caius marius-第6章

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tumultuous　night　engagement。　But　the　enemy　did　not　stir　either　this
night　or　the　next　day；　but　were　employed　in　disposing　and　drawing
themselves　up　to　the　greatest　advantage。
　　Of　this　occasion　Marius　made　good　use；　for　there　were　beyond　the
enemies　some　wooded　ascents　and　deep　valleys　thickly　set　with　trees；
whither　he　sent　Claudius　Marcellus；　secretly；　with　three　thousand
regular　soldiers；　giving　him　orders　to　post　them　in　ambush　there；
and　show　themselves　at　the　rear　of　the　enemies　when　the　fight　was
begun。　The　others；　refreshed　with　victuals　and　sleep；　as　soon　as　it
was　day　he　drew　up　before　the　camp；　and　commanded　the　horse　to　sally
out　into　the　plain；　at　the　sight　of　which　the　Teutones　could　not
contain　themselves　till　the　Romans　should　come　down　and　fight　them
on　equal　terms；　but　hastily　arming　themselves；　charged　in　their　fury
up　the　hillside。　Marius；　sending　officers　to　all　parts；　commanded
his　men　to　stand　still　and　keep　their　ground；　when　they　came　within
reach；　to　throw　their　javelins；　then　use　their　swords；　and　joining
their　shields；　force　them　back；　pointing　out　to　them　that　the
steepness　of　the　ground　would　render　the　enemy's　blows　inefficient；
nor　could　their　shields　be　kept　close　together；　the　inequality　of
the　ground　hindering　the　stability　of　their　footing。
　　This　counsel　he　gave　them；　and　was　the　first　that　followed　it；　for
he　was　inferior　to　none　in　the　use　of　his　body；　and　far　excelled　all
in　resolution。　The　Romans　accordingly　stood　for　their　approach；　and；
checking　them　in　their　advance　upwards；　forced　them　little　by　little
to　give　way　and　yield　down　the　hill；　and　here；　on　the　level　ground；　no
sooner　had　the　Ambrones　begun　to　restore　their　van　into　a　posture　of
resistance；　but　they　found　their　rear　disordered。　For　Marcellus　had
not　let　slip　the　opportunity；　but　as　soon　as　the　shout　was　raised
among　the　Romans　on　the　hills；　he；　setting　his　men　in　motion；　fell
in　upon　the　enemy　behind；　at　full　speed；　and　with　loud　cries；　and
routed　those　nearest　him；　and　they；　breaking　the　ranks　of　those　that
were　before　them；　filled　the　whole　army　with　confusion。　They　made　no
long　resistance　after　they　were　thus　broke　in　upon；　but　having　lost
all　order；　fled。
　　The　Romans；　pursuing　them；　slew　and　took　prisoners　above　one　hundred
thousand；　and　possessing　themselves　of　their　spoil；　tents；　and
carriages；　voted　all　that　was　not　purloined　to　Marius's　share；
which；　though　so　magnificent　a　present；　yet　was　generally　thought　less
than　his　conduct　deserved　in　so　great　a　danger。　Other　authors　give　a
different　account；　both　about　the　division　of　the　plunder　and　the
number　of　the　slain。　They　say；　however；　that　the　inhabitants　of
Massilia　made　fences　round　their　vineyards　with　the　bones；　and　that
the　ground；　enriched　by　the　moisture　of　the　putrefied　bodies　（soaked
with　the　rain　of　the　following　winter）；　yielded　at　the　season　a
prodigious　crop；　and　fully　justified　Archilochus；　who　said；　that　the
fallows　thus　are　fattened。　It　is　an　observation；　also；　that
extraordinary　rains　pretty　generally　fall　after　great　battles；　whether
it　be　that　some　divine　power　thus　washes　and　cleanses　the　polluted
earth　with　showers　from　above；　or　that　moist　and　heavy　evaporations；
steaming　forth　from　the　blood　and　corruption；　thicken　the　air；　which
naturally　is　subject　to　alteration　from　the　smallest　causes。
　　After　the　battle；　Marius　chose　out　from　amongst　the　barbarians'
spoils　and　arms　those　that　were　whole　and　handsome；　and　that　would
make　the　greatest　show　in　his　triumph；　the　rest　he　heaped　upon　a　large
pile；　and　offered　a　very　splendid　sacrifice。　Whilst　the　army　stood
round　about　with　their　arms　and　garlands；　himself　attired　（as　the
fashion　is　on　such　occasions）　in　the　purple…bordered　robe；　and
taking　a　lighted　torch；　and　with　both　hands　lifting　it　up　towards
heaven；　he　was　then　going　to　put　it　to　the　pile；　when　some　friends
were　espied　with　all　haste　coming　towards　him　on　horseback。　Upon　which
every　one　remained　in　silence　and　expectation。　They；　upon　their　coming
up；　leapt　off　and　saluted　Marius；　bringing　him　the　news　of　his　fifth
