timoleon-第7部分

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of　the　dead；　and　there　is　a　proverb　derived　from　the　custom；　used　of
one　who　is　dangerously　sick；　that　he　has　need　of　nothing　but
parsley。　So　to　ease　their　minds；　and　free　them　from　any
superstitious　thoughts　or　forebodings　of　evil；　Timoleon　halted；　and
concluded　an　address　suitable　to　the　occasion；　by　saying；　that　a
garland　of　triumph　was　here　luckily　brought　them；　and　had　fallen
into　their　hands　of　its　own　accord；　as　an　anticipation　of　victory：　the
same　with　which　the　Corinthians　crown　the　victors　in　the　Isthmian
games；　accounting　chaplets　of　parsley　the　sacred　wreath　proper　to
their　country；　parsley　being　at　that　time　still　the　emblem　of
victory　at　the　Isthmian；　as　it　is　now　at　the　Nemean　sports；　and　it
is　not　so　very　long　ago　that　the　pine　first　began　to　be　used　in　its
place。
　　Timoleon；　therefore；　having　thus　bespoke　his　soldiers；　took　part
of　the　parsley；　and　with　it　made　himself　a　chaplet　first；　his　captains
and　their　companies　all　following　the　example　of　their　leader。　The
soothsayers　then；　observing　also　two　eagles　on　the　wing　towards
them；　one　of　which　bore　a　snake　struck　through　with　her　talons；　and
the　other；　as　she　flew；　uttered　a　loud　cry　indicating　boldness　and
assurance；　at　once　showed　them　to　the　soldiers；　who　with　one　consent
fell　to　supplicate　the　gods；　and　call　them　in　to　their　assistance。
It　was　now　about　the　beginning　of　summer；　and　conclusion　of　the
month　called　Thargelion；　not　far　from　the　solstice；　and　the　river
sending　up　a　thick　mist；　all　the　adjacent　plain　was　at　first
darkened　with　the　fog；　so　that　for　a　while　they　could　discern
nothing　from　the　enemy's　camp；　only　a　confused　buzz　and
undistinguished　mixture　of　voices　came　up　to　the　hill　from　the　distant
motions　and　clamours　of　so　vast　a　multitude。　When　the　Corinthians
had　mounted；　and　stood　on　the　top；　and　had　laid　down　their　bucklers　to
take　breath　and　repose　themselves；　the　sun　coming　round　and　drawing　up
the　vapours　from　below；　the　gross　foggy　air　that　was　now　gathered
and　condensed　above　formed　in　a　cloud　upon　the　mountains；　and；　all　the
under　places　being　clear　and　open；　the　river　Crimesus　appeared　to　them
again；　and　they　could　descry　the　enemies　passing　over　it；　first　with
their　formidable　four…horse　chariots　of　war；　and　then　ten　thousand
footmen　bearing　white　shields；　whom　they　guessed　to　be　all
Carthaginians；　from　the　splendour　of　their　arms；　and　the　slowness
and　order　of　their　march。　And　when　now　the　troops　of　various　other
nations；　flowing　in　behind　them；　began　to　throng　for　passage　in　a
tumultuous　and　unruly　manner；　Timoleon；　perceiving　that　the　river　gave
them　opportunity　to　single　off　whatever　number　of　their　enemies　they
had　a　mind　to　engage　at　and　bidding　his　soldiers　observe　how　their
forces　were　divided　into　two　separate　bodies　by　the　intervention　of
the　stream；　some　being　already　over；　and　others　still　to　ford　it；　gave
Demaretus　command　to　fall　in　upon　the　Carthaginians　with　his　horse；
and　disturb　their　ranks　before　they　should　be　drawn　up　into　form　of
battle；　and　coming　down　into　the　plain　himself　forming　his　right　and
left　wing　of　other　Sicilians；　intermingling　only　a　few　strangers　in
each；　he　placed　the　natives　of　Syracuse　in　the　middle；　with　the
stoutest　mercenaries　he　had　about　his　own　person；　and　waiting　a　little
to　observe　the　action　of　his　horse；　when　they　saw　they　were　not　only
