sertorius-第5章

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thousands　who　offered　themselves；　and　vowed　to　spend　their　blood
with　his。　And　it　is　told　that　when　his　army　was　defeated　near　a　city
in　Spain；　and　the　enemy　pressed　hard　upon　them；　the　Spaniards；　with　no
care　for　themselves；　but　being　totally　solicitous　to　save　Sertorius；
took　him　upon　their　shoulders　and　passed　him　from　one　to　another；　till
they　carried　him　into　the　city；　and　only　when　they　had　thus　placed
their　general　in　safety；　provided　afterwards　each　man　for　his　own
security。
　　Nor　were　the　Spaniards　alone　ambitious　to　serve　him；　but　the　Roman
soldiers；　also；　that　came　out　of　Italy；　were　impatient　to　be　under　his
command；　and　when　Perpenna　Vento；　who　was　of　the　same　faction　with
Sertorius；　came　into　Spain　with　a　quantity　of　money　and　a　large　number
of　troops；　and　designed　to　make　war　against　Metellus　on　his　own
account；　his　own　soldiers　opposed　it；　and　talked　continually　of
Sertorius；　much　to　the　mortification　of　Perpenna；　who　was　puffed　up
with　the　grandeur　of　his　family　and　his　riches。　And　when　they
afterwards　received　tidings　that　Pompey　was　passing　the　Pyrenees；　they
took　up　their　arms　laid　hold　on　their　ensigns；　called　upon　Perpenna　to
lead　them　to　Sertorius；　and　threatened　him　that　if　he　refused　they
would　go　without　him　and　place　themselves　under　a　commander　who　was
able　to　defend　himself　and　those　that　served　him。　And　so　Perpenna
was　obliged　to　yield　to　their　desires；　and　joining　Sertorius；　added　to
his　army　three…and…fifty　cohorts。
　　When　now　all　the　cities　on　this　side　of　the　river　Ebro　also　united
their　forces　together　under　his　command；　his　army　grew　great；　for　they
flocked　together　and　flowed　in　upon　him　from　all　quarters。　But　when
they　continually　cried　out　to　attack　the　enemy；　and　were　impatient
of　delay；　their　inexperienced；　disorderly　rashness　caused　Sertorius
much　trouble；　who　at　first　strove　to　restrain　them　with　reason　and
good　counsel；　but　when　he　perceived　them　refractory　and　unseasonably
violent；　he　gave　way　to　their　impetuous　desires；　and　permitted　them　to
engage　with　the　enemy；　in　such　sort　that　they　might；　being　repulsed；
yet　not　totally　routed　become　more　obedient　to　his　commands　for　the
future。　Which　happening　as　he　had　anticipated；　he　soon　rescued　them；
and　brought　them　safe　into　his　camp。　After　a　few　days；　being　willing
to　encourage　them　again；　when　he　had　called　all　his　army　together；
he　caused　two　horses　to　be　brought　into　the　field；　one　old；　feeble；
lean　animal　the　other　a　lusty；　strong　horse；　with　a　remarkably　thick
and　long　tail。　Near　the　lean　one　he　placed　a　tall；　strong　man；　and
near　the　strong　young　horse　a　weak；　despicable…looking　fellow；　and
at　a　sign　given；　the　strong　man　took　hold　of　the　weak　horse's　tail
with　both　his　hands；　and　drew　it　to　him　with　his　whole　force；　as　if　he
would　pull　it　off；　the　other；　the　weak　man；　in　the　meantime；　set　to
work　to　pluck　off　hair　by　hair　from　the　great　horse's　tail。　When　the
strong　man　had　given　trouble　enough　to　himself　in　vain；　and　sufficient
diversion　to　the　company；　and　had　abandoned　his　attempt；　whilst　the
weak；　pitiful　fellow　in　a　short　time　and　with　little　pains　had　left
not　a　hair　on　the　great　horse's　tail；　Sertorius　rose　up　and　spoke　to
his　army。　〃You　see；　fellow…soldiers；　that　perseverance　is　more
prevailing　than　violence；　and　that　many　things　which　cannot　be
overcome　when　they　are　together；　yield　themselves　up　when　taken　little
by　little。　Assiduity　and　persistence　are　irresistible；　and　in　time
overthrow　and　destroy　the　greatest　powers　whatever。　Time　being　the
favourable　friend　and　assistant　of　those　who　use　their　judgment　to
await　his　occasions；　and　the　destructive　enemy　of　those　who　are
unreasonably　urging　and　pressing　forward。〃　With　a　frequent　use　of　such
words　and　such　devices；　he　soothed　the　fierceness　of　the　barbarous
people；　and　taught　them　to　attend　and　watch　for　their　opportunities。
　　Of　all　his　remarkable　exploits；　none　raised　greater　admiration
than　that　which　he　put　in　practice　against　the　Characitanians。　These
are　a　people　beyond　the　river　Tagus；　who　inhabit　neither　cities　nor
