letters of cicero-第15节

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d　with　horse　and　foot　and　money；　and　relying　on　those　all　who　desired　political　change　of　any　sortI　contrived　that　he　should　leave　the　kingdom：　and　that　the　king；　without　civil　war　or　an　appeal　to　arms；　with　the　full　authority　of　the　court　thoroughly　secured；　should　hold　the　kingdom　with　proper　dignity。

Meanwhile。　I　was　informed　by　despatches　and　messengers　from　many　sides；　that　the　Parthians　and　Arabs　had　approached　the　town　of　Antioch　in　great　force；　and　that　a　large　body　of　their　horsemen；　which　had　crossed　into　Cilicia；　had　been　cut　to　pieces　by　some　squadrons　of　my　cavalry　and　the　prntorian　cohort　then　on　garrison　duty　at　Epiphanea…　Wherefore；　seeing　that　the　forces　of　the　Parthians　had　turned　their　backs　upon　Cappadocia；　and　were　not　far　from　the　frontiers　of　Cilicia；　I　led　my　army　to　Anianus　with　the　longest　forced　marches　I　could。　Arrived　there；　I　learnt　that　the　enemy　had　retired　from　Antioch；　and　that　Bibulus　was　at　Antioch。　I　thereupon　informed　Deiotarus；　who　was　hurrying　to　join　me　with　a　large　and　strong　body　of　horse　and　foot；　and　with　all　the　forces　he　could　muster；　that　I　saw　no　reason　for　his　leaving　his　own　do…minions；　and　that　in　case　of　any　new　event；　I　would　immediately　write　and　send　to　him。　And　as　my　intention　in　coming　had　been　to　relieve　both　provinces；　should　occasion　arise；　so　now　I　proceeded　to　do　what　I　had　all　along　made　up　my　mind　was　greatly　to　the　interest　of　both　provinces；　namely；　to　reduce　Amanus；　and　to　remove　from　that　mountain　an　eternal　enemy。　So　I　made　a　feint　of　retiring　from　the　mountain　and　making　for　other　parts　of　Cilicia：　and　having　gone　a　day's　march　from　Amanus　and　pitched　a　camp；　on　the　12th　of　October；　towards　evening；　at　Epiphanea；　with　my　army　in　light　marching　order　I　effected　such　a　night　march；　that　by　dawn　on　the　13th　I　was　already　ascending　Amanus。　Having　formed　the　cohorts　and　auxiliaries　into　several　columns　of　attackI　and　my　legate　Quintus　（my　brother）　commanding　one；　my　legate　C。　Pomptinus　another；　and　my　legates　M。　Anneius　and　L。　Tullius　the　restwe　surprised　most　of　the　inhabitants；　who；　being　cut　off　from　all　retreat；　were　killed　or　taken　prisoners。　But　Erana；　which　was　more　like　a　town　than　a　village；　and　was　the　capital　of　Amanus；　as　also　Sepyra　and　Commons；　which　offered　a　determined　and　protracted　resistance　from　before　daybreak　till　four　in　the　afternoonPomptinus　being　in　command　in　that　part　of　Amanuswe　took；　after　killing　a　great　number　of　the　enemy；　and　stormed　and　set　fire　to　several　fortresses。　After　these　operations　we　lay　encamped　for　four　days　on　the　spurs　of　Amanus；　near　the　Arce　Alezandri；　and　all　that　time　we　devoted　to　the　destruction　of　the　remaining　inhabitants　of　Amanus；　and　devastating　their　lands　on　that　side　of　the　mountain　which　belongs　to　my　province。　Having　accomplished　this；　I　led　the　army　away　to　Pindenissus；　a　town　of　the　Eleutherocilices。　And　since　this　town　was　situated　on　a　very　lofty　and　strongly　fortified　spot；　and　was　inhabited　by　men　who　have　never　submitted　even　to　the　kings；　and　since　they　were　offering　harbourage　to　deserters；　and　were　eagerly　expecting　the　arrival　of　the　Parthians；　I　thought　it　of　importance　to　the　prestige　of　the　empire　to　suppress　their　audacity；　in　order　that　there　might　be　less　difficulty　in　breaking　the　spirits　of　all　such　as　were　anywhere　disaffected　to　our　rule。　I　encircled　them　with　a　stockade　and　trench：　I　beleaguered　them　with　six　forts　and　huge　camps：　I　assaulted　them　by　the　aid　of　earth…works；　pent…houses；　and　towers：　and　having　employed　numerous　catapults　and　bowmen；　with　great　personal　labour；　and　without　troubling　the　allies　or　costing　them　anything；　I　reduced　them　to　such　extremities　that；　after　every　region　of　their　town　had　been　battered　down　or　fired；　they　surrendered　to　me　on　the　fifty…seventh　day。　Their　next　neighbours　were　the　people　of　Tebra；　no　less　predatory　and　audacious：　from　them　after　the　capture　of　Pindenissus　I　received　hostages。　I　then　dismissed　the　army　to　winter　quarters；　and　I　put　my　brother　in　command；　with　orders　to　station　the　men　in　villages　that　had　either　been　captured　or　were　disaffected。