hindered　from　grappling　with　the　Carthaginians　by　the　armed　chariots
that　ran　to　and　fro　before　the　army；　but　forced　continually　to　wheel
about　to　escape　having　their　ranks　broken；　and　so　to　repeat　their
charges　anew；　he　took　his　buckler　in　his　hand；　and　crying　out　to　the
foot　that　they　should　follow　him　with　courage　and　confidence；　he
seemed　to　speak　with　a　more　than　human　accent；　and　a　voice　stronger
than　ordinary；　whether　it　were　that　he　naturally　raised　it　so　high
in　the　vehemence　and　ardour　with　his　mind　to　assault　the　enemy；　or
else；　as　many　then　thought；　some　god　or　other　spoke　with　him。　When　his
soldiers　quickly　gave　an　echo　to　it；　and　besought　him　to　lead　them
on　without　any　further　delay；　he　made　a　sign　to　the　horse；　that　they
should　draw　off　from　the　front　where　the　chariots　were；　and　pass
sidewards　to　attack　their　enemies　in　the　flank；　then；　making　his
vanguard　firm　by　joining　man　to　man　and　buckler　to　buckler；　he
caused　the　trumpet　to　sound；　and　so　bore　in　upon　the　Carthaginians。
　　They；　for　their　part；　stoutly　received　and　sustained　his　first
onset；　and　having　their　bodies　armed　with　breast…plates　of　iron；　and
helmets　of　brass　on　their　heads；　besides　great　bucklers　to　cover　and
secure　them；　they　could　easily　repel　the　charge　of　the　Greek　spears。
But　when　the　business　came　to　a　decision　by　the　sword；　where　mastery
depends　no　less　upon　art　than　strength；　all　on　a　sudden　from　the
mountain…tops　violent　peals　of　thunder　and　vivid　flashes　of
lightning　broke　out；　following　upon　which　the　darkness；　that　had
been　hovering　about　the　higher　grounds　and　the　crests　of　the　hills；
descending　to　the　place　of　battle　and　bringing　a　tempest　of　rain　and
of　wind　and　hail　along　with　it；　was　driven　upon　the　Greeks　behind；　and
fell　only　at　their　backs；　but　discharged　itself　in　the　very　faces　of
the　barbarians；　the　rain　beating　on　them；　and　the　lightning　dazzling
them　without　cessation；　annoyances　that　in　many　ways　distressed　at　any
rate　the　inexperienced；　who　had　not　been　used　to　such　hardships；
and；　in　particular；　the　claps　of　thunder；　and　the　noise　of　the　rain
and　hail　beating　on　their　arms；　kept　them　from　hearing　the　commands　of
their　officers。　Besides　which；　the　very　mud　also　was　a　great　hindrance
to　the　Carthaginans；　who　were　not　lightly　equipped；　but；　as　I　said
before；　loaded　with　heavy　armour；　and　then　their　shirts　underneath
getting　drenched；　the　foldings　about　the　bosom　filled　with　water；　grew
unwieldy　and　cumbersome　to　them　as　they　fought；　and　made　it　easy　for
the　Greeks　to　throw　them　down；　and；　when　they　were　once　down；
impossible　for　them；　under　that　weight；　to　disengage　themselves　and
rise　again　with　weapons　in　their　hands。　The　river　Crimesus；　too；
swollen　partly　by　the　rain；　and　partly　by　the　stoppage　of　its　course
with　the　numbers　that　were　passing　through；　overflowed　its　banks；
and　the　level　ground　by　the　side　of　it；　being　so　situated　as　to　have　a
number　of　small　ravines　and　hollows　of　the　hillside　descending　upon
it；　was　now　filled　with　rivulets　and　currents　that　had　no　certain
channel；　in　which　the　Carthaginians　stumbled　and　rolled　about；　and
found　themselves　in　great　difficulty。　So　that；　in　fine；　the　storm
bearing　still　upon　them；　and　the　Greeks　having　cut　in　pieces　four
hundred　men　of　their　first　ranks；　the　whole　body　of　their　army　began
to　fly。　Great　numbers　were　overtaken　in　the　plain；　and　put　to　the
sword　there；　and　many　of　them；　as　they　were　making　their　way　back
