antony-第9部分

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！


s　upon　them　as　they　moved　slowly　down。　But　the　full…armed　infantry；　facing　round；　received　the　light　troops　within；　and　those　in　the　first　rank　knelt　on　one　knee；　holding　their　shields　before　them；　the　next　rank　holding　theirs　over　the　first；　and　so　again　others　over　these；　much　like　the　tiling　of　a　house；　or　the　rows　of　seats　in　a　theatre；　the　whole　affording　sure　defence　against　arrows；　which　glanced　upon　them　without　doing　any　harm。　The　Parthians；　seeing　the　Romans　down　upon　their　knees；　could　not　imagine　but　that　it　must　proceed　from　weariness；　so　that　they　laid　down　their　bows；　and；　taking　their　spears；　made　a　fierce　onset；　when　the　Romans；　with　a　great　cry；　leaped　upon　their　feet；　striking　hand　to　hand　with　their　javelins；　slew　the　foremost；　and　put　the　rest　to　flight。　After　this　rate　it　was　every　day；　and　the　trouble　they　gave　made　the　marches　short；　in　addition　to　which　famine　began　to　be　felt　in　the　camp；　for　they　could　get　but　little　corn；　and　that　which　they　got　they　were　forced　to　fight　for；　and；　besides　this；　they　were　in　want　of　implements　to　grind　it　and　make　bread。　For　they　had　left　almost　all　behind；　the　baggage　horses　being　dead　or　otherwise　employed　in　carrying　the　sick　and　wounded。　Provision　was　so　scarce　in　the　army　that　an　Attic　quart　of　wheat　sold　for　fifty　drachmas；　and　barley　loaves　for　their　weight　in　silver。　And　when　they　tried　vegetables　and　roots；　they　found　such　as　are　commonly　eaten　very　scarce；　so　that　they　were　constrained　to　venture　upon　any　they　could　get；　and；　among　others；　they　chanced　upon　an　herb　that　was　mortal；　first　taking　away　all　sense　an　understanding。　He　that　had　eaten　of　it　remembered　nothing　in　the　world；　and　employed　himself　only　in　moving　great　stones　from　one　place　to　another；　which　he　did　with　as　much　earnestness　and　industry　as　if　it　had　been　a　business　of　the　greatest　consequence。　Through　all　the　camp　there　was　nothing　to　be　seen　but　men　grubbing　upon　the　ground　at　stones；　which　they　carried　from　place　to　place。　But　in　the　end　they　threw　up　bile　and　died；　as　wine；　moreover；　which　was　the　one　antidote；　failed。　When　Antony　saw　them　die　so　fast；　and　the　Parthians　still　in　pursuit；　he　was　heard　to　exclaim　several　times　over；　〃O；　the　Ten　Thousand！〃　as　if　in　admiration　of　the　retreat　of　the　Greeks；　with　Xenophon；　who；　when　they　had　a　longer　journey　to　make　from　Babylonia；　and　a　more　powerful　enemy　to　deal　with；　nevertheless　came　home　safe。　　　The　Parthians；　finding　that　they　could　not　divide　the　Roman　army；　nor　break　the　order　of　their　battle；　and　that　withal　they　had　been　so　often　worsted；　once　more　began　to　treat　the　foragers　with　professions　of　humanity；　they　came　up　to　them　with　their　bows　unbent；　telling　them　that　they　were　going　home　to　their　houses；　that　this　was　the　end　of　their　retaliation；　and　that　only　some　Median　troops　would　follow　for　two　or　three　days；　not　with　any　design　to　annoy　them；　but　for　the　defence　of　some　of　the　villages　further　on。　And；　saying　this；　they　saluted　them　and　embraced　them　with　a　great　show　of　friendship。　This　made　the　Romans　full　of　confidence　again；　and　Antony；　on　hearing　of　it；　was　more　disposed　to　take　the　road　through　the　level　country；　being　told　that　no　water　was　to　be　hoped　for　on　that　through　the　mountains。　But　while　he　was　preparing　thus　to　do；　Mithridates　came　into　the　camp；　a　cousin　to　Monaeses；　of　whom　we　related　that　he　sought　refuge　with　the　Romans；　and　received　in　gift　from　Antony　three　cities。　