fabius-第7章

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　　Another　passage　there　was；　something　of　the　same　kind；　which
gained　him　possession　of　Tarentum。　There　was　a　young　Tarentine　in
the　army　that　had　a　sister　in　Tarentum；　then　in　possession　of　the
enemy；　who　entirely　loved　her　brother；　and　wholly　depended　upon　him。
He；　being　informed　that　a　certain　Bruttian；　whom　Hannibal　had　made　a
commander　of　the　garrison；　was　deeply　in　love　with　his　sister；
conceived　hopes　that　he　might　possibly　turn　it　to　the　advantage　of　the
Romans。　And　having　first　communicated　his　design　to　Fabius；　he　left
the　army　as　a　deserter　in　show；　and　went　over　to　Tarentum。　The　first
days　passed；　and　the　Bruttian　abstained　from　visiting　the　sister；
for　neither　of　them　knew　that　the　brother　had　notice　of　the　amour
between　them。　The　young　Tarentine；　however；　took　an　occasion　to　tell
his　sister　how　he　had　heard　that　a　man　of　station　and　authority　had
made　his　addresses　to　her；　and　desired　her；　therefore；　to　tell　him　who
it　was；　〃for；〃　said　he；　〃if　he　be　a　man　that　has　bravery　and
reputation；　it　matters　not　what　countryman　he　is；　since　at　this　time
the　sword　mingles　all　nations；　and　makes　them　equal；　compulsion
makes　all　things　honourable；　and　in　a　time　when　right　is　weak；　we
may　be　thankful　if　might　assumes　a　form　of　gentleness。〃　Upon　this
the　woman　sends　for　her　friend；　and　makes　the　brother　and　him
acquainted；　and　whereas　she　henceforth　showed　more　countenance　to
her　lover　than　formerly；　in　the　same　degrees　that　her　kindness
increased；　his　friendship；　also；　with　the　brother　advanced。　So　that　at
last　our　Tarentine　thought　this　Bruttian　officer　well　enough
prepared　to　receive　the　offers　he　had　to　make　him；　and　that　it　would
be　easy　for　a　mercenary　man；　who　was　in　love；　to　accept；　upon　the
terms　proposed；　the　large　rewards　promised　by　Fabius。　In　conclusion；
the　bargain　was　struck；　and　the　promise　made　of　delivering　the　town。
This　is　the　common　tradition；　though　some　relate　the　story
otherwise；　and　say；　that　this　woman；　by　whom　the　Bruttian　was
inveigled　to　betray　the　town；　was　not　a　native　of　Tarentum；　but　a
Bruttian　born；　and　was　kept　by　Fabius　as　his　concubine；　and　being　a
countrywoman　and　an　acquaintance　of　the　Bruttian　governor；　he
privately　sent　her　to　him　to　corrupt　him。
　　Whilst　these　matters　were　thus　in　process；　to　draw　off　Hannibal　from
scenting　the　design；　Fabius　sends　orders　to　the　garrison　in　Rhegium；
that　they　should　waste　and　spoil　the　Bruttian　country；　and　should　also
lay　siege　to　Caulonia；　and　storm　the　place　with　all　their　might。　These
were　a　body　of　eight　thousand　men；　the　worst　of　the　Roman　army；　who
had　most　of　them　been　runaways；　and　had　been　brought　home　by　Marcellus
from　Sicily；　in　dishonour；　so　that　the　loss　of　them　would　not　be　any
great　grief　to　the　Romans。　Fabius；　therefore；　threw　out　these　men　as　a
bait　for　Hannibal；　to　divert　him　from　Tarentum；　who　instantly　caught
at　it；　and　led　his　forces　to　Caulonia；　in　the　meantime；　Fabius　sat
down　before　Tarentum。　On　the　sixth　day　of　the　siege；　the　young
Tarentine　slips　by　night　out　of　the　town；　and；　having　carefully
observed　the　place　where　the　Bruttian　commander；　according　to
agreement；　was　to　admit　the　Romans；　gave　an　account　of　the　whole
matter　to　Fabius；　who　thought　it　not　safe　to　rely　wholly　upon　the
plot；　but；　while　proceeding　with　secrecy　to　the　post；　gave　order　for　a
general　assault　to　be　made　on　the　other　side　of　the　town；　both　by　land
and　sea。　This　being　accordingly　executed；　while　the　Tarentines　hurried
to　defend　the　town　on　the　side　attacked；　Fabius　received　the　signal
from　the　Bruttian；　scaled　the　walls；　and　entered　the　town　unopposed。
　　Here；　we　must　confess；　ambition　seems　to　have　overcome　him。　To
make　it　appear　to　the　world　that　he　had　taken　Tarentum　by　force　and
his　own　prowess；　and　not　by　treachery；　he　commanded　his　men　to　kill
the　Bruttians　before　all　others；　yet　he　did　not　succeed　in
establishing　the　impression　he　desired；　but　merely　gained　the
character　of　perfidy　and　cruelty。　Many　of　the　Tarentines　were　also
killed；　and　thirty　thousand　of　them　were　sold　for　slaves；　the　army　had
