贝壳电子书 > 英文原著电子书 > sylla >

第8章

sylla-第8章

小说: sylla 字数: 每页4000字

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!



this tyranny repaired; as to a safe harbour; to Sylla's camp; where;
in a short space; he had about him the aspect of a senate。 Metella;
likewise; having with difficulty conveyed herself and children away by
stealth; brought him word that his houses; both in town and country;
had been burnt by his enemies; and entreated his help at home。
Whilst he was in doubt what to do; being impatient to hear of his
country being thus outraged; and yet not knowing how to leave so great
a work as the Mithridatic war unfinished; there comes to him
Archelaus; a merchant of Delos; with hopes of an accommodation; and
private instructions from Archelaus; the king's general。 Sylla liked
the business so well as to desire a speedy conference with Archelaus
in person; and a meeting took place on the seacoast near Delium; where
the temple of Apollo stands。 When Archelaus opened the conversation;
and began to urge Sylla to abandon his pretensions to Asia and Pontus;
and to set sail for the war in Rome; receiving money and shipping; and
such forces as he should think fitting from the king; Sylla
interposing; bade Archelaus take no further care for Mithridates;
but assume the crown to himself; and become a confederate of Rome;
delivering up the navy。 Archelaus professing his abhorrence of such
treason; Sylla proceeded: 〃So you; Archelaus; a Cappadocian; and
slave; or if it so please you friend; to a barbarian king; would
not; upon such vast considerations; be guilty of what is
dishonourable; and yet dare to talk to me; Roman general and Sylla; of
treason? as if you were not the self…same Archelaus who ran away at
Chaeronea; with few remaining out of one hundred and twenty thousand
men; who lay for two days in the fens of Orchomenus; and left
Boeotia impassable for heaps of dead carcasses。〃 Archelaus; changing
his tone at this; humbly besought him to lay aside the thoughts of
war; and make peace with Mithridates。 Sylla consenting to this
request; articles of agreement were concluded on。 That Mithridates
should quit Asia and Paphlagonia; restore Bithynia to Nicomedes;
Cappadocia to Ariobarzanes; and pay the Romans two thousand talents;
and give him seventy ships of war with all their furniture。 On the
other hand; that Sylla should confirm to him his other dominions;
and declare him a Roman confederate。 On these terms he proceeded by
the way of Thessaly and Macedon towards the Hellespont; having
Archelaus with him; and treating him with great attention。 For
Archelaus being taken dangerously ill at Larissa; he stopped the march
of the army; and took care of him; as if he had been one of his own
captains; or his colleague in command。 This gave suspicion of foul
play in the battle of Chaeronea; as it was also observed that Sylla
had released all the friends of Mithridates taken prisoners in war;
except only Aristion the tyrant; who was at enmity with Archelaus; and
was put to death by poison; and; above all; ten thousand acres of land
in Euboea had been given to the Cappadocian; and he had received
from Sylla the style of friend and ally of the Romans。 On all which
points Sylla defends himself in his Memoirs。
  The ambassadors of Mithridates arriving and declaring that they
accepted of the conditions; only Paphlagonia they could not part with;
and as for the ships; professing not to know of any such capitulation;
Sylla in a rage exclaimed; 〃What say you? Does Mithridates then
withhold Paphlagonia? and as to the ships; deny that article? I
thought to have seen him prostrate at my feet to thank me for
leaving him so much as that right hand of his; which has cut off so
many Romans。 He will shortly; at my coming over into Asia; speak
another language; in the meantime; let him at his ease in Pergamus sit
managing a war which he never saw。〃 The ambassadors in terror stood
silent by; but Archelaus endeavoured with humble supplications to
assuage his wrath; laying hold on his right hand and weeping。 In
conclusion he obtained permission to go himself in person to
Mithridates; for that he would either mediate a peace to the
satisfaction of Sylla; or if not; slay himself。 Sylla having thus
despatched him away; made an inroad into Maedica; and after wide
depopulations returned back again into Macedon; where he received
Archelaus about Philippi; bringing word that all was well; and that
Mithridates earnestly requested an interview。 The chief cause of
this meeting was Fimbria; for he; having assassinated Flaccus; the
consul of the contrary faction; and worsted the Mithridatic
commanders; was advancing against Mithridates himself; who; fearing
this; chose rather to seek the friendship of Sylla。
  And so met at Dardanus in the Troad; on one side Mithridates;
attended with two hundred ships; and land…forces consisting of
twenty thousand men at arms; six thousand horse; and a large train
of scythed chariots; on the other; Sylla with only four cohorts and
two hundred horse。 As Mithridates drew near and put out his hand;
Sylla demanded whether he was willing or no to end the war on the
terms Archelaus had agreed to; but seeing the king made no answer;
〃How is this?〃 he continued; 〃ought not the petitioner to speak first;
and the conqueror to listen in silence?〃 And when Mithridates;
entering upon his plea; began to shift off the war; partly on the
gods; and partly to blame the Romans themselves; he took him up;
saying that he had heard; indeed; long since from others; and now he
knew it himself for truth; that Mithridates was a powerful speaker;
who in defence of the most foul and unjust proceedings; had not wanted
for specious pretences。 Then charging him with and inveighing bitterly
against the outrages he had committed; he asked again whether he was
willing or no to ratify the treaty of Archelaus? Mithridates answering
in the affirmative; Sylla came forward; embraced and kissed him。 Not
long after he introduced Ariobarzanes and Nicomedes; the two kings;
and made them friends。 Mithridates; when he had handed over to Sylla
seventy ships and five hundred archers; set sail for Pontus。
  Sylla; perceiving the soldiers to be dissatisfied with the peace (as
it seemed indeed a monstrous thing that they should see the king who
was their bitterest enemy; and who had caused one hundred and fifty
thousand Romans to be massacred in one day in Asia; now sailing off
with the riches and spoils of Asia; which he had pillaged; and put
under contribution for the space of four years); in his defence to
them alleged; that he could not have made head against Fimbria and
Mithridates; had they both withstood him in conjunction。 Thence he set
out and went in search of Fimbria; who lay with the army about
Thyatira; and pitching his camp not far off; proceeded to fortify it
with a trench。 The soldiers of Fimbria came out in their single coats;
and saluting his men; lent ready assistance to the work; which
change Fimbria beholding; and apprehending Sylla as irreconcilable;
laid violent hands on himself in the camp。
  Sylla imposed on Asia in general a tax of twenty thousand talents;
and despoiled individually each family by the licentious behaviour and
long residence of the soldiery in private quarters。 For he ordained
that every host should allow his guest four tetradrachms each day; and
moreover entertain him; and as many friends as he should invite;
with a supper; that a centurion should receive fifty drachms a day;
together with one suit of clothes to wear within doors; and another
when he went abroad。
  Having set out from Ephesus with the whole navy; he came the third
day to anchor in the Piraeus。 Here he was initiated in the
mysteries; and seized for his use the library of Apellicon the
Teian; in which were most of the works of Theophrastus and
Aristotle; then not in general circulation。 When the whole was
afterwards conveyed to Rome; there; it is said; the greater part of
the collection passed through the hands of Tyrannion the grammarian;
and that Andronicus the Rhodian; having through his means the
command of numerous copies; made the treatises public; and drew up the
catalogues that are now current。 The elder Peripatetics appear
themselves; indeed; to have been accomplished and le

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的