flamininus-第6章

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tortoise　out　of　its　shell。〃　Again；　when　he　and　Philip　first　met　to
treat　of　a　cessation　and　peace；　the　latter　complaining　that　Titus　came
with　a　mighty　train；　while　he　himself　came　alone　and　unattended；
〃Yes；〃　replied　Titus；　〃you　have　left　yourself　alone　by　killing　your
friends。〃　At　another　time；　Dinocrates；　the　Messenian；　having　drunk　too
much　at　a　merry…meeting　in　Rome；　danced　there　in　woman's　clothes；
and　the　next　day　addressed　himself　to　Titus　for　assistance　in　his
design　to　get　Messene　out　of　the　hands　of　the　Achaeans。　〃This；〃
replied　Titus；　〃will　be　matter　for　consideration；　my　only　surprise
is　that　a　man　with　such　purposes　on　his　hands　should　be　able　to
dance　and　sing　at　drinking　parties。〃　When；　again；　the　ambassadors　of
Antiochus　were　recounting　to　those　of　Achaea　the　various　multitudes
composing　their　royal　master's　forces；　and　ran　over　a　long　catalogue
of　hard　names；　〃I　supped　once；〃　said　Titus；　〃with　a　friend；　and
could　not　forbear　expostulating　with　him　at　the　number　of　dishes　he
had　provided；　and　said　I　wondered　where　he　had　furnished　himself
with　such　a　variety；　'Sir；'　replied　he；　'to　confess　the　truth；　it　is
all　hog's　flesh　differently　cooked。'　And　so；　men　of　Achaea；　when　you
are　told　of　Antiochus's　lancers；　and　pikemen；　and　foot…guards；　I
advise　you　not　to　be　surprised；　since　in　fact　they　are　all　Syrians；
differently　armed。〃
　　After　his　achievements　in　Greece；　and　when　the　war　with　Antiochus
was　at　an　end；　Titus　was　created　censor；　the　most　eminent　office；　and；
in　a　manner；　the　highest　preferment；　in　the　commonwealth。　The　son　of
Marcellus；　who　had　been　five　times　consul；　was　his　colleague。　These；
by　virtue　of　their　office；　cashiered　four　senators　of　no　great
distinction；　and　admitted　to　the　roll　of　citizens　all　freeborn
residents。　But　this　was　more　by　constraint　than　their　own　choice；
for　Terentius　Culeo；　then　tribune　of　the　people；　to　spite　the
nobility；　spurred　on　the　populace　to　order　it　to　be　done。　At　this
time；　the　two　greatest　and　most　eminent　persons　in　the　city；　Africanus
Scipio　and　Marcus　Cato；　were　at　variance。　Titus　named　Scipio　first
member　of　the　senate；　and　involved　himself　in　a　quarrel　with　Cato；
on　the　following　unhappy　occasion。　Titus　had　a　brother；　Lucius
Flamininus；　very　unlike　him　in　all　points　of　character；　and；　in
particular；　low　and　dissolute　in　his　pleasures；　and　flagrantly
regardless　of　all　decency。　He　kept　as　a　companion　a　boy　whom　he　used
to　carry　about　with　him；　not　only　when　he　had　troops　under　his　charge；
but　even　when　the　care　of　a　province　was　committed　to　him。　One　day
at　a　drinking…bout；　when　the　youngster　was　wantoning　with　Lucius；　〃I
love　you；　sir；　so　dearly；〃　said　he；　〃that　preferring　your　satisfaction
to　my　own；　I　came　away　without　seeing　the　gladiators；　though　I　have
never　seen　a　man　killed　in　my　life。〃　Lucius；　delighted　with　what　the
boy　said；　answered；　〃Let　not　that　trouble　you；　I　can　satisfy　that
longing；〃　and　with　that　orders　a　condemned　man　to　be　fetched　out　of
the　prison；　and　the　executioner　to　be　sent　for；　and　commands　him　to
strike　off　the　man's　head；　before　they　rose　from　table。　Valerius
Antias　only　so　far　varies　the　story　as　to　make　it　a　woman　for　whom
he　did　it。　But　Livy　says　that　in　Cato's　own　speech　the　statement　is
that　a　Gaulish　deserter　coming　with　his　wife　and　children　to　the　door；
Lucius　took　him　into　the　banqueting…room；　and　killed　him　with　his
own　hand；　to　gratify　his　paramour。　Cato；　it　is　probable；　might　say
this　by　way　of　aggravation　of　the　crime；　but　that　the　slain　was　no
such　fugitive；　but　a　prisoner；　and　one　condemned　to　die；　not　to
mention　other　authorities；　Cicero　tells　us　in　his　treatise　on　Old　Age；
where　he　brings　in　Cato；　himself；　giving　that　account　of　the　matter。
　　However；　this　is　certain；　Cato；　during　his　censorship；　made　a　severe
scrutiny　into　the　senators'　lives　in　order　to　the　purging　and
reforming　the　house；　and　expelled　Lucius；　though　he　had　been　once
consul　before；　and　though　the　punishment　seemed　to　reflect　dishonour
on　his　brother　also。　Both　of　them　presented　themselves　to　the　assembly
