sertorius-第3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！


and　after　passing　a　night　there；　making　out　to　sea　again；　he　went
through　the　straits　of　Cadiz；　and　sailing　outward；　keeping　the　Spanish
shore　on　his　right　hand；　landed　a　little　above　the　mouth　of　the
river　Baetis；　where　it　falls　into　the　Atlantic　Sea；　and　gives　the　name
to　that　part　of　Spain。　Here　he　met　with　seamen　recently　arrived　from
the　Atlantic　islands；　two　in　number；　divided　from　one　another　only
by　a　narrow　channel；　and　distant　from　the　coast　of　Africa　ten　thousand
furlongs。　These　are　called　the　Islands　of　the　Blest；　rain　falls
there　seldom；　and　in　moderate　showers；　but　for　the　most　part　they　have
gentle　breezes；　bringing　along　with　them　soft　dews；　which　render　the
soil　not　only　rich　for　ploughing　and　planting；　but　so　abundantly
fruitful　that　it　produces　spontaneously　an　abundance　of　delicate
fruits；　sufficient　to　feed　the　inhabitants；　who　may　here　enjoy　all
things　without　trouble　or　labour。　The　seasons　of　the　year　are
temperate；　and　the　transitions　from　one　to　another　so　moderate　that
the　air　is　almost　always　serene　and　pleasant。　The　rough　northerly
and　easterly　winds　which　blow　from　the　coasts　of　Europe　and　Africa；
dissipated　in　the　vast　open　space；　utterly　lose　their　force　before
they　reach　the　islands。　The　soft　western　and　southerly　winds　which
breathe　upon　them　sometimes　produce　gentle　sprinkling　showers；　which
they　convey　along　with　them　from　the　sea；　but　more　usually　bring
days　of　moist；　bright　weather；　cooling　and　gently　fertilizing　the
soil；　so　that　the　firm　belief　prevails；　even　among　the　barbarians；
that　this　is　the　seat　of　the　blessed　and　that　these　are　the　Elysian
Fields　celebrated　by　Homer。
　　When　Sertorius　heard　this　account；　he　was　seized　with　a　wonderful
passion　for　these　islands；　and　had　an　extreme　desire　to　go　and　live
there　in　peace　and　quietness；　and　safe　from　oppression　and　unending
wars；　but　his　inclinations　being　perceived　by　the　Cilician　pirates；
who　desired　not　peace　nor　quiet；　but　riches　and　spoils；　they
immediately　forsook　him　and　sailed　away　into　Africa　to　assist　Ascalis；
the　son　of　Iphtha；　and　to　help　to　restore　him　to　his　kingdom　of
Mauritania。　Their　sudden　departure　noways　discouraged　Sertorius；　he
presently　resolved　to　assist　the　enemies　of　Ascalis；　and　by　this　new
adventure　trusted　to　keep　his　soldiers　together。　who　from　this　might
conceive　new　hopes；　and　a　prospect　of　a　new　scene　of　action。　His
arrival　in　Mauritania　being　very　acceptable　to　the　Moors；　he　lost　no
time；　but　immediately　giving　battle　to　Ascalis；　beat　him　out　of　the
field　and　besieged　him；　and　Paccianus　being　sent　by　Sylla；　with　a
powerful　supply；　to　raise　the　siege；　Sertorius　slew　him　in　the
field；　gained　over　all　his　forces；　and　took　the　city　of　Tingis；　into
which　Ascalis　and　his　brothers　were　fled　for　refuge。　The　Africans　tell
that　Antaeus　was　buried　in　this　city；　and　Sertorius　had　the　grave
opened；　doubting　the　story　because　of　the　prodigious　size；　and　finding
there　his　body；　in　effect；　it　is　said；　full　sixty　cubits　long；　he
was　infinitely　astonished；　offered　sacrifice；　and　heaped　up　the　tomb
again；　gave　his　confirmation　to　the　story；　and　added　new　honours　to
the　memory　of　Antaeus。　The　Africans　tell　that　after　the　death　of
Antaeus；　his　wife　Tinga　lived　with　Hercules；　and　had　a　son　by　him
called　Sophax；　who　was　king　of　these　countries；　and　gave　his
mother's　name　to　this　city；　whose　son；　also；　was　Diodorus；　a　great
conqueror；　who　brought　the　greatest　part　of　the　Libyan　tribes　under
his　subjection；　with　an　army　of　Greeks；　raised　out　of　the　colonies
of　the　Olbians　and　Myceneans　placed　here　by　Hercules。　Thus　much　I
may　mention　for　the　sake　of　King　Juba；　of　all　monarchs　the　greatest
student　of　history　whose　ancestors　are　said　to　have　sprung　from
Diodorus　and　Sophax。
　　When　Sertorius　had　made　himself　absolute　master　of　the　whole
country；　he　acted　with　great　fairness　to　those　who　had　confided　in
him；　and　who　yielded　to　his　mercy；　he　restored　to　them　their　property；
cities；　and　government；　accepting　only　of　such　acknowledgments　as　they
themselves　freely　offered。　And　whilst　he　considered　which　way　next
