太子爷小说网 > 英语电子书 > sylla >

第5节

sylla-第5节

小说: sylla 字数: 每页4000字

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!



with all the terrors of trumpets and cornets sounding; with the
triumphant shout and cry of an army let loose to spoil and
slaughter; and scouring through the streets with swords drawn。 There
was no numbering the slain; the amount is to this day conjectured only
from the space of ground overflowed with blood。 For without mentioning
the execution done in other quarters of the city; the blood that was
shed about the market…place spread over the whole Ceramicus within the
Double…gate; and; according to most writers; passed through the gate
and overflowed the suburb。 Nor did the multitudes which fell thus
exceed the number of those who; out of pity and love for their country
which they believed was now finally to perish; slew themselves; the
best of them; through despair of their country's surviving; dreading
themselves to survive; expecting neither humanity nor moderation in
Sylla。 At length; partly at the instance of Midias and Calliphon;
two exiled men; beseeching and casting themselves at his feet;
partly by the intercession of those senators who followed the camp;
having had his fill of revenge; and making some honourable mention
of the ancient Athenians; 〃I forgive;〃 said he; 〃the many for the sake
of the few; the living for the dead。〃 He took Athens; according to his
own Memoirs; on the calends of March; coinciding pretty nearly with
the new moon of Anthesterion; on which day it is the Athenian usage to
perform various acts in commemoration of the ruins and devastations
occasioned by the deluge; that being supposed to be the time of its
occurrence。
  At the taking of the town; the tyrant fled into the citadel; and was
there besieged by Curio; who had that charge given him。 He held out
a considerable time; but at last yielded himself up for want of water;
and divine power immediately intimated its agency in the matter。 For
on the same day and hour that Curio conducted him down; the clouds
gathered in a clear sky; and there came down a great quantity of
rain and filled the citadel with water。
  Not long after; Sylla won the Piraeus; and burnt most of it; amongst
the rest; Philo's arsenal; a work very greatly admired。
  In the meantime Taxiles; Mithridates's general; coming down from
Thrace and Macedon; with an army of one hundred thousand foot; ten
thousand horse; and ninety chariots; armed with scythes at the wheels;
would have joined Archelaus; who lay with a navy on the coast near
Munychia; reluctant to quit the sea; and yet unwilling to engage the
Romans in battle; but desiring to protract the war and cut off the
enemy's supplies。 Which Sylla perceiving much better than himself;
passed with his forces into Boeotia; quitting a barren district
which was inadequate to maintain an army even in time of peace。 He was
thought by some to have taken false measures in thus leaving Attica; a
rugged country; and ill suited for cavalry to move in; and entering
the plain and open fields of Boeotia; knowing as he did the
barbarian strength to consist most in horses and chariots。 But as
was said before; to avoid famine and scarcity; he was forced to run
the risk of a battle。 Moreover he was in anxiety for Hortensius; a
bold and active officer; whom on his way to Sylla with forces from
Thessaly; the barbarians awaited in the straits。 For these reasons
Sylla drew off into Boeotia。 Hortensius; meantime; was conducted by
Caphis; our countryman; another way unknown to the barbarians; by
Parnassus; just under Tithora; which was then not so large a town as
it is now; but a mere fort; surrounded by steep precipices whither the
Phocians also; in old times; when flying from the invasion of
Xerxes; carried themselves and their goods and were saved。 Hortensius;
encamping here; kept off the enemy by day; and at night descending
by difficult passages to Patronis; joined the forces of Sylla who came
to meet him。 Thus united they posted themselves on a fertile hill in
the middle of the plain of Elatea; shaded with trees and watered at
the foot。 It is called Philoboeotus; and its situation and natural
advantages are spoken of with great admiration by Sylla。
  As they lay thus encamped; they seemed to the enemy a contemptible
number; for there were not above fifteen hundred horse; and less
than fifteen thousand foot。 Therefore the rest of the commanders;
over…persuading Archelaus and drawing up the army; covered the plain
with horses; chariots; bucklers; targets。 The clamour and cries of
so many nations forming for battle rent the air; nor was the pomp
and ostentation of their costly array altogether idle and
