sylla-第9章

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themselves；　indeed；　to　have　been　accomplished　and　learned　men；　but
of　the　writings　of　Aristotle　and　Theophrastus　they　had　no　large　or
exact　knowledge；　because　Theophrastus　bequeathing　his　books　to　the
heir　of　Neleus　of　Scepsis；　they　came　into　careless　and　illiterate
hands。
　　During　Sylla's　stay　about　Athens；　his　feet　were　attacked　by　a
heavy　benumbing　pain；　which　Strabo　calls　the　first　inarticulate　sounds
of　the　gout。　Taking；　therefore；　a　voyage　to　Aedepsus；　he　made　use　of
the　hot　waters　there；　allowing　himself　at　the　same　time　to　forget
all　anxieties；　and　passing　away　his　time　with　actors。　As　he　was
walking　along　the　seashore；　certain　fishermen　brought　him　some
magnificent　fish。　Being　much　delighted　with　the　gift；　and
understanding；　on　inquiry；　that　they　were　men　of　Halaeae；　〃What；〃　said
he；　〃are　there　any　men　of　Halaeae　surviving？〃　For　after　his　victory　at
Orchomenus；　in　the　heat　of　a　pursuit；　he　had　destroyed　three　cities　of
Boeotia；　Anthedon；　Larymna；　and　Halaeae。　The　men　not　knowing　what　to
say　for　fear；　Sylla；　with　a　smile；　bade　them　cheer　up　and　return　in
peace；　as　they　had　brought　with　them　no　insignificant　intercessors。
The　Halaeans　say　that　this　first　gave　them　courage　to　re…unite　and
return　to　their　city。
　　Sylla；　having　marched　through　Thessaly　and　Macedon　to　the　sea　coast；
prepared；　with　twelve　hundred　vessels；　to　cross　over　from
Dyrrhachium　to　Brundisium。　Not　far　from　hence　is　Apollonia；　and　near
it　the　Nymphaeum；　a　spot　of　ground　where；　from　among　green　trees　and
meadows；　there　are　found　at　various　points　springs　of　fire　continually
streaming　out。　Here；　they　say；　a　satyr；　such　as　statuaries　and
painters　represent；　was　caught　asleep；　and　brought　before　Sylla；　where
he　was　asked　by　several　interpreters　who　he　was；　and；　after　much
trouble；　at　last　uttered　nothing　intelligible；　but　a　harsh　noise；
something　between　the　neighing　of　a　horse　and　crying　of　a　goat。　Sylla；
in　dismay；　and　deprecating　such　an　omen；　bade　it　be　removed。
　　At　the　point　of　transportation；　Sylla　being　in　alarm；　lest　at
their　first　setting　foot　upon　Italy　the　soldiers　should　disband　and
disperse　one　by　one　among　the　cities；　they　of　their　own　accord　first
took　an　oath　to　stand　firm　by　him；　and　not　of　their　good…will　to
injure　Italy；　then　seeing　him　in　distress　for　money；　they　made；　so
they　say；　a　free…will　offering；　and　contributed　each　man　according
to　his　ability。　However；　Sylla　would　not　accept　of　their　offering；　but
praising　their　good…will；　and　arousing　up　their　courage；　went　over　（as
he　himself　writes）　against　fifteen　hostile　generals　in　command　of　four
hundred　and　fifty　cohorts；　but　not　without　the　most　unmistakable
divine　intimations　of　his　approaching　happy　successes。　For　when　he　was
sacrificing　at　his　first　landing　near　Tarentum；　the　victim's　liver
showed　the　figure　of　a　crown　of　laurel　with　two　fillets　hanging　from
it。　And　a　little　while　before　his　arrival　in　Campania；　near　the
mountain　Hephaeus；　two　stately　goats　were　seen　in　the　daytime；
fighting　together；　and　performing　all　the　motions　of　men　in　battle。　It
proved　to　be　an　apparition；　and　rising　up　gradually　from　the　ground；
dispersed　in　the　air；　like　fancied　representations　in　the　clouds；
and　so　vanished　out　of　sight。　Not　long　after；　in　the　self…same
place；　when　Marius　the　younger　and　Norbanus　the　consul　attacked　him
with　two　great　armies；　without　prescribing　the　order　of　battle；　or
arranging　his　men　according　to　their　divisions；　by　the　sway　only　of
one　common　alacrity　and　transport　of　courage；　he　overthrew　the
enemy；　and　shut　up　Norbanus　into　the　city　of　Capua；　with　the　loss　of
seven　thousand　of　his　men。　And　this　was　the　reason；　he　says；　that
the　soldiers　did　not　leave　him　and　disperse　into　the　different
towns；　but　held　fast　to　him；　and　despised　the　enemy；　though　infinitely
more　in　number。
　　At　Silvium　（as　he　himself　relates　it）；　there　met　him　a　servant　of
Pontius；　in　a　state　of　divine　possession；　saying　that　he　brought　him
the　power　of　the　sword　and　victory　from　Bellona；　the　goddess　of　war；
and　if　he　did　not　make　haste；　that　the　capitol　would　be　burnt；　which
