flamininus-第4章

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Macedonians；　restored　the　Corinthians；　Locrians；　Phocians；　Euboeans；
Achaeans　of　Phthiotis；　Magnetians；　Thessalians；　and　Perrhaebians　to
their　own　lands；　laws；　and　liberties；　remitting　all　impositions　upon
them；　and　withdrawing　all　garrisons　from　their　cities。　At　first；
many　heard　not　at　all；　and　others　not　distinctly；　what　was　said；　but
there　was　a　confused　and　uncertain　stir　among　the　assembled　people；
some　wondering；　some　asking；　some　calling　out　to　have　it　proclaimed
again。　When；　therefore；　fresh　silence　was　made；　the　crier　raising
his　voice；　succeeded　in　making　himself　generally　heard；　and　recited
the　decree　again。　A　shout　of　joy　followed　it；　so　loud　that　it　was
heard　as　far　as　the　sea。　The　whole　assembly　rose　and　stood　up；　there
was　no　further　thought　of　the　entertainment；　all　were　only　eager　to
leap　up　and　salute　and　address　their　thanks　to　the　deliverer　and
champion　of　Greece。　What　we　often　hear　alleged；　in　proof　of　the
force　of　human　voices；　was　actually　verified　upon　this　occasion。　Crows
that　were　accidentally　flying　over　the　course　fell　down　dead　into
it。　The　disruption　of　the　air　must　be　the　cause　of　it；　for　the
voices　being　numerous；　and　the　acclamation　violent；　the　air　breaks
with　it　and　can　no　longer　give　support　to　the　birds；　but　lets　them
tumble；　like　one　that　should　attempt　to　walk　upon　a　vacuum；　unless
we　should　rather　imagine　them　to　fall　and　die；　shot　with　the　noise
as　a　dart。　It　is　possible；　too；　that　there　may　be　a　circular　agitation
of　the　air；　which；　like　marine　whirlpools；　may　have　a　violent
direction　of　this　sort　given　to　it　from　the　excess　of　its　fluctuation。
　　But　for　Titus；　the　sports　being　now　quite　at　an　end；　so　beset　was　he
on　every　side；　and　by　such　multitudes；　that　had　he　not；　foreseeing　the
probable　throng　and　concourse　of　the　people；　timely　withdrawn；　he
would　scarce；　it　is　thought；　have　ever　got　clear　of　them。　When　they
had　tired　themselves　with　acclamations　all　about　his　pavilion；　and
night　was　now　come；　wherever　friends　or　fellow…citizens　met；　they
joyfully　saluted　and　embraced　each　other；　and　went　home　to　feast　and
carouse　together。　And　there；　no　doubt；　redoubling　their　joy；　they
began　to　recollect　and　talk　of　the　state　of　Greece；　what　wars　she
had　incurred　in　defence　of　her　liberty；　and　yet　was　never　perhaps
mistress　of　a　more　settled　or　grateful　one　than　this　which　other　men's
labours　had　won　for　her；　almost　without　one　drop　of　blood；　or　one
citizen's　loss　to　be　mourned　for；　she　had　this　day　had　put　into　her
hands　the　most　glorious　of　rewards；　and　best　worth　the　contending　for。
Courage　and　wisdom　are；　indeed；　rarities　amongst　men；　but　of　all
that　is　good；　a　just　man　it　would　seem　is　the　most　scarce。　Such　as
Agesilaus；　Lysander；　Nicias；　and　Alcibiades；　knew　how　to　play　the
general's　part；　how　to　manage　a　war；　how　to　bring　off　their　men
victorious　by　land　and　sea；　but　how　to　employ　that　success　to　generous
and　honest　purposes　they　had　not　known。　For　should　a　man　except　the
achievement　at　Marathon；　the　sea…fight　at　Salamis；　the　engagements
at　Plataea　and　Thermopylae；　Cimon's　exploits　at　Eurymedon；　and　on
the　coasts　of　Cyprus；　Greece　fought　all　her　battles　against；　and　to
enslave；　herself；　she　erected　all　her　trophies　to　her　own　shame　and
misery；　and　was　brought　to　ruin　and　desolation　almost　wholly　by　the
guilt　and　ambition　of　her　great　men。　A　foreign　people；　appearing
just　to　retain　some　embers；　as　it　were；　some　faint　remainders　of　a
common　character　derived　to　them　from　their　ancient　sires；　a　nation
from　whom　it　was　a　mere　wonder　that　Greece　should　reap　any　benefit
by　word　or　thought；　these　are　they　who　have　retrieved　Greece　from
her　severest　dangers　and　distresses；　have　rescued　her　out　of　the　hands
of　insulting　lords　and　tyrants；　and　reinstated　her　in　her　former
liberties。
　　Thus　they　entertained　their　tongues　and　thoughts：　whilst　Titus　by
his　actions　made　good　what　had　been　proclaimed。　For　he　immediately
despatched　away　Lentulus　to　Asia；　to　set　the　Bargylians　free；
Titillius　to　Thrace；　to　see　the　garrisons　of　Philip　removed　out　of　the
towns　and　islands　there；　while　Publius　Villius　set　sail；　in　order　to
treat　with　Antiochus　about　the　freedom　of　the　Greeks　under　him。
Titus　himself　passed　on　to　Chalcis；　and　sailing　thence　to　Magnesia；
dismantled　the　garrisons　there；　and　surrendered　the　government　into
the　people's　hands。　Shortly　after；　he　was　appointed　at　Argos　to
preside　in　the　Nemean　games；　and　did　his　part　in　the　management　of
that　solemnity　singularly　well；　and　made　a　second　publication　there　by
the　crier　of　liberty　to　the　Greeks；　and；　visiting　all　the　cities；　he
exhorted　them　to　the　practice　of　obedience　to　law；　of　constant
justice；　and　unity；　and　friendship　one　towards　another。　He
suppressed　their　factions；　brought　home　their　political　exiles；　and；
in　short；　his　conquest　over　the　Macedonians　did　not　seem　to　give　him　a
more　lively　pleasure；　than　to　find　himself　prevalent　in　reconciling
Greeks　with　Greeks；　so　that　their　liberty　seemed　now　the　least　part　of
the　kindness　he　conferred　upon　them。
　　The　story　goes；　that　when　Lycurgus　the　orator　had　rescued　Xenocrates
the　philosopher　from　the　collectors　who　were　hurrying　him　away　to
prison　for　non…payment　of　the　alien　tax；　and　had　them　punished　for　the
licence　they　had　been　guilty　of；　Xenocrates　afterwards　meeting　the
children　of　Lycurgus；　〃My　sons；〃　said　he；　〃I　am　nobly　repaying　your
father　for　his　kindness；　he　has　the　praises　of　the　whole　people　in
return　for　it。〃　But　the　returns　which　attended　Titus　Quintius　and
the　Romans；　for　their　beneficence　to　the　Greeks；　terminated　not　in
empty　praises　only；　for　these　proceedings　gained　them；　deservedly；
credit　and　confidence；　and　thereby　power；　among　all　nations；　for
many　not　only　admitted　the　Roman　commanders；　but　even　sent　and
entreated　to　be　under　their　protection；　neither　was　this　done　by
popular　governments　alone；　or　by　single　cities；　but　kings　oppressed　by
kings　cast　themselves　into　these　protecting　hands。　Insomuch　that　in
a　very　short　time　（though　perchance　not　without　divine　influence　in
it）　all　the　world　did　homage　to　them。　Titus　himself　thought　more
highly　of　his　liberation　of　Greece　than　of　any　other　of　his　actions；
as　appears　by　the　inscription　with　which　he　dedicated　some　silver
targets；　together　with　his　own　shield；　to　Apollo　at　Delphi：…

