marcellus-第7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！


from　all　fear；　at　Rome　Marcellus　was　evil　spoken　of。　His　detractors
induced　Publicius　Bibulus；　tribune　of　the　people；　an　eloquent　and
violent　man；　to　undertake　his　accusation。　He；　by　assiduous
harangues；　prevailed　upon　the　people　to　withdraw　from　Marcellus　the
command　of　the　army；　〃Seeing　that　Marcellus；〃　said　he；　〃after　brief
exercise　in　the　war；　has　withdrawn　as　it　might　be　from　the　wrestling
ground　to　the　warm　baths　to　refresh　himself。〃　Marcellus；　on　hearing
this；　appointed　lieutenants　over　his　camp　and　hasted　to　Rome　to　refute
the　charges　against　him：　and　there　found　ready　drawn　up　an　impeachment
consisting　of　these　calumnies。　At　the　day　prefixed；　in　the　Flaminian
circus；　into　which　place　the　people　had　assembled　themselves；
Bibulus　rose　and　accused　him。　Marcellus　himself　answered；　briefly
and　simply；　but　the　first　and　most　approved　men　of　the　city　spoke
largely　and　in　high　terms；　very　freely　advising　the　people　not　to　show
themselves　worse　judges　than　the　enemy；　condemning　Marcellus　of
timidity；　from　whom　alone　of　all　their　captains　the　enemy　fled；　and　as
perpetually　endeavoured　to　avoid　fighting　with　him　as　to　fight　with
others。　When　they　made　an　end　of　speaking；　the　accuser's　hope　to
obtain　judgment　so　far　deceived　him；　that　Marcellus　was　not　only
absolved；　but　the　fifth　time　created　consul。
　　No　sooner　had　he　entered　upon　this　consulate；　but　he　suppressed　a
great　commotion　in　Etruria；　that　had　proceeded　near　to　revolt；　and
visited　and　quieted　the　cities。　Then；　when　the　dedication　of　the
temple；　which　he　had　vowed　out　of　his　Sicilian　spoils　to　Honour　and
Virtue；　was　objected　to　by　the　priests；　because　they　denied　that　one
temple　could　be　lawfully　dedicated　to　two　gods；　he　began　to　adjoin
another　to　it；　resenting　the　priests'　opposition；　and　almost
converting　the　thing　into　an　omen。　And；　truly；　many　other　prodigies
also　affrighted　him；　some　temples　had　been　struck　with　lightning；
and　in　Jupiter's　temple　mice　had　gnawed　the　gold：　it　was　reported；
also；　that　an　ox　had　spoken；　and　that　a　boy　had　been　born　with　a
head　like　an　elephant's。　All　which　prodigies　had　indeed　been
attended　to；　but　due　reconciliation　had　not　been　obtained　from　the
gods。　The　aruspices　therefore　detained　him　at　Rome；　glowing　and
burning　with　desire　to　return　to　the　war。　For　no　man　was　ever　inflamed
with　so　great　desire　of　anything　as　was　he　to　fight　a　battle　with
Hannibal。　It　was　the　subject　of　his　dreams　in　the　night；　the　topic
of　all　his　consultations　with　his　friends　and　familiars；　nor　did　he
present　to　the　gods　any　other　wish；　but　that　he　might　meet　Hannibal　in
