the commonwealth of oceana-第71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！


e　ballot　of　the　same　with　great　unanimity　and　applause；　it　was　introduced　into　the　Senate；　where　it　passed　with　greater。　Wherefore　the　decree　being　forthwith　printed　and　published；　copies　were　returned　by　the　secretaries　to　the　phylarchs　（which　is　the　manner　of　promulgation）　and　the　commissioners　of　the　seal；　that　is　to　say；　the　Right　Honorable　Phosphorus　de　Auge　in　the　tribe　of　Eudia；　Dolabella　d'Enyo　in　the　tribe　of　Turmae；　and　Linceus　de　Stella　in　the　tribe　of　Nubia；　being　elected　proposers　pro　tempore；　bespoke　of　the　tribunes　a　muster　of　the　people　to　be　held　that　day　six　weeks；　which　was　the　time　allowed　for　promulgation　at　the　halo。　　　　　The　satisfaction　which　the　people　throughout　the　tribes　received　upon　promulgation　of　the　decree；　loaded　the　carriers　with　weekly　letters　between　friend　and　friend；　whether　magistrates　or　private　persons。　But　the　day　for　proposition　being　come；　and　the　prerogative　upon　the　place　appointed　in　discipline；　Sanguine　de　Ringwood　in　the　tribe　of　Saltum；　captain　of　the　Phoenix；　marched　by　order　of　the　tribunes　with　his　troop　to　the　piazza　of　the　Pantheon；　where　his　trumpets；　entering　into　the　great　hall；　by　their　blazon　gave　notice　of　his　arrival；　at　which　the　sergeant　of　the　house　came　down；　and　returning；　in　formed　the　proposers；　who　descending；　were　received　at　the　foot　of　the　stairs　by　the　captain；　and　attended　to　the　coaches　of　state；　with　which　Calcar　de　Gilvo　in　the　tribe　of　Phalera；　master　of　the　horse；　and　the　ballotins　upon　their　great　horses；　stood　waiting　at　the　gate。　　　　　The　proposers　being　in　their　coaches；　the　train　for　the　pomp；　the　same　that　is　used　at　the　reception　of　ambassadors；　proceeded　in　this　order。　In　the　front　marched　the　troop　with　the　cornet　in　the　van　and　the　captain　in　the　rear；　next　the　troop　came　the　twenty　messengers　or　trumpets；　the　ballotins　upon　the　curvet　with　their　usher　in　the　van；　and　the　master　of　the　horse　in　the　rear；　next　the　ballotins；　Bronchus　de　Rauco；　in　the　tribe　of　Bestia；　king　of　the　heralds；　with　his　fraternity　in　their　coats…of…arms；　and　next　to　Sir　Bronchus；　Boristhenes　de　Holiwater　in　the　tribe　of　Ave；　master　of　the　ceremonies；　the　mace　and　the　seal　of　the　chancery　went　immediately　before　the　coaches；　and　on　either　side；　the　doorkeepers　or　guard　of　the　Senate；　with　their　pole…axes；　accompanied　with　some　300　or　400　footmen　belonging　to　the　knights　or　senators；　the　trumpeters；　ballotins；　guards；　postilions；　coachmen　and　footmen；　being　very　gallant　in　the　liveries　of　the　commonwealth；　but　all；　except　the　ballotins；　without　hats；　in　lieu　whereof　they　wore　black　velvet　calots；　being　pointed　with　a　little　peak　at　the　forehead。　After　the　proposers　came　a　long　file　of　coaches　full　of　such　gentlemen　as　use　to　grace　the　commonwealth　upon　the　like　occasions。　In　this　posture　they　moved　slowly　through　the　streets　（affording；　in　the　gravity　of　the　pomp　and　the　welcomeness　of　the　end；　a　most　reverend　and　acceptable　prospect　to　the　people　all　the　way　from　the　Pantheon；　being　about　half　a　mile）　and　arrived　at　the　halo；　where　they　found　the　prerogative　in　a　close　body　environed　with　scaffolds　that　were　covered　with　spectators。　The　tribunes　received　the　proposers；　and　conducted　them　into　a　seat　placed　in　the　front　of　the　tribe；　like　a　pulpit；　but　that　it　was　of　some　length；　and　well　adorned　by　the　heralds　with　all　manner　of　birds　and　beasts；　except　that　they　were　ill…painted；　and　never　a　one　of　his　natural　color。　The　tribunes　were　placed　at　a　table　that　stood　below　the　long　seat；　those　of　the　horse　in　the　middle；　and　those　of　the　foot　at　either　end；　with　each　of　them　a　bowl　or　basin　before　him；　that　on　the　right　hand　being　white；　and　the　other　green：　in　the　middle　of　the　table　stood　a　third；　which　was　red。　And　the　housekeepers　of　the　pavilion；　who　had　already　delivered　a　proportion　of　linen　balls　or　pellets　to　every　one　of　the　tribe；　now　presented　boxes　to　the　ballotins。　But　the　proposers　as　they　entered　the　gallery；　or　long　seat；　having　put　off　their　hats　by　way　of　salutation；　were　answered　by　the　people　with　a　shout；　whereupon　the　younger　commissioners　seated　themselves　at　either　end；　and　the　first；　standing　in　the　middle；　spoke　after　this　manner：

