sylla-第3部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


second　to　none　in　any　villainies；　so　that　it　was　less　the　question
what　others　he　surpassed；　but　rather　in　what　respects　he　most
surpassed　himself　in　wickedness。　He　was　cruel；　bold；　rapacious；　and　in
all　these　points　utterly　shameless　and　unscrupulous；　not　hesitating　to
offer　Roman　citizenship　by　public　sale　to　freed　slaves　and　aliens；　and
to　count　out　the　price　on　public　money…tables　in　the　forum。　He
maintained　three　thousand　swordsmen；　and　had　always　about　him　a
company　of　young　men　of　the　equestrian　class　ready　for　all
occasions；　whom　he　styled　his　Anti…senate。　Having　had　a　law　enacted；
that　no　senator　should　contract　a　debt　of　above　two　thousand　drachmas；
he　himself；　after　death；　was　found　indebted　three　millions。　This　was
the　man　whom　Marius　let　in　upon　the　Commonwealth；　and　who；　confounding
all　things　by　force　and　the　sword；　made　several　ordinances　of
dangerous　consequence；　and　amongst　the　rest　one　giving　Marius　the
conduct　of　the　Mithridatic　war。　Upon　this　the　consuls　proclaimed　a
public　cessation　of　business；　but　as　they　were　holding　an　assembly
near　the　temple　of　Castor　and　Pollux；　he　let　loose　the　rabble　upon
them；　and　amongst　many　others　slew　the　consul　Pompeius's　young　son
in　the　forum；　Pompeius　himself　hardly　escaping　in　the　crowd。　Sylla；
being　closely　pursued　into　the　house　of　Marius；　was　forced　to　come
forth　and　dissolve　the　cessation；　and　for　his　doing　this；　Sulpicius；
having　deposed　Pompeius；　allowed　Sylla　to　continue　his　consulship；
only　transferring　the　Mithridatic　expedition　to　Marius。
　　There　were　immediately　despatched　to　Nola　tribunes　to　receive　the
army；　and　bring　it　to　Marius；　but　Sylla；　having　got　first　to　the　camp；
and　the　soldiers；　upon　hearing　the　news；　having　stoned　the　tribunes；
Marius；　in　requital；　proceeded　to　put　the　friends　of　Sylla　in　the　city
to　the　sword；　and　rifled　their　goods。　Every　kind　of　removal　and　flight
went　on；　some　hastening　from　the　camp　to　the　city；　others　from　the
city　to　the　camp。　The　senate；　no　more　in　its　own　power；　but　wholly
governed　by　the　dictates　of　Marius　and　Sulpicius；　alarmed　at　the
report　of　Sylla's　advancing　with　his　troops　towards　the　city；　sent
forth　two　of　the　praetors；　Brutus　and　Servilius；　to　forbid　his
nearer　approach。　The　soldiers　would　have　slain　these　praetors　in　a
fury；　for　their　bold　language　to　Sylla；　contenting　themselves；
however；　with　breaking　their　rods；　and　tearing　off　their
purple…edged　robes；　after　much　contumelious　usage　they　sent　them　back；
to　the　sad　dejection　of　the　citizens；　who　beheld　their　magistrates
despoiled　of　their　badges　of　office；　and　announcing　to　them　that
things　were　now　manifestly　come　to　a　rupture　past　all　cure。　Marius　put
himself　in　readiness；　and　Sylla　with　his　colleague　moved　from　Nola；　at
the　head　of　six　complete　legions；　all　of　them　willing　to　march　up
directly　against　the　city；　though　he　himself　as　yet　was　doubtful　in
thought；　and　apprehensive　of　the　danger。　As　he　was　sacrificing；
Postumius　the　soothsayer；　having　inspected　the　entrails；　stretching
forth　both　hands　to　Sylla；　required　to　be　bound　and　kept　in　custody
till　the　battle　was　over；　as　willing；　if　they　had　not　speedy　and
complete　success；　to　suffer　the　utmost　punishment。　It　is　said；　also；
that　there　appeared　to　Sylla　himself；　in　a　dream；　a　certain　goddess；
whom　the　Romans　learnt　to　worship　from　the　Cappadocians；　whether　it　be