the　field。　And　I　think　that　he　would　most　gladly　have　set　upon　him；
with　both　armies　environed　within　a　single　camp。　Had　he　not　been
even　loaded　with　honours；　and　had　he　not　given　proofs　in　many　ways
of　his　maturity　of　judgment　and　of　prudence　equal　to　that　of　any
commander；　you　might　have　said　that　he　was　agitated　by　a　youthful
ambition；　above　what　became　a　man　of　that　age；　for　he　had　passed　the
sixtieth　year　of　his　life　when　he　began　his　fifth　consulship。
　　The　sacrifices　having　been　offered；　and　all　that　belonged　to　the
propitiation　of　the　gods　performed；　according　to　the　prescription　of
the　diviners；　he　at　last　with　his　colleague　went　forth　to　carry　on　the
war。　He　tried　all　possible　means　to　provoke　Hannibal；　who　at　that　time
had　a　standing　camp　betwixt　Bantia　and　Venusia。　Hannibal　declined　an
engagement；　but　having　obtained　intelligence　that　some　troops　were
on　their　way　to　the　town　of　Locri　Epizephyrii；　placing　an　ambush　under
the　little　hill　of　Petelia；　he　slew　two　thousand　five　hundred
soldiers。　This　incensed　Marcellus　to　revenge；　and　he　therefore　moved
nearer　Hannibal。　Betwixt　the　two　camps　was　a　little　hill；　a
tolerably　secure　post；　covered　with　wood；　it　had　steep　descents　on
either　side；　and　there　were　springs　of　water　seen　trickling　down。　This
place　was　so　fit　and　advantageous　that　the　Romans　wondered　that
Hannibal；　who　had　come　thither　before　them；　had　not　seized　upon　it；
but　had　left　it　to　the　enemies。　But　to　him　the　place　had　seemed
commodious　indeed　for　a　camp；　but　yet　more　commodious　for　an
ambuscade；　and　to　that　use　he　chose　to　put　it。　So　in　the　wood　and
the　hollows　he　hid　a　number　of　archers　and　spearmen；　confident　that
the　commodiousness　of　the　place　would　allure　the　Romans。　Nor　was　he
deceived　in　his　expectation。　For　presently　in　the　Roman　camp　they
talked　and　disputed；　as　if　they　had　all　been　captains；　how　the　place
ought　to　be　seized；　and　what　great　advantage　they　should　thereby
gain　upon　the　enemies；　chiefly　if　they　transferred　their　camp　thither；
at　any　rate；　if　they　strengthened　the　place　with　a　fort。　Marcellus
resolved　to　go；　with　a　few　horse；　to　view　it。　Having　called　a
diviner　he　proceeded　to　sacrifice。　In　the　first　victim　the　aruspex
showed　him　the　liver　without　a　head；　in　the　second　the　head　appeared
of　unusual　size；　and　all　the　other　indications　highly　promising。
When　these　seemed　sufficient　to　free　them　from　the　dread　of　the
former；　the　diviners　declared　that　they　were　all　the　more　terrified　by
the　latter；　because　entrails　too　fair　and　promising；　when　they
appear　after　others　that　are　maimed　and　monstrous；　render　the　change
doubtful　and　suspicious。　But…

