flamininus-第5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！


few　encounters　upon　the　confines　of　his　native　district；　should　be
spoken　of　in　terms　of　equality　with　a　Roman　consul；　waging　war　as
the　protector　of　Greece　in　general。　But；　besides；　Titus　was　not
without　an　apology　too　for　what　he　did；　namely；　that　he　put　an　end
to　the　war　only　when　he　foresaw　that　the　tyrant's　destruction　must
have　been　attended　with　the　ruin　of　the　other　Spartans。
　　The　Achaeans；　by　various　decrees；　did　much　to　show　Titus　honour：
none　of　these　returns；　however；　seemed　to　come　up　to　the　height　of　the
actions　that　merited　them；　unless　it　were　one　present　they　made　him；
which　affected　and　pleased　him　beyond　all　the　rest；　which　was　this。
The　Romans；　who　in　the　war　with　Hannibal　had　the　misfortune　to　be
taken　captives；　were　sold　about　here　and　there；　and　dispersed　into
slavery；　twelve　hundred　in　number　were　at　that　time　in　Greece。　The
reverse　of　their　fortune　always　rendered　them　objects　of　compassion；
but　more　particularly；　as　well　might　be；　when　they　now　met；　some
with　their　sons；　some　with　their　brothers；　others　with　their
acquaintance；　slaves　with　their　free；　and　captives　with　their
victorious　countrymen。　Titus；　though　deeply　concerned　on　their　behalf；
yet　took　none　of　them　from　their　masters　by　constraint。　But　the
Achaeans；　redeeming　them　at　five　pounds　a　man；　brought　them　altogether
into　one　place；　and　made　a　present　of　them　to　him；　as　he　was　just
going　on　shipboard；　so　that　he　now　sailed　away　with　the　fullest
satisfaction；　his　generous　actions　having　procured　him　as　generous
returns；　worthy　a　brave　man　and　a　lover　of　his　country。　This　seemed
the　most　glorious　part　of　all　his　succeeding　triumph；　for　these
redeemed　Romans　（as　it　is　the　custom　for　slaves；　upon　their
manumission；　to　shave　their　heads　and　wear　felt　hats）　followed　in　that
habit　in　the　procession。　To　add　to　the　glory　of　this　show；　there
were　the　Grecian　helmets；　the　Macedonian　targets　and　long　spears；
borne　with　the　rest　of　the　spoils　in　public　view；　besides　vast　sums　of
money；　Tuditanus　says；　3；713　pounds　weight　of　massy　gold；　43；270　of
silver；　14；514　pieces　of　coined　gold；　called　Philippics；　which　was　all
over　and　above　the　thousand　talents　which　Philip　owed；　and　which　the
Romans　were　afterwards　prevailed　upon；　chiefly　by　the　mediation　of
Titus；　to　remit　to　Philip；　declaring　him　their　ally　and　confederate；
and　sending　him　home　his　hostage　son。
　　Shortly　after；　Antiochus　entered　Greece　with　a　numerous　fleet　and
a　powerful　army；　soliciting　the　cities　there　to　sedition　and　revolt；
abetted　in　all　and　seconded　by　the　Aetolians；　who　for　this　long　time
had　borne　a　grudge　and　secret　enmity　to　the　Romans；　and　now
suggested　to　him；　by　the　way　of　a　cause　and　pretext　of　war；　that　he
came　to　bring　the　Greeks　liberty。　When；　indeed；　they　never　wanted　it
less；　as　they　were　free　already；　but；　in　lack　of　really　honourable
grounds；　he　was　instructed　to　employ　these　lofty　professions。　The
Romans；　in　the　interim；　in　the　great　apprehension　of　revolutions　and
revolt　in　Greece；　and　of　his　great　reputation　for　military　strength；
despatched　the　consul　Manius　Acilius　to　take　the　charge　of　the　war；
and　Titus；　as　his　lieutenant；　out　of　regard　to　the　Greeks：　some　of
whom　he　no　sooner　saw；　but　he　confirmed　them　in　the　Roman　interests；
others；　who　began　to　falter；　like　a　timely　physician；　by　the　use　of
the　strong　remedy　of　their　own　affection　for　himself；　he　was　able　to
arrest　in　the　first　stage　of　the　disease；　before　they　had　committed
themselves　to　any　great　error。　Some　few　there　were　whom　the
Aetolians　were　beforehand　with；　and　had　so　wholly　perverted　that　he
could　do　no　good　with　them；　yet　these；　however　angry　and　exasperated
before；　he　saved　and　protected　when　the　engagement　was　over。　For
Antiochus；　receiving　a　defeat　at　Thermopylae；　not　only　fled　the　field；
but　hoisted　sail　instantly　for　Asia。　Manius；　the　consul；　himself
invaded　and　besieged　a　part　of　the　Aetolians；　while　King　Philip　had
permission　to　reduce　the　rest。　Thus　while；　for　instance；　the　Dolopes
and　Magnesians　on　the　one　hand；　the　Athamanes　and　Aperantians　on　the
other；　were　ransacked　by　the　Macedonians；　and　while　Manius　laid
Heraclea　waste；　and　besieged　Naupactus；　then　in　the　Aetolians'
hands；　Titus；　still　with　a　compassionate　care　for　Greece；　sailed
across　from　Peloponnesus　to　the　consul：　and　began　first　of　all　to
chide　him；　that　the　victory　should　be　owing　alone　to　his　arms；　and　yet
he　should　suffer　Philip　to　bear　away　the　prize　and　profit　of　the
war；　and　set　wreaking　his　anger　upon　a　single　town；　whilst　the
Macedonians　overran　several　nations　and　kingdoms。　But　as　he　happened
to　stand　then　in　view　of　the　besieged；　they　no　sooner　spied　him　out；
but　they　call　to　him　from　their　wall；　they　stretch　forth　their
hands；　they　supplicate　and　entreat　him。　At　the　time；　he　said　not　a
word　more；　but　turning　about　with　tears　in　his　eyes；　went　his　way。
Some　little　while　after　he　discussed　the　matter　so　effectually　with
Manius；　that　he　won　him　over　from　his　passion；　and　prevailed　with
him　to　give　a　truce　and　time　to　the　Aetolians　to　send　deputies　to　Rome
to　petition　the　senate　for　terms　of　moderation。
　　But　the　hardest　task；　and　that　which　put　Titus　to　the　greatest
difficulty；　was　to　entreat　with　Manius　for　the　Chalcidians；　who　had
incensed　him　on　account　of　a　marriage　which　Antiochus　had　made　in
their　city；　even　whilst　the　war　was　on　foot；　a　match　noways　suitable
in　point　of　age；　he　an　elderly　man　being　enamoured　with　a　mere　girl；
and　as　little　proper　for　the　time；　in　the　midst　of　a　war。　She　was
the　daughter　of　one　Cleoptolemus；　and　is　said　to　have　been　wonderfully
beautiful。　The　Chalcidians；　in　consequence；　embraced　the　king's
interests　with　zeal　and　alacrity；　and　let　him　make　their　city　the
basis　of　his　operations　during　the　war。　Thither；　therefore；　he　made
with　all　speed；　when　he　was　routed　and　fled；　and　reaching　Chalcis；
without　making　any　stay；　taking　this　young　lady；　and　his　money　and
friends　with　him；　away　he　sails　to　Asia。　And　now　Manius's
indignation　carrying　him　in　all　haste　against　the　Chalcidians；　Titus
hurried　after　him；　endeavouring　to　pacify　and　to　entreat　him；　and　at
length　succeeded　both　with　him　and　the　chief　men　among　the　Romans。
　　The　Chalcidians；　thus　owing　their　lives　to　Titus；　dedicated　to　him
all　the　best　and　most　magnificent　of　their　sacred　buildings；
inscriptions　upon　which　may　be　seen　to　run　thus　to　this　day：　THE
PEOPLE　DEDICATE　THIS　GYMNASIUM　TO　TITUS　AND　TO　HERCULES；　so　again：　THE
PEOPLE　CONSECRATE　THE　DELPHINIUM　TO　TITUS　AND　TO　HERCULES；　and　what　is
yet　more；　even　in　our　time；　a　priest　of　Titus　was　formerly　elected　and
declared；　and　after　sacrifice　and　libation；　they　sing　a　set　song；　much
of　which　for　the　length　of　it　we　omit；　but　shall　transcribe　the
closing　verses…