Upon　his　arrival；　he　desired　somebody　might　be　brought　to　him　that　could　speak　Syriac　or　Parthian。　One　Alexander；　of　Antioch；　a　friend　of　Antony's；　was　brought　to　him；　to　whom　the　stranger；　giving　his　name；　and　mentioning　Monaeses　as　the　person　who　desired　to　do　the　kindness；　put　the　question；　did　he　see　that　high　range　of　hills　pointing　at　some　distance。　He　told　him；　yes。　〃It　is　there；〃　said　he；　〃the　whole　Parthian　army　lie　in　wait　for　your　passage；　for　the　great　plains　come　immediately　up　to　them；　and　they　expect　that；　confiding　in　their　promises；　you　will　leave　the　way　of　the　mountains；　and　take　the　level　route。　It　is　true　that　in　passing　over　the　mountains　you　will　suffer　the　want　of　water；　and　the　fatigue　to　which　you　have　become　familiar；　but　if　you　pass　through　the　plains；　Antony　must　expect　the　fortune　of　Crassus。〃　　　This　said；　he　departed。　Antony；　in　alarm　calling　his　friends　in　council；　sent　for　the　Mardian　guide；　who　was　of　the　same　opinion。　He　told　them　that；　with　or　without　enemies；　the　want　of　any　certain　track　in　the　plain；　and　the　likelihood　of　their　losing　their　way；　were　quite　objection　enough；　the　other　route　was　rough　and　without　water；　but　then　it　was　but　for　a　day。　Antony；　therefore；　changing　his　mind；　marched　away　upon　this　road　that　night；　commanding　that　every　one　should　carry　water　sufficient　for　his　own　use；　but　most　of　them　being　unprovided　with　vessels；　they　made　shift　with　their　helmets；　and　some　with　skins。　As　soon　as　they　started；　the　news　of　it　was　carried　to　the　Parthians；　who　followed　them；　contrary　to　their　custom；　through　the　night；　and　at　sunrise　attacked　the　rear；　which　was　tired　with　marching　and　want　of　sleep；　and　not　in　condition　to　make　any　considerable　defence。　For　they　had　got　through　two　hundred　and　forty　furlongs　a　night；　and　at　the　end　of　such　a　march　to　find　the　enemy　at　their　heels　put　them　out　of　heart。　Besides；　having　to　fight　for　every　step　of　the　way　increased　their　distress　from　thirst。　Those　that　were　in　the　van　came　up　to　a　river；　the　water　of　which　was　extremely　cool　and　clear；　but　brackish　and　medicinal；　and；　on　being　drunk；　produced　immediate　pains　in　the　bowels　and　a　renewed　thirst。　Of　this　the　Mardian　had　forewarned　them；　but　they　could　not　forbear；　and；　beating　back　those　that　opposed　them；　they　drank　of　it。　Antony　ran　from　one　place　to　another；　begging　they　would　have　a　little　patience；　that　not　far　off　there　was　a　river　of　wholesome　water；　and　that　the　rest　of　the　way　was　so　difficult　for　the　horse　that　the　enemy　could　pursue　them　no　further；　and；　saying　this；　he　ordered　to　sound　a　retreat　to　call　those　back　that　were　engaged；　and　commanded　the　tents　should　be　set　up；　that　the　soldiers　might　at　any　rate　refresh　themselves　in　the　shade。　　　But　the　tents　were　scarce　well　put　up；　and　the　Parthians　beginning；　according　to　their　custom；　to　withdraw；　when　Mithridates　came　again　to　them；　and　informed　Alexander；　with　whom　he　had　before　spoken；　that　he　would　do　well　to　advise　Antony　to　stay　where　he　was　no　longer　than　needs　he　must；　that；　after　having　refreshed　his　troops；　he　should　endeavour　with　all　diligence　to　gain　the　next　river；　that　the　Parthians　would　not　cross　it；　but　so　far　they　were　resolved　to　follow　them。　Alexander　made　his　report　to　Antony；　who　ordered　a　quantity　of　gold　plate　to　be　carried　to　Mithridates；　who；　taking　as　much　as　he　could　well　hide　under　his　clothes；　went　his　way。　