sylla-第7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！


impression；　the　Romans；　repulsing　them　with　shouts　and　laughter；
called　out；　as　they　do　at　the　races　in　the　circus；　for　more　to　come。
By　this　time　the　mass　of　both　armies　met；　the　barbarians　on　one　side
fixed　their　long　pikes；　and　with　their　shields　locked　close
together；　strove　so　far　as　in　them　lay　to　preserve　their　line　of
battle　entire。　The　Romans；　on　the　other　side；　having　discharged
their　javelins；　rushed　on　with　their　drawn　swords；　and　struggled　to
put　by　the　pikes　to　get　at　them　the　sooner；　in　the　fury　that　possessed
them　at　seeing　in　the　front　of　the　enemy　fifteen　thousand　slaves；　whom
the　royal　commanders　had　set　free　by　proclamation；　and　ranged
amongst　the　men　of　arms。　And　a　Roman　centurion　is　reported　to　have
said　at　this　sight；　that　he　never　knew　servants　allowed　to　play　the
masters；　unless　at　the　Saturnalia。　These　men；　by　their　deep　and
solid　array；　as　well　as　by　their　daring　courage；　yielded　but　slowly　to
the　legions；　till　at　last　by　slinging　engines；　and　darts；　which　the
Romans　poured　in　upon　them　behind；　they　were　forced　to　give　way　and
scatter。
　　As　Archelaus　was　extending　the　right　wing　to　encompass　the　enemy；
Hortensius　with　his　cohorts　came　down　in　force；　with　intention　to
charge　him　in　the　flank。　But　Archelaus　wheeling　about　suddenly　with
two　thousand　horse；　Hortensius；　out…numbered　and　hard　pressed；　fell
back　towards　the　higher　grounds；　and　found　himself　gradually　getting
separated　from　the　main　body　and　likely　to　be　surrounded　by　the　enemy。
When　Sylla　heard　this；　he　came　rapidly　up　to　his　succour　from　the
right　wing；　which　as　yet　had　not　engaged。　But　Archelaus；　guessing
the　matter　by　the　dust　of　his　troops；　turned　to　the　right　wing；　from
whence　Sylla　came；　in　hopes　to　surprise　it　without　a　commander。　At　the
same　instant；　likewise；　Taxiles；　with　his　Brazen　Shields；　assailed
Murena；　so　that　a　cry　coming　from　both　places；　and　the　hills　repeating
it　around；　Sylla　stood　in　suspense　which　way　to　move。　Deciding　to
resume　his　own　station　he　sent　in　aid　to　Murena　four　cohorts　under
Hortensius；　and　commanding　the　fifth　to　follow　him；　returned　hastily
to　the　right　wing；　which　of　itself　held　its　ground　on　equal　terms
against　Archelaus；　and；　at　his　appearance；　with　one　bold　effort　forced
them　back；　and；　obtaining　the　mastery；　followed　them；　flying　in
disorder　to　the　river　and　Mount　Acontium。　Sylla；　however；　did　not
forget　the　danger　Murena　was　in；　but　hasting　thither　and　finding　him
victorious　also；　then　joined　in　the　pursuit。　Many　barbarians　were
slain　in　the　field；　many　more　were　cut　in　pieces　as　they　were　making
into　the　camp。　Of　all　the　vast　multitude；　ten　thousand　only　got　safe
intoe　Chalcis。　Sylla　writes　that　there　were　but　fourteen　of　his
soldiers　missing；　and　that　two　of　these　returned　towards　evening；
he；　therefore；　inscribed　on　the　trophies　the　names　of　Mars；　Victory；
and　Venus；　as　having　won　the　day　no　less　by　good　fortune　than　by
management　and　force　of　arms。　This　trophy　of　the　battle　in　the　plain
stands　on　the　place　where　Archelaus　first　gave　way；　near　the　stream　of
the　Molus；　another　is　erected　high　on　the　top　of　Thurium；　where　the
barbarians　were　environed；　with　an　inscription　in　Greek；　recording
that　the　glory　of　the　day　belonged　to　Homoloichus　and　Anaxidamus。
Sylla　celebrated　his　victory　at　Thebes　with　spectacles；　for　which　he
erected　a　stage；　near　Oedipus's　well。　The　judges　of　the　performances
were　Greeks　chosen　out　of　other　cities；　his　hostility　to　the　Thebans
being　implacable；　half　of　whose　territory　he　took　away　and　consecrated
to　Apollo　and　Jupiter；　ordering　that　out　of　the　revenue　compensation
should　be　made　to　the　gods　for　the　riches　himself　had　taken　from　them。
　　After　this；　hearing　that　Flaccus；　a　man　of　the　contrary　faction；　had
been　chosen　consul；　and　was　crossing　the　Ionian　Sea　with　an　army；
professedly　to　act　against　Mithridates；　but　in　reality　against
himself；　he　hastened　towards　Thessaly；　designing　to　meet　him；　but　in
his　march；　when　near　Melitea；　received　advices　from　all　parts　that　the
countries　behind　him　were　overrun　and　ravaged　by　no　less　a　royal