　　　　　　　　〃Ye　Spartan　Tyndarids；　twin　sons　of　Jove；
　　　　　　　　　Who　in　swift　horsemanship　have　placed　your　love；
　　　　　　　　　Titus；　of　great　Aeneas's　race；　leaves　this
　　　　　　　　　In　honour　of　the　liberty　of　Greece。〃

He　offered　also　to　Apollo　a　golden　crown；　with　this　inscription：…

　　　　　　　　〃This　golden　crown　upon　thy　locks　divine；
　　　　　　　　　O　blest　Latonia's　son；　was　set　to　shine
　　　　　　　　　By　the　great　captain　of　the　Aenean　name。
　　　　　　　　　O　Phoebus；　grant　the　noble　Titus　fame！

　　The　same　event　has　twice　occurred　to　the　Greeks　in　the　city　of
Corinth。　Titus；　then；　and　Nero　again　in　our　days；　both　at　Corinth；　and
both　alike　at　the　celebration　of　the　Isthmian　games；　permitted　the
Greeks　to　enjoy　their　own　laws　and　liberty。　The　former　（as　has　been
said）　proclaimed　it　by　the　crier；　but　Nero　did　it　in　the　public
meeting…place　from　the　tribunal；　in　a　speech　which　he　himself　made
to　the　people。　This；　however；　was　long　after。
　　Titus　now　engaged　in　a　most　gallant　and　just　war　upon　Nabis；　that
most　profligate　and　lawless　tyrant　of　the　Lacedaemonians；　but　in　the
end　disappointed　the　expectations　of　the　Greeks。　For　when　he　had　an
opportunity　of　taking　him；　he　purposely　let　it　slip；　and　struck　up　a
peace　with　him；　leaving　Sparta　to　bewail　an　unworthy　slavery；
whether　it　were　that　he　feared；　if　the　war　should　be　protracted；
Rome　would　send　a　new　general　who　might　rob　him　of　the　glory　of　it；　or
that　emulation　and　envy　of　Philopoemen　（who　had　signalized　himself
among　the　Greeks　upon　all　other　occasions；　but　in　that　war
especially　had　done　wonders　both　for　matter　of　courage　and　counsel；
and　whom　the　Achaeans　magnified　in　their　theatres；　and　put　into　the
same　balance　of　glory　with　Titus）；　touched　him　to　the　quick；　and
that　he　scorned　that　an　ordinary　Arcadian；　who　had　commanded　in　a
few　encounters　upon　the　confines　of　his　native　district；　should　be
spoken　of