to　turn　his　arms；　the　Lusitanians　sent　ambassadors　to　desire　him　to　be
their　general；　for　being　terrified　with　the　Roman　power；　and　finding
the　necessity　of　having　a　commander　of　great　authority　and
experience　in　war；　being　also　sufficiently　assured　of　his　worth　and
valour　by　those　who　had　formerly　known　him；　they　were　desirous　to
commit　themselves　especially　to　his　care。　And　in　fact　Sertorius　is
said　to　have　been　of　a　temper　unassailable　either　by　fear　or　pleasure；
in　adversity　and　dangers　undaunted；　and　noways　puffed　up　with
prosperity。　In　straightforward　fighting；　no　commander　in　his　time
was　more　bold　and　daring；　and　in　whatever　was　to　be　performed　in　war
by　stratagem；　secrecy；　or　surprise；　if　any　strong　place　was　to　be
secured；　any　pass　to　be　gained　speedily；　for　deceiving　and
overreaching　an　enemy；　there　was　no　man　equal　to　him　in　subtlety　and
skill。　In　bestowing　rewards　and　conferring　honours　upon　those　who
had　performed　good　service　in　the　wars；　he　was　bountiful　and
magnificent；　and　was　no　less　sparing　and　moderate　in　inflicting
punishment。　It　is　true　that　that　piece　of　harshness　and　cruelty
which　he　executed　in　the　latter　part　of　his　days　upon　the　Spanish
hostages　seems　to　argue　that　his　clemency　was　not　natural　to　him；
but　only　worn　as　a　dress；　and　employed　upon　calculation；　as　his
occasion　or　necessity　required。　As　to　my　own　opinion；　I　am　persuaded
that　pure　virtue；　established　by　reason　and　judgment；　can　never　be
totally　perverted　or　changed　into　its　opposite；　by　any　misfortune
whatever。　Yet　I　think　it　at　the　same　time　possible　that　virtuous
inclinations　and　natural　good　qualities　may；　when　unworthily　oppressed
by　calamities；　show；　with　change　of　fortune；　some　change　and
alteration　of　their　temper；　and　thus　I　conceive　it　happened　to
Sertorius；　who；　when　prosperity　failed　him；　became　exasperated　by
his　disasters　against　those　who　had　done　him　wrong。
　　The　Lusitanians　having　sent　for　Sertorius；　he　left　Africa；　and　being
made　general　with　absolute　authority；　he　put　all　in　order　amongst
them；　and　brought　the　neighbouring　parts　of　Spain　under　subjection。
Most　of　the　tribes　voluntarily　submitted　themselves；　won　by　the　fame
of　his　clemency　and　of　his　courage；　and；　to　some　extent；　also；　he
availed　himself　of　cunning　artifices　of　his　own　devising　to　impose
upon　them　and　gain　influence　over　them。　Amongst　which；　certainly；　that
of　the　hind　was　not　the　least。　Spanus；　a　countryman　who　lived　in　those
parts；　meeting　by　chance　a　hind　that　had　recently　calved；　flying
from　the　hunters；　let　the　dam　go；　and　pursuing　the　fawn；　took　it；
being　wonderfully　pleased　with　the　rarity　of　the　colour；　which　was　all
milk…white。　As　at　that　time　Sertorius　was　living　in　the　neighbourhood；
and　accepted　gladly　any　presents　of　fruit；　fowl；　or　venison　that　the
country　afforded；　and　rewarded　liberally　those　who　presented　them；　the
countryman　brought　him　his　young　hind；　which　he　took　and　was　well
pleased　with　at　the　first　sight；　but　when　in　time　he　had　made　it　so
tame　and　gentle　that　it　would　come　when　he　called；　and　follow　him
wheresoever　he　went；　and　could　endure　the　noise　and　tumult　of　the
camp；　knowing　well　that　uncivilized　people　are　naturally　prone　to
superstition；　by　little　and　little　he　raised　it　into　something
preternatural；　saying　that　it　was　given　him　by　the　goddess　Diana；
and　that　it　revealed　to　him　many　secrets。　He　added；　also；　further
contrivances。　If　he　had　received　at　any　time　private　intelligence　that
the　enemies　had　made　an　incursion　into　any　part　of　the　districts　under
his　command；　or　had　solicited　any　city　to　revolt；　he　pretended　that
the　hind　had　informed　him　of　it　in　his　sleep；　and　charged　him　to
keep　his　forces　in　readiness。　Or　if　again　he　had　noticed　that　any　of
the　commanders　under　him　had　got　a　victory；　he　would　hide　the
messengers　and　bring　forth　the　hind　crowned　with　flowers；　for　joy　of
the　good　news　that　was　to　come；　and　would　encourage　them　to　rejoice
and　sacrifice　to　the　gods　for　the　good　account　they　should　soon
receive　of　their　prosperous　success。
　　By　such　practices；　he　brought　them　to　be　more　tractable　and　obe