consulship；　and　delivered　him　letters　to　that　effect。　This　gave　the
addition　of　no　small　joy　to　the　solemnity；　and　while　the　soldiers
clashed　their　arms　and　shouted；　the　officers　again　crowned　Marius　with
a　laurel　wreath；　and　he　thus　set　fire　to　the　pile；　and　finished　his
sacrifice。
　　But　whatever　it　be　which　interferes　to　prevent　the　enjoyment　of
prosperity　ever　being　pure　and　sincere；　and　still　diversifies　human
affairs　with　the　mixture　of　good　and　bad；　whether　fortune　or　divine
displeasure；　or　the　necessity　of　the　nature　of　things；　within　a　few
days　Marius　received　an　account　of　his　colleague；　Catulus；　which；　as　a
cloud　in　serenity　and　calm；　terrified　Rome　with　the　apprehension　of
another　imminent　storm。　Catulus；　who　marched　against　the　Cimbri；
despairing　of　being　able　to　defend　the　passes　of　the　Alps；　lest；　being
compelled　to　divide　his　forces　into　several　parties；　he　should
weaken　himself；　descended　again　into　Italy；　and　posted　his　army　behind
the　river　Adige；　where　he　occupied　the　passages　with　strong
fortifications　on　both　sides　the　river；　and　made　a　bridge；　that　so
he　might　cross　to　the　assistance　of　his　men　on　the　other　side；　if　so
be　the　enemy；　having　forced　their　way　through　the　mountain　passes；
should　storm　the　fortresses。　The　barbarians；　however；　came　on　with
such　insolence　and　contempt　of　their　enemies；　that　to　show　their
strength　and　courage；　rather　than　out　of　any　necessity；　they　went
naked　in　the　showers　of　snow；　and　through　the　ice　and　deep　snow
climbed　up　to　the　tops　of　the　hills；　and　from　thence；　placing　their
broad　shields　under　their　bodies；　let　themselves　slide　from　the
precipices　along　their　vast　slippery　descents。
　　When　they　had　pitched　their　camp　at　a　little　distance　from　the
river；　and　surveyed　the　passage；　they　began　to　pile　it　up；　giant…like；
tearing　down　the　neighbouring　hills；　and　brought　trees　pulled　up　by
the　roots；　and　heaps　of　earth　to　the　river；　damming　up　its　course；　and
with　great　heavy　materials　which　they　rolled　down　the　stream　and
dashed　against　the　bridge；　they　forced　away　the　beams　which
supported　it；　in　consequence　of　which　the　greatest　part　of　the　Roman
soldiers；　much　affrighted；　left　the　camp　and　fled。　Here　Catulus　showed
himself　a　generous　and　noble　general；　in　preferring　the　glory　of　his
people　before　his　own；　for　when　he　could　not　prevail　with　his　soldiers
to　stand　to　their　colours；　but　saw　how　they　all　deserted　them；　he
commanded　his　own　standard　to　be　taken　up；　and　running　to　the　foremost
of　those　that　fled；　he　led　them　forward；　choosing　rather　that　the
disgrace　should　fall　upon　himself　than　upon　his　country；　and　that　they
should　not　seem　to　fly；　but；　following　their　captain；　to　make　a
retreat。　The　barbarians　assaulted　and　took　the　fortress　on　the　other
side　the　Adige；　where　much　admiring　the　few　Romans　there　left；　who　had
shown　extreme　courage；　and　had　fought　worthily　of　their　country；
they　dismissed　them　upon　terms；　swearing　them　upon　their　brazen
bull；　which　was　afterwards　taken　in　the　battle；　and　carried；　they　say；
to　Catulus's　house；　as　the　chief　trophy　of　victory。
　　Thus　falling　in　upon　the　country　destitute　of　defence；　they　wasted
it　on　all　sides。　Marius　was　presently　sent　for　to　the　city；　where；
when　he　arrived；　every　one　supposing　he　would　triumph；　the　senate；
too；　unanimously　voting　it；　he　himself　did　not　think　it　convenient：
whether　that　he　were　not　willing　to　deprive　his　soldiers　and
officers　of　their　share　of　the　glory；　or　that；　to　encourage　the　people
in　this　juncture；　he　would　leave　the　honour　due　to　his　past　victory　on
trust；　as　it　were；　in　the　hands　of　the　city　and　its　future　fortune；
deferring　it　now　to　receive　it　afterwards　with　the　greater
splendour。　Having　left　such　orders　as　the　occasion　required；　he
hastened　to　Catulus；　whose　drooping　spirits　he　much　raised；　and　sent
for　his　own　army　from　Gaul；　and　as　soon　as　it　came；　passing　the
river　Po；　he　endeavoured　to　keep　the　barbarians　out　of　that　part　of
Italy　which　lies　south　of　it。
　　They　professed　they　were　in　expectation　of　the　Teutones；　and
saying　they　wondered　they　were　so　long　in　coming　de