificently
adorned　（a　man　well　worthy　to　be　looked　at；　even　without　these　ensigns
of　power）；　dressed　in　a　robe　of　purple；　interwoven　with　gold；　and
holding　a　laurel　branch　in　his　right　hand。　All　the　army；　in　like
manner；　with　boughs　of　laurel　in　their　hands；　divided　into　their　hands
and　companies；　followed　the　chariot　of　their　commander；　some　singing
verses；　according　to　the　usual　custom；　mingled　with　raillery；
others；　songs　of　triumph　and　the　praise　of　Aemilius's　deeds；　who；
indeed；　was　admired　and　accounted　happy　by　all　men；　and　unenvied　by
every　one　that　was　good；　except　so　far　as　it　seems　the　province　of
some　god　to　lessen　that　happiness　which　is　too　great　and　inordinate；
and　so　to　mingle　the　affairs　of　human　life　that　no　one　should　be
entirely　free　and　exempt　from　calamities；　but；　as　we　read　in　Homer；
that　those　should　think　themselves　truly　blessed　whom　fortune　has
given　an　equal　share　of　good　and　evil。
　　Aemilius　had　four　sons；　of　whom　Scipio　and　Fabius；　as　is　already
related；　were　adopted　into　other　families；　the　other　two；　whom　he
had　by　a　second　wife；　and　who　were　yet　but　young；　he　brought　up　in　his
own　house。　One　of　these　died　at　fourteen　years　of　age；　five　days
before　his　father's　triumph；　the　other　at　twelve；　three　days　after；　so
that　there　was　no　Roman　without　a　deep　sense　of　his　suffering；　and　who
did　not　shudder　at　the　cruelty　of　fortune；　that　had　not　scrupled　to
bring　so　much　sorrow　into　a　house　replenished　with　happiness；
rejoicing；　and　sacrifices；　and　to　intermingle　tears　and　laments　with
songs　of　victory　and　triumph。
　　Aemilius；　however；　reasoning　justly　that　courage　and　resolution
was　not　merely　to　resist　armour　and　spears；　but　all　the　shocks　of
ill…fortune；　so　met　and　so　adapted　himself　to　these　mingled　and
contrasting　circumstances；　as　to　outbalance　the　evil　with　the　good；
and　his　private　concerns　with　those　of　the　public；　and　thus　did　not
allow　anything　either　to　take　away　from　the　grandeur；　or　sully　the
dignity　of　his　victory。　For　as　soon　as　he　had　buried　the　first　of
his　sons　（as　we　have　already　said）；　he　triumphed；　and　the　second　dying
almost　as　soon　as　his　triumph　was　over；　he　gathered　together　an
assembly　of　the　people；　and　made　an　oration　to　them；　not　like　a　man
that　stood　in　need　of　comfort　from　others；　but　one　that　undertook　to
support　his　fellow…citi