And；　upon　this　advice；　Antony；　while　it　was　yet　day；　broke　up　his　camp；　and　the　whole　army　marched　forward　without　receiving　any　molestation　from　the　Parthians；　though　that　night　by　their　own　doing　was　in　effect　the　most　wretched　and　terrible　that　they　passed。　For　some　of　the　men　began　to　kill　and　plunder　those　whom　they　suspected　to　have　any　money；　ransacked　the　baggage；　and　seized　the　money　there。　In　the　end；　they　laid　hands　on　Antony's　own　equipage；　and　broke　all　his　rich　tables　and　cups；　dividing　the　fragments　amongst　them。　Antony；　hearing　such　a　noise　and　such　a　stirring　to　and　fro　all　through　the　army；　the　belief　prevailing　that　the　enemy　had　routed　and　cut　off　a　portion　of　the　troops；　called　for　one　of　his　freedmen；　then　serving　as　one　of　his　guards；　Rhamnus　by　name；　and　made　him　take　an　oath　that　whenever　he　should　give　him　orders；　he　would　run　his　sword　through　his　body　and　cut　off　his　head；　that　he　might　not　fall　alive　into　the　hands　of　the　Parthians；　nor；　when　dead；　be　recognized　as　the　general。　While　he　was　in　this　consternation；　and　all　his　friends　about　him　in　tears；　the　Mardian　came　up　and　gave　them　all　new　life。　He　convinced　them；　by　the　coolness　and　humidity　of　the　air；　which　they　could　feel　in　breathing　it；　that　the　river　which　he　had　spoken　of　was　now　not　far　off；　and　the　calculation　of　the　time　that　had　been　required　to　reach　it　came；　he　said；　to　the　same　result；　for　the　night　was　almost　spent。　And；　at　the　same　time；　others　came　with　information　that　all　the　confusion　in　the　camp　proceeded　only　from　their　own　violence　and　robbery　among　themselves。　To　compose　this　tumult；　and　bring　them　again　into　some　order　after　their　distraction；　he　commanded　the　signal　to　be　given　for　a　halt。　　　Day　began　to　break；　and　quiet　and　regularity　were　just　reappearing；　when　the　Parthian　arrows　began　to　fly　among　the　rear；　and　the　light…armed　troops　were　ordered　out　to　battle。　And；　being　seconded　by　the　heavy　infantry；　who　covered　one　another　as　before　described　with　their　shields；　they　bravely　received　the　enemy；　who　did　not　think　convenient　to　advance　any　further；　while　the　van　of　the　army；　marching　forward　leisurely　in　this　manner；　came　in　sight　of　the　river；　and　Antony；　drawing　up　the　cavalry　on　the　banks　to　confront　the　enemy；　first　passed　over　the　sick　and　wounded。　And；　by　this　time；　even　those　who　were　engaged　with　the　enemy　had　opportunity　to　drink　at　their　ease；　for　the　Parthians；　on　seeing　the　river；　unbent　their　bows；　and　told　the　Romans　they　might　pass　over　freely；　and　made　them　great　compliments　in　praise　of　their　valour。　Having　crossed　without　molestation；　they　rested　themselves　awhile；　and　presently　went　forward；　not　giving　perfect　credit　to　the　fair　words　of　their　enemies。　Six　days　after　this　last　battle；　they　arrived　at　the　river　Araxes；　which　divides　Media　and　Armenia；　and　seemed；　both　by　its　deepness　and　the　violence　of　the　current；　to　be　very　dangerous　to　pass。　A　report；　also；　had　crept　in　amongst　them；　that　the　enemy　was　in　ambush；　ready　to　set　upon　them　as　soon　as　they　should　be　occupied　with　their　passage。　But　when　they　were　got　over　on　the　other　side；　and　found　themselves　in　Armenia；　just　as　if　land　was　now　sighted　after　a　storm　at　sea；　they　kissed　the　ground　for　joy；　shedding　tears　and　embracing　each　other　in　their　delight。　But　taking　their　journey　through　a　land　that　abounded　in　all　sorts　of　plenty；　they　ate；　after　their　long　want；　with　that　excess　of　everything　they　met　with　that　they　su