army　than　the　former。　For　Dorylaus；　arriving　at　Chalcis　with　a　large
fleet；　on　board　of　which　he　brought　over　with　him　eighty　thousand　of
the　best　appointed　and　best　disciplined　soldiers　of　Mithridates's
army；　at　once　invaded　Boeotia；　and　occupied　the　country　in　hopes　to
bring　Sylla　to　a　battle；　making　no　account　of　the　dissuasions　of
Archelaus；　but　giving　it　out　as　to　the　last　fight；　that　without
treachery　so　many　thousand　men　could　never　have　perished。　Sylla；
however；　facing　about　expeditiously；　made　it　clear　to　him　that
Archelaus　was　a　wise　man；　and　had　good　skill　in　the　Roman　valour；
insomuch　that　he　himself；　after　some　small　skirmishes　with　Sylla
near　Tilphossium；　was　the　first　of　those　who　thought　it　not
advisable　to　put　things　to　the　decision　of　the　sword；　but　rather　to
wear　out　the　war　by　expense　of　time　and　treasure。　The　ground；　however；
near　Orchomenus；　where　they　then　lay　encamped；　gave　some　encouragement
to　Archelaus；　being　a　battlefield　admirably　suited　for　any　army
superior　in　cavalry。　Of　all　the　plains　in　Boeotia　that　are　renowned
for　their　beauty　and　extent；　this　alone；　which　commences　from　the　city
of　Orchomenus；　spreads　out　unbroken　and　clear　of　trees　to　the　edge
of　the　fens　in　which　the　Melas；　rising　close　under　Orchomenus；　loses
itself；　the　only　Greek　river　which　is　a　deep　and　navigable　water
from　the　very　head；　increasing　also　about　the　summer　solstice　like　the
Nile；　and　producing　plants　similar　to　those　that　grow　there；　only
small　and　without　fruit。　It　does　not　run　far　before　the　main　stream
disappears　among　the　blind　and　woody　marsh…grounds；　a　small　branch；
however；　joins　the　Cephisus；　about　the　place　where　the　lake　is　thought
to　produce　the　best　flute…reeds。
　　Now　that　both　armies　were　posted　near　each　other；　Archelaus　lay
still；　but　Sylla　employed　himself　in　cutting　ditches　from　either　side；
that　if　possible；　by　driving　the　enemies　from　the　firm　and　open
champaign；　he　might　force　them　into　the　fens。　They；　on　the　other　hand；
not　enduring　this；　as　soon　as　their　leaders　allowed　them　the　word　of
command；　issued　out　furiously　in　large　bodies；　when　not　only　the　men
at　work　were　dispersed；　but　most　part　of　those　who　stood　in　arms　to
protect　the　work　fled　in　disorder。　Upon　this；　Sylla　leaped　from　his
horse；　and　snatching　hold　of　an　ensign；　rushed　through　the　midst　of
the　rout　upon　the　enemy；　crying　out　aloud；　〃To　me；　O　Romans；　it　will
be　glorious　to　fall　here。　As　for　you；　when　they　ask　you　where　you
betrayed　your　general；　remember　and　say；　at　Orchomenus。〃　His　men
rallying　again　at　these　words；　and　two　cohorts　coming　to　his　succour
from　the　right　wing；　he　led　them　to　the　charge　and　turned　the　day。
Then　retiring　some　short　distance　and　refreshing　his　men；　he　proceeded
again　with　his　works　to　block　up　the　enemy's　camp。　They　again
sallied　out　in　better　order　than　before。　Here　Diogenes；　stepson　to
Archelaus；　fighting　on　the　right　wing　with　much　gallantry；　made　an
honourable　end。　And　the　archers；　being　hard　pressed　by　the　Romans；　and
wanting　space　for　a　retreat；　took　their　arrows　by　handfuls；　and
striking　with　these　as　with　swords；　beat　them　back。　In　the　end；
however；　they　were　all　driven　into　the　intrenchment　and　had　a
sorrowful　night　of　it　with　their　slain　and　wounded。　The　next　day
again；　Sylla；　leading　forth　his　men　up　to　their　quarters；　went　on
finishing　the　lines　of　intrenchment；　and　when　they　issued　out　again
with　larger　numbers　to　give　him　battle；　fell　on　them　and　put　them　to
the　rout；　and　in　the　consternation　ensuing；　none　daring　to　abide；　he
took　the　camp　by　storm。　The　marshes　were　filled　with　blood；　and　the
lake　with　dead　bodies；　insomuch　that　to　this　day　many　bows；　helmets；
fragments　of　iron；　breastplates；　and　swords　of　barbarian　make　continue
to　be　found　buried　deep　in　mud；　two　hundred　years　after　the　fight。
Thus　much　of　the　actions　of　Chaeronea　and　Orchomenus。
　　At　Rome；　Cinna　and　Carbo　were　now　using　injustice　and　violence
towards　persons　of　the　greatest　eminence；　and　many　of　them　to　avoid
this　tyranny　repaired；　as　to　a　safe　harbour；　to　Sylla's　camp；　where；
in　a　short　space；　he　had　about　him　the　aspec