the　Moon；　or　Pallas；　or　Bellona。　This　same　goddess；　to　his　thinking；
stood　by　him；　and　put　into　his　hand　thunder　and　lightning；　then　naming
his　enemies　one　by　one；　bade　him　strike　them；　who；　all　of　them；　fell
on　the　discharge　and　disappeared。　Encouraged　by　this　vision；　and
relating　it　to　his　colleague；　next　day　he　led　on　towards　Rome。　About
Picinae　being　met　by　a　deputation；　beseeching　him　not　to　attack　at
once；　in　the　heat　of　a　march；　for　that　the　senate　had　decreed　to　do
him　all　the　right　imaginable；　he　consented　to　halt　on　the　spot；　and
sent　his　officers　to　measure　out　the　ground；　as　is　usual；　for　a
camp；　so　that　the　deputation；　believing　it；　returned。　They　were　no
sooner　gone；　but　he　sent　a　party　on　under　the　command　of　Lucius
Basillus　and　Caius　Mummius；　to　secure　the　city　gate；　and　the　walls
on　the　side　of　the　Esquiline　hill；　and　then　close　at　their　heels
followed　himself　with　all　speed。　Basillus　made　his　way　successfully
into　the　city；　but　the　unarmed　multitude；　pelting　him　with　stones
and　tiles　from　off　the　houses；　stopped　his　further　progress；　and
beat　him　back　to　the　wall。　Sylla　by　this　time　was　come　up；　and
seeing　what　was　going　on；　called　aloud　to　his　men　to　set　fire　to　the
houses；　and　taking　a　flaming　torch；　he　himself　led　the　way；　and
commanded　the　archers　to　make　use　of　their　fire…darts；　letting　fly
at　the　tops　of　houses；　all　which　he　did；　not　upon　any　plan；　but　simply
in　his　fury；　yielding　the　conduct　of　that　day's　work　to　passion；　and
as　if　all　he　saw　were　enemies；　without　respect　or　pity　either　to
friends；　relations；　or　acquaintance；　made　his　entry　by　fire；　which
knows　no　distinction　betwixt　friend　or　foe。
　　In　this　conflict；　Marius；　being　driven　into　the　temple　of
Mother…Earth；　thence　invited　the　slaves　by　proclamation　of　freedom；
but　the　enemy　coming　on　he　was　overpowered　and　fled　the　city。
　　Sylla　having　called　a　senate；　had　sentence　of　death　passed　on
Marius；　and　some　few　others；　amongst　whom　was　Sulpicius；　tribune　of
the　people。　Sulpicius　was　killed；　being　betrayed　by　his　servant；
whom　Sylla　first　made　free；　and　then　threw　him　headlong　down　the
Tarpeian　rock。　As　for　Marius；　he　set　a　price　on　his　life；　by
proclamation；　neither　gratefully　nor　politically；　if　we　consider
into　whose　house；　not　long　before；　he　put　himself　at　mercy；　and　safely
dismissed。　Had　Marius　at　that　time　not　let　Sylla　go；　but　suffered
him　to　be　slain　by　the　hands　of　Sulpicius；　he　might　have　been　lord
of　all：　nevertheless　he　spared　his　life；　and　a　few　days　after；　when　in
a　similar　position　himself；　received　a　different　measure。
　　By　these　proceedings　Sylla　excited　the　secret　distaste　of　the
senate；　but　the　displeasure　and　free　indignation　of　the　commonalty
showed　itself　plainly　by　their　actions。　For　they　ignominiously
rejected　Nonius；　his　nephew；　and　Servius；　who　stood　for　offices　of
state　by　his　interest；　and　elected　others　as　magistrates；　by　honouring
whom　they　thought　they　should　most　annoy　him。　He　made　semblance　of
extreme　satisfaction　at　all　this；　as　if　the　people　by　his　means　had
again　enjoyed　the　liberty　of　doing　what　seemed　best　to　them。　And　to
pacify　the　public　hostility；　he　created　Lucius　Cinna　consul；　one　of
the　adverse　party；　having　first　bound　him　under　oaths　and　imprecations
to　be　favourable　to　his　interest。　For　Cinna；　ascending　the　capitol
with　a　stone　in　his　hand；　swore　solemnly；　and　prayed　with　direful
curses；　that　he　himself；　if　he　were　not　true　to　his　friendship　with