through　the　river；　falling　foul　upon　others　that　were　yet　coming　over；
were　borne　away　and　overwhelmed　by　the　waters；　but　the　major　part；
attempting　to　get　up　the　hill　so　as　to　make　their　escape；　were
intercepted　and　destroyed　by　the　light…armed　troops。　It　is　said
that；　of　ten　thousand　who　lay　dead　after　the　fight；　three　thousand；　at
least；　were　Carthaginian　citizens；　a　heavy　loss　and　great　grief　to
their　countrymen；　those　that　fell　being　men　inferior　to　none　among
them　as　to　birth；　wealth；　or　reputation。　Nor　do　their　records
mention　that　so　many　native　Carthaginians　were　ever　cut　off　before
in　any　one　battle；　as　they　usually　employed　Africans；　Spaniards；　and
Numidians　in　their　wars；　so　that　if　they　chanced　to　be　defeated；　it
was　still　at　the　cost　and　damage　of　other　nations。
　　The　Greeks　easily　discovered　of　what　condition　and　account　the　slain
were　by　the　richness　of　their　spoils；　for　when　they　came　to　collect
the　booty；　there　was　little　reckoning　made　either　of　brass　or　iron；　so
abundant　were　better　metals；　and　so　common　were　silver　and　gold。
Passing　over　the　river　they　became　masters　of　their　camp　and
carriages。　As　for　captives；　a　great　many　of　them　were　stolen　away
and　sold　privately　by　the　soldiers　but　about　five　thousand　were
brought　in　and　delivered　up　for　the　benefit　of　the　public；　two　hundred
of　their　chariots　of　war　were　also　taken。　The　tent　of　Timoleon　then
presented　a　most　glorious　and　magnificent　appearance；　being　heaped
up　and　hung　round　with　every　variety　of　spoils　and　military　ornaments；
among　which　there　were　a　thousand　breastplates　of　rare　workmanship　and
beauty；　and　bucklers　to　the　number　of　ten　thousand。　The　victors
being　but　few　to　strip　so　many　that　were　vanquished；　and　having　such
valuable　booty　to　occupy　them；　it　was　the　third　day　after　the　fight
before　they　could　erect　and　finish　the　trophy　of　their　conquest。
Timoleon　sent　tidings　of　his　victory　to　Corinth；　with　the　best　and
goodliest　arms　he　had　taken　as　a　proof　of　it；　that　he　thus　might
render　his　country　an　object　of　emulation　to　the　whole　world；　when；　of
all　the　cities　of　Greece；　men　should　there　alone　behold　the　chief
temples　adorned；　not　with　Grecian　spoils；　nor　offerings　obtained　by
the　bloodshed　and　plunder　of　their　own　countrymen　and　kindred；　and
attended；　therefore；　with　sad　and　unhappy　remembrances；　but　with
such　as　had　been　stripped　from　barbarians　and　enemies　to　their　nation；
with　the　noblest　titles　inscribed　upon　them；　titles　telling　of　the
justice　as　well　as　fortitude　of　the　conquerors；　namely；　that　the
people　of　Corinth；　and　Timoleon　their　general；　having　redeemed　the
Greeks　of　Sicily　from　Carthaginian　bondage；　made　oblation　of　these
to　the　gods；　in　grateful　acknowledgment　of　their　favour。
　　Having　done　this；　he　left　his　hired　soldiers　in　the　enemy's
country　to　drive　and　carry　away　all　they　could　throughout　the
subject…territory　of　Carthage；　and　so　marched　with　the　rest　of　his
army　to　Syracuse；　where　he　issued　an　edict　for　banishing　the
thousand　mercenaries　who　had　basely　deserted　him　before　the　battle；
and　obliged　them　to　quit　the　city　before　sunset。　They；　sailing　into
Italy；　lost　their　lives　there　by　the　hands　of　the　Bruttians；　in
spite　of　a　public　assurance　of　safety　previously　given　them；　thus
receiving；　from　the　divine　power；　a　just　reward　of　their　own
treachery。　Mamercus；　however；　the　tyrant　of　Catana；　and　Hicetes；　after
all；　either　envying　Tim