〃MY　LORDS；　THE　PEOPLE　OF　OCEANA：　　　　　〃While　I　find　in　myself　what　a　felicity　it　is　to　salute　you　by　this　name；　and　in　every　face；　anointed　as　it　were　with　the　oil　of　gladness；　a　full　and　sufficient　testimony　of　the　like　sense；　to　go　about　to　feast　you　with　words；　who　are　already　filled　with　that　food　of　the　mind　which；　being　of　pleasing　and　wholesome　digestion；　takes　in　the　definition　of　true　joy；　were　a　needless　enterprise。　I　shall　rather　put　you　in　mind　of　that　thankfulness　which　is　due；　than　puff　you　up　with　anything　that　might　seem　vain。　Is　it　from　the　arms　of　flesh　that　we　derive　these　blessings？　Behold　the　Commonwealth　of　Rome　falling　upon　her　own　victorious　sword。　Or　is　it　from　our　own　wisdom；　whose　counsels　had　brought　it　even　to　that　pass；　that　we　began　to　repent　ourselves　of　victory？　Far　be　it　from　us；　my　lords；　to　sacrifice　to　our　own　nets；　which　we　ourselves　have　so　narrowly　escaped！　Let　us　rather　lay　our　mouths　in　the　dust；　and　look　up　（as　was　taught　the　other　day　when　we　were　better　instructed　in　this　lesson）　to　the　hills　with　our　gratitude。　Nevertheless；　seeing　we　read　how　God　upon　the　neglect　of　his　prophets　has　been　provoked　to　wrath；　it　must　needs　follow　that　he　expects　honor　should　be　given　to　them　by　whom　he　has　chosen　to　work　as　his　instruments。　For　which　cause；　nothing　doubting　of　my　warrant；　I　shall　proceed　to　that　which　more　particularly　concerns　the　present　occasion；　the　discovery　of　my　Lord　Archon's　virtues　and　merit；　to　be　ever　placed　by　this　nation　in　their　true　meridian。　　　　　〃My　lords；　I　am　not　upon　a　subject　which　persuades　me　to　balk；　but　necessitates　me　to　seek　out　the　greatest　examples。　To　begin　with　Alexander；　erecting　trophies　common　to　his　sword　and　the　pestilence：　to　what　good　of　mankind　did　he　infect　the　air　with　his　heap　of　carcasses？　The　sword　of　war；　if　it　be　any　otherwise　used　than　as　the　sword　of　magistracy；　for　the　fear　and　punishment　of　those　that　do　evil；　is　as　guilty　in　the　sight　of　God　as　the　sword　of　a　murderer；　nay　more；　for　if　the　blood　of　Abel；　of　one　innocent　man；　cried　in　the　ears　of　the　Lord　for　vengeance；　what　shall　the　blood　of　an　innocent　nation？　Of　this　kind　of　empire；　the　throne　of　ambition；　and　the　quarry　of　a　mighty　hunter；　it　has　been　truly　said　that　it　is　but　a　great　robbery。　But　if　Alexander　had　restored　the　liberty　of　Greece；　and　propagated　it　to　mankind；　he　had　done　like　my　Lord　Archon；　and　might　have　been　truly　called　the　Great。　Alexander　cared　not　to　steal　a　victory　that　would　be　given；　but　my　Lord　Archon　has　torn　away　a　victory　which　had　been　stolen；　while　we　went　tamely　yielding　up　obedience　to　a　nation　reaping　in　our　fields；　whose　fields　he　has　subjected　to　our　empire；　and　nailed　them　with　his　victorious　sword　to　their　native　Caucasus。　　　　　〃Machiavel　gives　a　handsome　caution：　'Let　no　man；'　says　he；　'be　circumvented　with　the　glory　of　Caesar；　from　the　false　reflection　of　their　pens；　who　through　the　longer　continuance　of　his　empire　in　the　name　than　in　the　family；　changed　their　freedom　for　flattery。　But　if　a　man　would　know　truly　what　the　Romans　thought　of　Caesar；　let　them　observe　what　they　said　of　Catiline。'〃　And　yet　by　how　much　he　who　has　perpetrated　some　heinous　crime　is　more　execrable　than　he　who　did　but　attempt　it；　by　so　much　is　Caesar　more　execrable　than　Catiline。　On　the　contrary；　let　him　that　would　know　what　ancient　and　heroic　times；　what　the　Greeks　and　Romans　would　both　have　thought　and　said　of　my　Lord　Archon；　observe　what　they　thought　and　said　of　Solon；　Lycurgus；　Brutus；　and　Publicola。　And　yet　by　how　much　his　virtue；　that　is　crowned　with　the　perfection　of　his　work；　is　beyond　theirs；　who　were　either　inferior　in　their　aim；　or　in　their　performance；　by　so　much　is　my　Lord　Archon　to　be　preferred　before　Solon；　Lycurgus；　Brutus；　and　Publicola。　　　　　〃Nor　will　we　shun　the　most　illustrious　example　of　Scipio：　this　hero；　though　never　so　little　less；　yet　was　he　not　the　founder　of　a　commonwealth；　and　for　the　rest；　allowing　his　virtue　to　have　been　of　the　most　untainted　ray　in　what　did　it　outshine　this　of　my　Lord　Archon？　But　if　dazzling　the　eyes　of　the　magistrate