flamininus-第3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！


haste；　not　observing　what　he　did）；　mounted　an　eminence　outside　their
camp；　which　proved　to　be　a　burying…place；　and　much　disturbed　by　the
despondency　that　seized　his　army　at　the　unluckiness　of　the　omen；　all
that　day　kept　in　his　camp；　and　declined　fighting。
　　But　on　the　morrow；　as　day　came　on；　after　a　soft　and　rainy　night；　the
clouds　changing　into　a　mist　filled　all　the　plain　with　thick
darkness；　and　a　dense　foggy　air　descending；　by　the　time　it　was　full
day；　from　the　adjacent　mountains　into　the　ground　betwixt　the　two
camps；　concealed　them　from　each　other's　view。　The　parties　sent　out
on　either　side；　some　for　ambuscade；　some　for　discovery；　falling　in
upon　one　another　quickly　after　they　were　thus　detached；　began　the
fight　at　what　are　called　the　Cynos　Cephalae；　a　number　of　sharp　tops　of
hills　that　stand　close　to　one　another；　and　have　the　name　from　some
resemblance　in　their　shape。　Now　many　vicissitudes　and　changes
happening；　as　may　well　be　expected；　in　such　an　uneven　field　of　battle；
sometimes　hot　pursuit；　and　sometimes　as　rapid　a　flight；　the　generals
on　both　sides　kept　sending　in　succours　from　the　main　bodies；　as　they
saw　their　men　pressed　or　giving　ground；　till　at　length　the　heavens
clearing　up；　let　them　see　what　was　going　on；　upon　which　the　whole
armies　engaged。　Philip；　who　was　in　the　right　wing；　from　the
advantage　of　the　higher　ground　which　he　had；　threw　on　the　Romans　the
whole　weight　of　his　phalanx；　with　a　force　which　they　were　unable　to
sustain；　the　dense　array　of　spears；　and　the　pressure　of　the　compact
mass　overpowering　them。　But　the　king's　left　wing　being　broken　up　by
the　hilliness　of　the　place；　Titus　observing　it；　and　cherishing
little　or　no　hopes　on　that　side　where　his　own　gave　ground；　makes　in
all　haste　to　the　other；　and　there　charges　in　upon　the　Macedonians；
who；　in　consequence　of　the　inequality　and　roughness　of　the　ground；
could　not　keep　their　phalanx　entire；　nor　line　their　ranks　to　any　great
depth　（which　is　the　great　point　of　their　strength）；　but　were　forced　to
fight　man　for　man　under　heavy　and　unwieldy　armour。　For　the
Macedonian　phalanx　is　like　some　single　powerful　animal；　irresistible
so　long　as　it　is　embodied　into　one；　and　keeps　its　order；　shield
touching　shield；　all　as　in　a　piece；　but　if　it　be　once　broken；　not　only
is　the　joint　force　lost；　but　the　individual　soldiers　also　who　composed
it　lose　each　one　his　own　single　strength；　because　of　the　nature　of
their　armour；　and　because　each　of　them　is　strong；　rather；　as　he
makes　a　part　of　the　whole；　than　in　himself。　When　these　were　routed；
some　gave　chase　to　the　flyers；　others　charged　the　flanks　of　those
Macedonians　who　were　still　fighting；　so　that　the　conquering　wing；
also；　was　quickly　disordered；　took　to　flight；　and　threw　down　its　arms。
There　were　then　slain　no　less　than　eight　thousand；　and　about　five
thousand　were　taken　prisoners；　and　the　Aetolians　were　blamed　as　having
been　the　main　occasion　that　Philip　himself　got　safe　off。　For　whilst
the　Romans　were　in　pursuit；　they　fell　to　ravaging　and　plundering　the
camp；　and　did　it　so　completely；　that　when　the　others　returned；　they
found　no　booty　in　it。
　　This　bred　at　first　hard　words；　quarrels；　and　misunderstandings
betwixt　them。　But；　afterwards；　they　galled　Titus　more　by　ascribing　the
victory　to　themselves；　and　prepossessing　the　Greeks　with　reports　to
that　effect；　insomuch　that　poets；　and　people　in　general　in　the　songs
that　were　sung　or　written　in　honour　of　the　action；　still　ranked　the
Aetolians　foremost。　One　of　the　pieces　most　current　was　the　following
epigram：…

　　　　　　　　〃Naked　and　tombless　see；　O　passer…by；
　　　　　　　　　The　thirty　thousand　men　of　Thessaly；
　　　　　　　　　Slain　by　the　Aetolians　and　the　Latin　band；
　　　　　　　　　That　came　with　Titus　from　Italia's　land；
　　　　　　　　　Alas　for　mighty　Macedon！　that　day；
　　　　　　　　　Swift　as　a　roe；　King　Philip　fled　away。〃

This　was　composed　by　Alcaeus　in　mockery　of　Philip；　exaggerating　the
number　of　the　slain。　However；　being　everywhere　repeated；　and　by　almost
everybody；　Titus　was　more　nettled　at　it　than　Philip。　The　latter　merely
retorted　upon　Alcaeus　with　some　elegiac　verses　of　his　own：…