Well　now；　I　would　have　you　feel　convinced　that；　should　a　motion　be　brought　before　the　senate　on　these　matters；　I　shall　consider　that　the　highest　possible　compliment　has　been　paid　me；　if　you　give　your　vote　in　favour　of　a　mark　of　honour　being　bestowed　upon　me。　And　as　to　this；　though　I　am　aware　that　in　such　matters　men　of　the　most　respectable　character　are　accustomed　to　ask　and　to　be　asked；　yet　I　think　in　your　case　that　it　is　rather　a　reminder　than　a　request　which　is　called　for　from　me。　For　it　is　you　who　have　on　very　many　occasions　complimented　me　in　votes　which　you　delivered；　who　have　praised　me　to　the　skies　in　conversation；　in　panegyric；　in　the　most　laudatory　speeches　in　senate　and　public　meeting：　you　are　the　man　to　whose　words　I　ever　attached　such　weight　as　to　hold　myself　in　possession　of　my　utmost　ambition；　if　your　lips　joined　the　chorus　of　my　praise。　It　was　you　finally；　as　I　recollect；　who　said；　when　voting　against　a　supplicatlo　in　honour　of　a　certain　illustrious　and　noble　person；　that　you　would　have　voted　for　it；　if　the　motion　had　related　to　what　he　had　done　in　the　city　as　consul。　It　was　you；　too；　who　voted　for　granting　me　a　supplicatio；　though　only　a　civilian；　not　as　had　been　done　in　many　instances；　〃for　good　services　to　the　state；〃　but；　as　I　remember；　〃for　having　saved　the　state。〃　I　pass　over　your　having　shared　the　hatred　I　excited；　the　dangers　I　ran；　all　the　storms'　that　I　have　encountered；　and　your　having　been　entirely　ready　to　have　shared　them　much　more　fully　if　I　had　allowed　it；　and　finally　your　having　regarded　my　enemy　as　your　own；　of　whose　death　eventhus　shewing　me　clearly　how　much　you　valued　meyou　manifested　your　approval　by　supporting　the　cause　of　Milo　in　the　senate。　On　the　other　hand；　I　have　borne　a　testimony　to　you；　which　I　do　not　regard　as　constituting　any　claim　on　your　gratitude；　but　as　a　frank　expression　of　genuine　opinion：　for　I　did　not　confine　myself　to　a　silent　admiration　of　your　eminent　virtueswho　does　not　admire　them？　But　in　all　forms　of　speech；　whether　in　the　senate　or　at　the　bar；　in　all　kinds　of　writing；　Greek　or　Latin；　in　fine；　in　all　the　various　branches　of　my　literary　activity；　I　proclaimed　your　superiority　not　only　to　contemporaries；　but　also　to　those　of　whom　we　have　heard　in　history。

Yon　will　ask；　perhaps；　why　I　place　such　value　on　this　or　that　modicum　of　congratulation　or　compliment　from　the　senate。　I　will　be　frank　with　you；　as　our　common　tastes'　and　mutual　good　services；　our　close　friendship；　nay；　the　intimacy　of　our　fathers　demand。　If　there　ever　was　anyone　by　natural　inclination；　and　still　more；　I　think；　by　reason　and　reflexion；　averse　from　the　empty　praise　and　comments　of　the　vulgar；　I　am　certainly　the　man。　Witness　my　consulship；　in　which；　as　in　the　rest　of　my　life；　I　confess　that　I　eagerly　pursued　the　objects　capable　of　producing　true　glory：　mere　glory　for　its　own　sake　I　never　thought　a　subject　for　ambition。　Accordingly；　I　not　only　passed　over　a　province　after　the　votes　for　its　outfit　had　been　taken；　but　also　with　it　an　almost　certain　hope　of　a　triumph；　and　finally　the　priesthood；　though；　as　I　think　you　will　agree　with　me；　I　could　have　obtained　it　without　much　difficulty；　I　did　not　try　to　get。　Yet　after　my　unjust　disgracealways　stigmatized　by　you　as　a　disaster　to　the　Republic；　and　rather　an　honour　than　a　disaster　to　myselfI　was　anxious　that　some　very　signal　marks　of　the　approbation　of　the　senate　and　Roman　people　should　be　put　on　record。　Accordingly；　in　the　first　place；　I　did　subsequently　wish　for　the　augurship；　about　which　I　had　not　troubled　myself　before；　and　the　compliment　usually　paid　by　the　senate　in　the　case　of　success　in　war；　though　passed　over　by　me　in　old　times；　I　now　think　an　object　to　be　desired。　That　you　should　approve　and　support　this　wish　of　mine；　in　which　you　may　trace　a　strong　desire　to　heal　the　wounds　inflicted　upon　me　by　my　disgrace；　though　I　a　little　while　ago　declared　that　I　would　not　ask　it；　I　now　do　earnestly　ask　of　you：　but　only　on　condition　that　you　shall　not　think　my　humble　services　paltry　and　insignificant；　but　of　such　a　nature　and　importance；　that　many　for　far　less　signal　successes　have　obtained　the　highest　honours　from　the　senate。　I　have；　too；　I　think；　noticed　thisfor　you　know　how　attentively　I　ever　listen　to　youthat　in　granting　or　withholding　honours　you　are　accustomed　to　look　not　so　much　to　the　particular　achievements　as　to　the　character；　the　principles'　and　conduct　of　commanders。　Well；　if　you　apply　this　test　to　my　case；　you　will　find　that；　with　a　weak　army；　my　strongest　support　against　the　threat　of　a　very　formidable　war　has　been　my　equity　and　purity　of　conduct。　With　these　as　my　aids　I　accomplished　what　I　never　could　have　accomplished　by　any　amount　of　legions：　among　the　allies　I　have　created　the　warmest　devotion　in　place　of　the　most　extreme　alienation；　the　most　complete　loyalty　in　place　of　the　most　dangerous　disaffection；　and　their　spirits　fluttered　by　the　prospect　of　change　I　have　brought　back　to　feelings　of　affection　for　the　old　rule。

But　I　have　said　too　much　of　myself；　especially　to　you；　in　whom　singly　the　grievances　of　all　our　allies　alike　find　a　listener。　You　will　learn　the　truth　from　those　who　think　themselves　re