Sylla；　might　be　cast　out　of　the　city；　as　that　stone　out　of　his　hand；
and　thereupon　cast　the　stone　to　the　ground；　in　the　presence　of　many
people。　Nevertheless　Cinna　had　no　sooner　entered　on　his　charge；　but　he
took　measures　to　disturb　the　present　settlement；　having　prepared　an
impeachment　against　Sylla；　got　Virginius；　one　of　the　tribunes　of　the
people；　to　be　his　accuser；　but　Sylla；　leaving　him　and　the　court　of
judicature　to　themselves；　set　forth　against　Mithridates。
　　About　the　time　that　Sylla　was　making　ready　to　put　off　with　his　force
from　Italy；　besides　many　other　omens　which　befell　Mithridates；　then
staying　at　Pergamus；　there　goes　a　story　that　a　figure　of　Victory；　with
a　crown　in　her　hand；　which　the　Pergamenians　by　machinery　from　above
let　down　on　him；　when　it　had　almost　reached　his　head；　fell　to
pieces；　and　the　crown　tumbling　down　into　the　midst　of　the　theatre；
there　broke　against　the　ground；　occasioning　a　general　alarm　among
the　populace；　and　considerably　disquieting　Mithridates　himself；
although　his　affairs　at　that　time　were　succeeding　beyond
expectation。　For　having　wrested　Asia　from　the　Romans；　and　Bithynia　and
Cappadocia　from　their　kings；　he　made　Pergamus　his　royal　seat；
distributing　among　his　friends　riches；　principalities；　and　kingdoms。
Of　his　sons；　one　residing　in　Pontus　and　Bosporus　held　his　ancient
realm　as　far　as　the　deserts　beyond　the　lake　Maeotis；　without
molestation；　while　Ariarathes；　another；　was　reducing　Thrace　and
Macedon；　with　a　great　army；　to　obedience。　His　generals；　with　forces
under　them；　were　establishing　his　supremacy　in　other　quarters。
Archelaus；　in　particular；　with　his　fleet；　held　absolute　mastery　of　the
sea；　and　was　bringing　into　subjection　the　Cyclades；　and　all　the
other　islands　as　far　as　Malea；　and　had　taken　Euboea　itself。　Making
Athens　his　headquarters；　from　thence　as　far　as　Thessaly　he　was
withdrawing　the　states　of　Greece　from　the　Roman　allegiance；　without
the　least　ill…success；　except　at　Chaeronea。　For　here　Bruttius　Sura；
lieutenant　to　Sentius；　governor　of　Macedon；　a　man　of　singular　valour
and　prudence；　met　him；　and；　though　he　came　like　a　torrent　pouring　over
Boeotia；　made　stout　resistance；　and　thrice　giving　him　battle　near
Chaeronea；　repulsed　and　forced　him　back　to　the　sea。　But　being
commanded　by　Lucius　Lucullus　to　give　place　to　his　successor；　Sylla；
and　resign　the　war　to　whom　it　was　decreed；　he　presently　left
Boeotia；　and　retired　back　to　Sentius；　although　his　success　had　outgone
all　hopes；　and　Greece　was　well　disposed　to　a　new　revolution；　upon
account　of　his　gallant　behaviour。　These　were　the　glorious　actions　of
Bruttius。
　　Sylla；　on　his　arrival；　received　by　their　deputations　the　compliments
of　all　the　cities　of　Greece；　except　Athens；　against　which；　as　it　was
compelled　by　the　tyrant　Aristion　to　hold　for　the　king；　he　advanced
with　all　his　forces；　and　investing　the　Piraeus；　laid　formal　siege　to
it；　employing　every　variety　of　engines；　and　trying　every　manner　of
assault；　whereas；　had　he　forborn　but　a　little　while；　he　might
without　hazard　have　taken　the　Upper　City　by　famine；　it　being　already
reduced　to　the　last　extremity；　through　want　of　necessaries。　But
eager　to　return　to　Rome；　and　fearing　innovation　there；　at　great
risk；　with　continual　fighting　and　vast　expense；　he　pushed　on　the
war。　Besides　other　equipage；　the　very　work　about　the　engines　of
battery　was　supplied　with　no　less　than　ten　thousand　yoke　of　mules；