　　　　　　　　〃Naked　and　leafless　see；　O　passer…by；
　　　　　　　　　The　cross　that　shall　Alcaeus　crucify。〃

But　such　little　matters　extremely　fretted　Titus；　who　was　ambitious
of　a　reputation　among　the　Greeks；　and　he　therefore　acted　in　all
after…occurrences　by　himself；　paying　but　very　slight　regard　to　the
Aetolians。　This　offended　them　in　their　turn；　and　when　Titus　listened
to　terms　of　accommodation；　and　admitted　an　embassy　upon　the　proffers
of　the　Macedonian　king；　the　Aetolians　made　it　their　business　to
publish　through　all　the　cities　of　Greece；　that　this　was　the　conclusion
of　all；　that　he　was　selling　Philip　a　peace　at　a　time　when　it　was　in
his　hand　to　destroy　the　very　roots　of　the　war；　and　to　overthrow　the
power　which　had　first　inflicted　servitude　upon　Greece。　But　whilst　with
these　and　the　like　rumours　the　Aetolians　laboured　to　shake　the　Roman
confederates；　Philip；　making　overtures　of　submission　of　himself　and
his　kingdom　to　the　discretion　of　Titus　and　the　Romans；　put　an　end　to
those　jealousies；　as　Titus；　by　accepting　them；　did　to　the　war。　For
he　reinstated　Philip　in　his　kingdom　of　Macedon；　but　made　it　a
condition　that　he　should　quit　Greece；　and　that　he　should　pay　one
thousand　talents；　he　took　from　him　also　all　his　shipping；　save　ten
vessels　and　sent　away　Demetrius；　one　of　his　sons；　hostage　to　Rome；
improving　his　opportunity　to　the　best　advantage；　and　taking　wise
precautions　for　the　future。　For　Hannibal　the　African；　a　professed
enemy　to　the　Roman　name；　an　exile　from　his　own　country；　and　not　long
since　arrived　at　King　Antiochus's　court；　was　already　stimulating
that　prince；　not　to　be　wanting　to　the　good　fortune　that　had　been
hitherto　so　propitious　to　his　affairs；　the　magnitude　of　his
successes　having　gained　him　the　surname　of　the　Great。　He　had　begun
to　level　his　aim　at　universal　monarchy；　but　above　all　he　was　eager
to　measure　himself　with　the　Romans。　Had　not；　therefore；　Titus；　upon
a　principle　of　prudence　and　foresight；　lent　an　ear　to　peace；　and　had
Antiochus　found　the　Romans　still　at　war　in　Greece　with　Philip；　and　had
these　two；　the　most　powerful　and　warlike　princes　of　that　age；
confederated　for　their　common　interests　against　the　Roman　state；
Rome　might　once　more　have　run　no　less　a　risk；　and　been　reduced　to　no
less　extremities；　than　she　had　experienced　under　Hannibal。　But　now；
Titus　opportunely　introducing　this　peace　between　the　wars；　despatching
the　present　danger　before　the　new　one　had　arrived；　at　once
disappointed　Antiochus　of　his　first　hopes　and　Philip　of　his　last。
　　When　the　ten　commissioners；　delegated　to　Titus　from　the　senate；
advised　him　to　restore　the　rest　of　Greece　to　their　liberty；　but　that
Corinth；　Chalcis；　and　Demetrias　should　be　kept　garrisoned　for　security
against　Antiochus；　the　Aetolians　on　this；　breaking　out　into　loud
accusations；　agitated　all　the　cities；　calling　upon　Titus　to　strike　off
the　shackles　of　Greece　（so　Philip　used　to　term　those　three　cities）；
and　asking　the　Greeks　whether　it　were　not　matter　of　much　consolation
to　them　that；　though　their　chains　weighed　heavier；　yet　they　were　now
smoother　and　better　polished　than　formerly；　and　whether　Titus　were　not
deservedly　admired　by　them　as　their　benefactor；　who　had　unshackled　the
feet　of　Greece；　and　tied　her　up　by　the　neck；　Titus；　vexed　and　angry　at
this；　made　it　his　request　to　the　senate；　and　at　last　prevailed　in
it；　that　the　garrisons　in　these　cities　should　be　dismissed；　that　so
the　Greeks　might　be　no　longer　debtors　to　him　for　a　partial；　but　for　an
entire　favour。　It　was　now　the　time　of　the　celebration　of　the
Isthmian　games；　and　the　seats　around　the　racecourse　were　crowded
with　an　unusual　multitude　of　spectators；　Greece；　after　long　wars；
having　regained　not　only　peace；　but　hopes　of　liberty；　and　being　able
once　more　to　keep　holiday　in　safety。　A　trumpet　sounded　to　command
silence；　and　the　crier；　stepping　forth　amidst　the　spectators；　made
proclamation；　that　the　Roman　senate　and　Titus　Quintius；　the
proconsular　general；　having　vanquished　King　Philip　and　the
Macedonians；　restored　the　Corinthians；　Locrians；　Phocians；　Euboeans；
Achaeans　of　Phthiotis；　Magnetians；