fell　out　on　the　same　day　the　man　foretold　it；　namely；　on　the　sixth　day
of　the　month　Quintilis；　which　we　now　call　July。
　　At　Fidentia；　also；　Marcus　Lucullus；　one　of　Sylla's　commanders；
reposed　such　confidence　in　the　forwardness　of　the　soldiers；　as　to　dare
to　face　fifty　cohorts　of　the　enemy　with　only　sixteen　of　his　own：　but
because　many　of　them　were　unarmed　delayed　the　onset。　As　he　stood
thus　waiting；　and　considering　with　himself；　a　gentle　gale　of　wind；
bearing　along　with　it　from　the　neighbouring　meadows　a　quantity　of
flowers；　scattered　them　down　upon　the　army；　on　whose　shields　and
helmets　they　settled；　and　arranged　themselves　spontaneously　so　as　to
give　the　soldiers；　in　the　eyes　of　the　enemy；　the　appearance　of　being
crowned　with　chaplets。　Upon　this；　being　yet　further　animated；　they
joined　battle；　and　victoriously　slaying　eight　thousand　men；　took　the
camp。　This　Lucullus　was　brother　to　that　Lucullus　who　in　aftertimes
conquered　Mithridates　and　Tigranes。
　　Sylla；　seeing　himself　still　surrounded　by　so　many　armies；　and　such
mighty　hostile　powers；　had　recourse　to　art；　inviting　Scipio；　the　other
consul；　to　a　treaty　of　peace。　The　motion　was　willingly　embraced；　and
several　meetings　and　consultations　ensued；　in　all　which　Sylla；　still
interposing　matter　of　delay　and　new　pretences；　in　the　meanwhile；
debauched　Scipio's　men　by　means　of　his　own；　who　were　as　well　practised
as　the　general　himself　in　all　the　artifices　of　inveigling。　For
entering　into　the　enemy's　quarters　and　joining　in　conversation；　they
gained　some　by　present　money；　some　by　promises；　others　by　fair　words
and　persuasions；　so　that　in　the　end；　when　Sylla　with　twenty　cohorts
drew　near；　on　his　men　saluting　Scipio's　soldiers；　they　returned　the
greeting　and　came　over；　leaving　Scipio　behind　them　in　his　tent；
where　he　was　found　all　alone　and　dismissed。　And　having　used　his　twenty
cohorts　as　decoys　to　ensnare　the　forty　of　the　enemy；　he　led　them　all
back　into　the　camp。　On　this　occasion；　Carbo　was　heard　to　say　that　he
had　both　a　fox　and　a　lion　in　the　breast　of　Sylla　to　deal　with；　and　was
most　troubled　with　the　fox。
　　Some　time　after；　at　Signia；　Marius　the　younger；　with　eighty…five
cohorts；　offered　battle　to　Sylla；　who　was　extremely　desirous　to　have
it　decided　on　that　very　day；　for　the　night　before　he　had　seen　a　vision
in　his　sleep；　of　Marius　the　elder；　who　had　been　some　time　dead；
advising　his　son　to　beware　of　the　following　day；　as　of　fatal
consequence　to　him。　For　this　reason；　Sylla；　longing　to　come　to　a
battle；　sent　off　for　Dolabella；　who　lay　encamped　at　some　distance。　But
because　the　enemy　had　beset　and　blocked　up　the　passes；　his　soldiers
got　tired　with　skirmishing　and　marching　at　once。　To　these　difficulties
was　added；　moreover；　tempestuous　rainy　weather；　which　distressed
them　most　of　all。　The　principal　officers　therefore　came　to　Sylla；
and　besought　him　to　defer　the　battle　that　day；　showing　him　how　the
soldiers　lay　stretched　on　the　ground；　where　they　had　thrown　themselves
down　in　their　weariness；　resting　their　heads　upon　their　shields　to
gain　some　repose。　When；　with　much　reluctance；　he　had　yielded；　and
given　orders　for　pitching　the　camp；　they　had　no　sooner　begun　to　cast
up　the　rampart　and　draw　the　ditch；　but　Marius　came　riding　up　furiously
at　the　head　of　his　troops；　in　hopes　to　scatter　them　in　that　disorder
and　confusion。　Here　the　gods　fulfilled　Sylla's　dream。　For　the
soldiers；　stirred　up　with　anger；　left　off　their　work；　and　sticking
their　javelins　into　the　bank；　with　drawn　swords　and　a　courageous
shout；　came　to　blows　with　the　enemy；　who　made　but　small　resistance；
and　lost　great　numbers　in　the　flight。　Marius　fled　to　Praeneste；　but
finding　the　gates　shut；　tied　himself　round　by　a　rope　that　was　thrown
down　to　him；　and　was　taken　up　on　the　walls。　Some　there　are　（as
Fenestella　for　one）　who　affirm　that　Marius　knew　nothing　of　the
fight；　but；　overwatched　and　spent　with　hard　duty；　had　reposed　himself；
when　the　signal　was　given；　beneath　some　shade；　and　was　hardly　to　be
awakened　at　the　flight　of　his　men。　Sylla；　according　to　his　own
account；　lost　only　twenty…three　men　in　this　fight；　having