of　the　people　in　a　suppliant　manner；　not　without　tears　in　their
eyes；　requesting　that　Cato　might　show　the　reason　and　cause　of　his
fixing　such　a　stain　upon　so　honourable　a　family。　The　citizens
thought　it　a　modest　and　moderate　request。　Cato；　however；　without　any
retraction　or　reserve；　at　once　came　forward；　and　standing　up　with
his　colleague　interrogated　Titus　as　to　whether　he　knew　the　story　of
the　supper。　Titus　answered　in　the　negative；　Cato　related　it；　and
challenged　Lucius　to　a　formal　denial　of　it。　Lucius　made　no　reply；
whereupon　the　people　adjudged　the　disgrace　just　and　suitable；　and
waited　upon　Cato　home　from　the　tribunal　in　great　state。　But　Titus
still　so　deeply　resented　his　brother's　degradation；　that　he　allied
himself　with　those　who　had　long　borne　a　grudge　against　Cato；　and
winning　over　a　major　part　of　the　senate；　he　revoked　and　made　void
all　the　contracts；　leases；　and　bargains　made　by　Cato；　relating　to
public　revenues；　and　also　got　numerous　actions　and　accusations　brought
against　him；　carrying　on　against　a　lawful　magistrate　and　excellent
citizens；　for　the　sake　of　one　who　was　indeed　his　relation；　but　was
unworthy　to　be　so；　and　had　but　gotten　his　deserts；　a　course　of
bitter　and　violent　attacks；　which　it　would　be　hard　to　say　were
either　right　or　patriotic。　Afterwards；　however；　at　a　public
spectacle　in　the　theatre；　at　which　the　senators　appeared　as　usual；
sitting；　as　became　their　rank；　in　the　first　seats；　when　Lucius　was
spied　at　the　lower　end；　seated　in　a　mean；　dishonourable　place；　it　made
a　great　impression　upon　the　people；　nor　could　they　endure　the　sight；
but　kept　calling　out　to　him　to　move；　until　he　did　move；　and　went　in
among　those　of　consular　dignity；　who　received　him　into　their　seats。
　　This　natural　ambition　of　Titus　was　well　enough　looked　upon　by　the
world　whilst　the　wars　we　have　given　a　relation　of　afforded　competent
fuel　to　feed　it；　as；　for　instance；　when　after　the　expiration　of　his
consulship；　he　had　a　command　as　military　tribune；　which　nobody　pressed
upon　him。　But　being　now　out　of　all　employ　in　the　government；　and
advanced　in　years；　he　showed　his　defects　more　plainly；　allowing
himself；　in　this　inactive　remainder　of　life；　to　be　carried　away　with
the　passion　for　reputation；　as　uncontrollably　as　any　youth。　Some
such　transport；　it　is　thought；　betrayed　him　into　a　proceeding
against　Hannibal；　which　lost　him　the　regard　of　many。　For　Hannibal；
having　fled　his　country；　first　took　sanctuary　with　Antiochus；　but
he；　having　been　glad　to　obtain　a　peace；　after　the　battle　in　Phrygia；
Hannibal　was　put　to　shift　for　himself；　by　a　second　flight；　and；
after　wandering　through　many　countries；　fixed　at　length　in　Bithynia；
proffering　his　service　to　King　Prusias。　Every　one　at　Rome　knew　where
he　was；　but　looked　upon　him；　now　in　his　weakness　and　old　age；　with
no　sort　of　apprehension；　as　one　whom　fortune　had　quite　cast　off。
Titus；　however；　coming　thither　as　ambassador；　though　he　was　sent
from　the　senate　to　Prusias　upon　another　errand；　yet　seeing　Hannibal
resident　there；　it　stirred　up　resentment　in　him　to　find　that　he　was
yet　alive。　And　though　Prusias　used　much　intercession　and　entreaties　in
favour　of　him；　as　his　suppliant　and　familiar　friend；　Titus　was　not
to　be　entreated。　There　was　an　ancient　oracle；　it　seems；　which
prophesied　thus　of　Hannibal's　end：…

　　　　　　　　〃Libyssan　earth　shall　Hannibal　inclose。〃

He　interpreted　this　to　be　meant　of　the　African　Libya；　and　that　he
should　be　buried　in　Carthage；　as　if　he　might　yet　expect　to　return
and　end　his　life　there。　But　there　is　a　sandy　place　in　Bithynia；
bordering　on　the　sea；　and　near　it　a　little　village　called　Libyssa。
It　was　Hannibal's　chance　to　be　staying　here；　and；　having　ever　from　the
beginning　had　a　distrust　of　the　easiness　and　cowardice　of　Prusias；　and
a　fear　of　the　Romans；　he　had；　long　before；　ordered　seven　underground
passages　to　be　dug　from　his　house；　leading　from　his　lodging　and
running　a　considerable　distance　in　various　opposite　directions；　all
undiscernible　from　without。　As　soon；　therefore；　as　he　heard　what　Titus
had　ordered；　he　attempted　to　make　his　escape　through　these　mines；
but　finding　them　bese