　　　　　　　　〃The　Roman　Faith；　whose　aid　of　yore
　　　　　　　　　Our　vows　were　offered　to　implore；
　　　　　　　　　We　worship　now　and　evermore。
　　　　　　　　　To　Rome；　to　Titus；　and　to　Jove；
　　　　　　　　　O　maidens；　in　the　dances　move。
　　　　　　　　　Dances　and　Io…Paeans　too
　　　　　　　　　Unto　the　Roman　Faith　are　due；
　　　　　　　　　O　Saviour　Titus；　and　to　you。〃

Other　parts　of　Greece　also　heaped　honours　upon　him　suitable　to　his
merits；　and　what　made　all　those　honours　true　and　real；　was　the
surprising　goodwill　and　affection　which　his　moderation　and　equity　of
character　had　won　for　him。　For　if　he　were　at　any　time　at　variance　with
anybody　in　matters　of　business；　or　out　of　emulation　and　rivalry　（as
with　Philopoemen；　and　again　with　Diophanes；　when　in　office　as
general　of　the　Achaeans）；　his　resentment　never　went　far；　nor　did　it
ever　break　out　into　acts；　but　when　it　had　vented　itself　in　some
citizen…like　freedom　of　speech；　there　was　an　end　of　it。　In　fine；
nobody　charged　malice　or　bitterness　upon　his　nature；　though　many
imputed　hastiness　and　levity　to　it；　in　general；　he　was　the　most
attractive　and　agreeable　of　companions；　and　could　speak；　too；　both
with　grace　and　forcibly。　For　instance；　to　divert　the　Achaeans　from　the
conquest　of　the　isle　of　Zacynthus；　〃If；〃　said　he；　〃they　put　their　head
too　far　out　of　Peloponnesus；　they　may　hazard　themselves　as　much　as　a
tortoise　out　of　its　shell。〃　Again；　when　he　and　Philip　first　met　to
treat　of　a　cessation　and　peace；　the　latter　c