unserviceable for terror; for the brightness of their armour;
embellished magnificently with gold and silver; and the rich colours
of their Median and Scythian coats; intermixed with brass and
shining steel; presented a flaming and terrible sight as they swayed
about and moved in their ranks; so much so that the Romans shrunk
within their trenches; and Sylla; unable by any arguments to remove
their fear; and unwilling to force them to fight against their
wills; was fain to sit down in quiet; ill…brooking to become the
subject of barbarian insolence and laughter。 This; however; above
all advantaged him; for the enemy; from contemning of him; fell into
disorder amongst themselves; being already less thoroughly under
command; on account of the number of their leaders。 Some few of them
remained within the encampment; but others; the major part; lured
out with hopes of prey and rapine; strayed about the country many
days' journey from the camp; and are related to have destroyed the
city of Panope; to have plundered Lebadea; and robbed the oracle
without any orders from their commanders。
  Sylla; all this while; chafing and fretting to see the cities all
around destroyed; suffered not the soldiery to remain idle; but
leading them out; compelled them to divert the Cephisus from its
ancient channel by casting up ditches; and giving respite to none;
showed himself rigorous in punishing the remiss; that growing weary of
labour; they might be induced by hardship to embrace danger。 Which
fell out accordingly; for on the third day; being hard at work as
Sylla passed by; they begged and clamoured to be led against the
enemy。 Sylla replied; that this demand of war proceeded rather from
a backwardness to labour than any forwardness to fight; but if they
were in good earnest martially inclined; he bade them take their
arms and get up thither; pointing to the ancient citadel of the
Parapotamians; of which at present; the city being laid waste; there
remained only the rocky hill itself; steep and craggy on all sides;
and severed from Mount Hedylium by the breadth of the river Assus;
which; running between; and at the bottom of the same hill falling
into the Cephisus with an impetuous confluence; makes this eminence
a strong position for soldiers to occupy。 Observing that the enemy's
division; called the Brazen Shields; were making their way up thither;
Sylla was willing to take first possession; and by the vigorous
efforts of the soldiers; succeeded。 Archelaus; driven from hence; bent
his forces upon Chaeronea。 The Chaeroneans who bore arms in the
Roman camp beseeching Sylla not to abandon the city; he despatched
Gabinius; a tribune; with one legion; and sent out also the
Chaeroneans; who endeavoured; but were not able to get in before
Gabinius; so active was he; and more zealous to bring relief than
those who had entreated it。 Juba writes that Ericius was the man sent;
not Gabinius。 Thus narrowly did our native city escape。
  From Lebadea and the cave of Trophonius there came favourable
rumours and prophecies of victory to the Romans; of which the
inhabitants of those places gave a fuller account; but as Sylla
himself affirms in the tenth book of his Memoirs; Quintus Titius; a
man of some repute among the Romans who were engaged in mercantile
business in Greece; came to him after the battle won at Chaeronea; and
declared that Trophonius had foretold another fight and victory on the
place; within a short time。 After him a soldier; by name Salvenius;
brought an account from the god of the future issue of affairs in
Italy。 As to the vision; they both agreed in this; that they had
seen one who in stature and in majesty was similar to Jupiter
Olympius。
  Sylla; when he had passed over the Assus; marching under the Mount
Hedylium; encamped close to Archelaus; who had intrenched himself
strongly between the mountains Acontium and Hedylium; close to what
are called the Assia。 The place of his intrenchment is to this day
named from him; Archelaus。 Sylla; after one day's respite; having left
Murena behind him with one legion and two cohorts to amuse the enemy
with continual alarms; himself went and sacrificed on the banks of
Cephisus; and the holy rites ended; held on towards Chaeronea to
receive the forces there and view Mount Thurium; where a party of
the enemy had posted themselves。 This is a craggy height running up in
a conical form to a point called by us Orthopagus; at the foot of it
is the river Morius and the temple of Apollo Thurius。 The god had
his surname from Thuro; mother of Chaeron; whom ancient record makes
founder of Chaeronea。 Others a

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 1 1

你可能喜欢的