the　plunder　of　the　town；　and　there　was　brought　into　the　treasury　three
thousand　talents。　Whilst　they　were　carrying　off　everything　else　as
plunder；　the　officer　who　took　the　inventory　asked　what　should　be
done　with　their　gods；　meaning　the　pictures　and　statues；　Fabius
answered；　〃Let　us　leave　their　angry　gods　to　the　Tarentines。〃
Nevertheless；　he　removed　the　colossal　statue　of　Hercules；　and　had　it
set　up　in　the　Capitol；　with　one　of　himself　on　horseback；　in　brass；
near　it；　proceedings　very　different　from　those　of　Marcellus　on　a
like　occasion；　and　which；　indeed；　very　much　set　off　in　the　eyes　of　the
world　his　clemency　and　humanity；　as　appears　in　the　account　of　his
life。
　　Hannibal；　it　is　said；　was　within　five　miles　of　Tarentum；　when　he　was
informed　that　the　town　was　taken。　He　said　openly；　〃Rome　then　has
also　got　a　Hannibal；　as　we　won　Tarentum；　so　have　we　lost　it。〃　And；
in　private　with　some　of　his　confidants；　he　told　them；　for　the　first
time；　that　he　always　thought　it　difficult；　but　now　he　held　it
impossible；　with　the　forces　he　then　had；　to　master　Italy。
　　Upon　this　success；　Fabius　had　a　triumph　decreed　him　at　Rome；　much
more　splendid　than　his　first；　they　looked　upon　him　now　as　a　champion
who　had　learned　to　cope　with　his　antagonist；　and　could　now　easily　foil
his　arts　and　prove　his　best　skill　ineffectual。　And；　indeed；　the　army
of　Hannibal　was　at　this　time　partly　worn　away　with　continual　action；
and　partly　weakened　and　become　dissolute　with　overabundance　and
luxury。　Marcus　Livius；　who　was　governor　of　Tarentum　when　it　was
betrayed　to　Hannibal；　and　then　retired　into　the　citadel；　which　he　kept
till　the　town　was　retaken；　was　annoyed　at　these　honours　and
distinctions；　and；　on　one　occasion；　openly　declared　in　the　senate；
that　by　his　resistance；　more　than　by　any　action　of　Fabius；　Tarentum
had　been　recovered；　on　which　Fabius　laughingly　replied：　〃You　say
very　true；　for　if　Marcus　Livius　had　not　lost　Tarentum；　Fabius
Maximus　had　never　recovered　it。〃　The　people；　amongst　other　marks　of
gratitude；　gave　his　son　the　consulship　of　the　next　year；　shortly　after
whose　entrance　upon　his　office；　there　being　some　business　on　foot
about　provision　for　the　war；　his　father；　either　by　reason　of　age　and
infirmity；　or　perhaps　out　of　design　to　try　his　son；　came　up　to　him
on　horseback。　While　he　was　still　at　a　distance；　the　young　consul
observed　it；　and　bade　one　of　his　lictors　command　his　father　to　alight；
and　tell　him　if　he　had　any　business　with　the　consul；　he　should　come　on
foot。　The　standers…by　seemed　offended　at　the　imperiousness　of　the
son　towards　a　father　so　venerable　for　his　age　and　his　authority；　and
turned　their　eyes　in　silence　towards　Fabius。　He；　however；　instantly
alighted　from　his　horse；　and　with　open　arms　came　up；　almost　running；
and　embraced　his　son；　saying；　〃Yes；　my　son；　you　do　well；　and
understand　well　what　authority　you　have　received；　and　over　whom　you
are　to　use　it。　This　was　the　way　by　which　we　and　our　forefathers
advanced　the　dignity　of　Rome；　preferring　ever　her　honour　and　service
to　our　own　fathers　and　children。〃
　　And；　in　fact；　it　is　told　that　the　great…grandfather　of　our　Fabius；
who　was　undoubtedly　the　greatest　man　of　Rome　in　his　time；　both　in
reputation　and　authority；　who　had　been　five　times　consul；　and　had　been
honoured　with　several　triumphs　for　victories　obtained　by　him；　took
pleasure　in　serving　as　lieutenant　under　his　own　son；　when　he　went　as
consul　to　his　command。　And　when　afterwards　his　son　had　a　triumph
bestowed　upon　him　for　his　good　service；　the　old　man　followed；　on
horseback；　his　triumphant　chariot；　as　one　of　his　attendants；　and
made　it　his　glory；　that　while　he　really　was；　and　was　acknowledged　to
be；　the　greatest　man　in　Rome；　and　held　a　father's　full　power　over
his　son；　he　yet　submitted　himself　to　the　laws　and　the　magistrate。
　　But　the　praises　of　our　Fabius　are　not　bounded　here。　He　afterwards
lost　his　son；　and　was　remarkable　for　bearing　the　loss　with　the
moderation　becoming　a　pious　father　and　a　wise　man；　and　as　it　was　the
custom　amongst　the　Romans；　upon　the　death　of　any　illustrious　person；
to　have　a　funeral　oration　recited　by　some　of　the　nearest　relation