towns；　but　live　in　a　vast　high　hill；　within　the　deep　dens　and　caves　of
the　rocks；　the　mouths　of　which　open　all　towards　the　north。　The　country
below　is　of　a　soil　resembling　a　light　clay；　so　loose　as　easily　to
break　into　powder；　and　is　not　firm　enough　to　bear　any　one　that
treads　upon　it；　and　if　you　touch　it　in　the　least　it　flies　about　like
ashes　or　unslacked　lime。　In　any　danger　of　war；　these　people
descended　into　their　caves；　and　carrying　in　their　booty　and　prey　along
with　them；　stayed　quietly　within；　secure　from　every　attack。　And　when
Sertorius；　leaving　Metellus　some　distance　off；　had　placed　his　camp
near　this　hill；　they　slighted　and　despised　him；　imagining　that　he
retired　into　these　parts；　being　overthrown　by　the　Romans。　And
whether　out　of　anger　or　resentment；　or　out　of　his　unwillingness　to
be　thought　to　fly　from　his　enemies；　early　in　the　morning　he　rode　up　to
view　the　situation　of　the　place。　But　finding　there　was　no　way　to
come　at　it；　as　he　rode　about；　threatening　them　in　vain　and
disconcerted；　he　took　notice　that　the　wind　raised　the　dust　and　carried
it　up　towards　the　caves　of　the　Characitanians；　the　mouths　of　which；　as
I　said　before；　opened　towards　the　north；　and　the　northern　wind；
which　some　call　Caecias；　prevailing　most　in　those　parts；　coming　up　out
of　moist　plains　or　mountains　covered　with　snow；　at　this　particular
time；　in　the　heat　of　summer；　being　further　supplied　and　increased　by
the　melting　of　the　ice　in　the　northern　regions；　blew　a　delightful
fresh　gale；　cooling　and　refreshing　the　Characitanians　and　their　cattle
all　the　day　long。　Sertorius；　considering　well　all　circumstances　in
which　either　the　information　of　the　inhabitants　or　his　own
experience　had　instructed　him；　commanded　his　soldiers　to　shovel　up　a
great　quantity　of　this　light；　dusty　earth；　to　heap　it　up　together；　and
make　a　mount　of　it　over　against　the　hill　in　which　those　barbarous
people　resided；　who；　imagining　that　all　this　preparation　was　for
raising　a　mound　to　get　at　them；　only　mocked　and　laughed　at　it。
However；　he　continued　the　work　till　the　evening；　and　brought　his
soldiers　back　into　their　camp。
　　The　next　morning　a　gentle　breeze　at　first　arose；　and　moved　the
lightest　parts　of　the　earth　and　dispersed　it　about　as　the　chaff　before
the　wind；　but　when　the　sun　coming　to　be　higher；　the　strong　northerly
wind　had　covered　the　hills　with　the　dust；　the　soldiers　came　and　turned
this　mound　of　earth　over　and　over；　and　broke　the　hard　clods　in　pieces；
whilst　others　on　horseback　rode　through　it　backward　and　forward；　and
raised　a　cloud　of　dust　into　the　air：　there　with　the　wind　the　whole
of　it　was　carried　away　and　blown　into　the　dwellings　of　the
Characitanians；　all　lying　open　to　the　north。　And　there　being　no
other　vent　or　breathing…place　than　that　through　which　the　Caecias
rushed　in　upon　them；　it　quickly　blinded　their　eyes　and　filled　their
lungs；　and　all　but　choked　them；　whilst　they　strove　to　draw　in　the
rough　air　mingled　with　dust　and　powdered　earth。　Nor　were　they　able；
with　all　they　could　do；　to　hold　out　above　two　days；　but　yielding　up
themselves　on　the　third；　adding；　by　their　defeat；　not　so　much　of　the
power　of　Sertorius；　as　to　his　renown；　in　proving　that　he　was　able　to
conquer　places　by　art；　which　were　impregnable　by　the　force　of　arms。
　　So　long　as　he　had　to　do　with　Metellus；　he　was　thought　to　owe　his
successes　to　his　opponent's　age　and　slow　temper；　which　were　ill　suited
for　coping　with　the　daring　and　activity　of　one　who　commanded　a　light
army　more　like　a　band　of　robbers　than　regular　soldiers。　But　when
Pompey　also　passed　over　the　Pyrenees；　and　Sertorius　pitched　his　camp
near　him；　and　offered　and　himself　accepted　every　occasion　by　which
military　skill　could　be　put　to　the　proof；　and　in　this　contest　of
dexterity　was　found　to　have　the　better；　both　in　baffling　his　enemy's
designs　and　in　counter…scheming　himself；　the　fame　of　him　now　spread
even　to　Rome　itself；　as　the　most　expert　commander　of　his　time。　For　the
renown　of　Pompey　was　not　small；　who　had　already　won　much　honour　by　his
achievements　in　the　wars　of　Sylla；　from　whom　he　received　the　title
of　Magnus；　and　was　called　Pompey　the　Great；