　　　　　　　　　〃Nor　fire　nor　brazen　wall　can　keep　out　fate；〃

as　Pindar　observes。　Marcellus；　therefore；　taking　with　him　his
colleague　Crispinus；　and　his　son；　a　tribune　of　soldiers；　with　two
hundred　and　twenty　horse　at　most　（among　whom　there　was　not　one
Roman；　but　all　were　Etruscans；　except　forty　Fregellans；　of　whose
courage　and　fidelity　he　had　on　all　occasions　received　full　proof）；
goes　to　view　the　place。　The　hill　was　covered　with　woods　all　over；　on
the　top　of　it　sat　a　scout　concealed　from　the　sight　of　the　enemy；　but
having　the　Roman　camp　exposed　to　his　view。　Upon　signs　received　from
him；　the　men　that　were　placed　in　ambush　stirred　not　till　Marcellus
came　near；　and　then　all　starting　up　in　an　instant；　and　encompassing
him　from　all　sides；　attacked　him　with　darts；　struck　about　and
wounded　the　backs　of　those　that　fled；　and　pressed　upon　those　who
resisted。　These　were　the　forty　Fregellans。　For　though　the　Etruscans
fled　in　the　very　beginning　of　the　fight；　the　Fregellans　formed
themselves　into　a　ring；　bravely　defending　the　consuls；　till　Crispinus；
struck　with　two　darts；　turned　his　horse　to　fly　away；　and　Marcellus's
side　was　run　through　with　a　lance　with　a　broad　head。　Then　the
Fregellans；　also；　the　few　that　remained　alive；　leaving　the　fallen
consul；　and　rescuing　young　Marcellus；　who　also　was　wounded；　got　into
the　camp　by　flight。　There　were　slain　not　much　above　forty；　five
lictors　and　eighteen　horsemen　came　alive　into　the　enemy's　hands。
Crispinus　also　died　of　his　wounds　a　few　days　after。　Such　a　disaster　as
the　loss　of　both　consuls　in　a　single　engagement　was　one　that　had　never
before　befallen　the　Romans。
　　Hannibal；　little　valuing　the　other　events；　as　soon　as　he　was　told　of
Marcellus's　death；　immediately　hasted　to　the　hill。　Viewing　the　body；
and　continuing　for　some　time　to　observe　its　strength　and　shape；　he
allowed　not　a　word　to　fall　from　him　expressive　of　the　least　pride　or
arrogancy；　nor　did　he　show　in　his　countenance　any　sign　of　gladness；　as
another　perhaps　would　have　done；　when　his　fierce　and　troublesome　enemy
had　been　taken　away；　but　amazed　by　so　sudden　and　unexpected　an　end；
taking　off　nothing　but　his　ring；　gave　order　to　have　the　body
properly　clad　and　adorned　and　honourably　burned。　The　relics　put　into　a
silver　urn；　with　a　crown　of　gold　to　cover　it；　he　sent　back　to　his　son。
But　some　of　the　Numidians；　setting　upon　these　that　were　carrying　the
urn；　took　it　from　them　by　force；　and　cast　away　the　bones；　which
being　told　to　Hannibal；　〃It　is　impossible；　it　seems　then；〃　he　said；
〃to　do　anything　against　the　will　of　God！〃　He　punished　the　Numidians；
but　took　no　further　care　of　sending　or　re…collecting　the　bones；
conceiving　that　Marcellus　so　fell；　and　so　lay　unburied；　by　a　certain
fate。　So　Cornelius　Nepos　and　Vaerius　Maximus　have　left　upon　record：
but　Livy　and　Augustus　Caesar　affirm　that　the　urn　was　brought　to　his
son；　and　honoured　with　a　magnificent　funeral。　Besides　the　monuments
raised　for　him　at　Rome；　there　was　dedicated　to　his　memory　at　Catana；
in　Sicily；　an　ample　wrestling　place　called　after　him；　statues　and
pictures；　out　of　those　he　took　from　Syracuse；　were　set　up　in
Samothrace；　in　the　temple　of　the　gods；　named　Cabiri；　and　in　that　of
Minerva　at　Lindus；　where　also　there　was　a　statue　of　him；　says
Posidonius；　with　the　following　inscription：…

　　　　　　　　　〃This　was；　O　stranger；　once　Rome's　star　divine；
　　　　　　　　　　Claudius　Marcellus　of　an　ancient　line；
　　　　　　　　　　To　fight　her　wars　seven　times　her　consul　made；
　　　　　　　　　　Low　in　the　dust　her　enemies　he　laid。〃

The　writer　of　the　inscription　has　added　to　Marcellus's　five　consulates
his　two　proconsulates。　His　progeny　continued　in　high　honour　even
down　to　Marcellus；　son　of　Octavia；　sister　of　Augustus；　whom　she　bore
to　her　husband　Caius　Marcellus；　and　who　died　a　bridegroom；　in　the　year
of　his　Aedileship；　having　not　long　before　married　Caesar's　daughter。
His　mother；　Octavia；　dedicated　the　library　to　his　honour　and　memory；
and　Caesar　the　theatre　which　bears　his　name。




　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　END