pompey-第6部分

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all　under　myself　as　general。〃　The　people　hearing　this　gave　a　great
shout；　and　made　such　an　outcry　for　delight；　that　there　was　no
appeasing　it；　and　the　censors　rising　from　their　judgment　seat
accompanied　him　home　to　gratify　the　multitude　who　followed　after；
clapping　their　hands　and　shouting。
　　Pompey's　consulship　was　now　expiring；　and　yet　his　difference　with
Crassus　increasing；　when　one　Caius　Aurelius；　a　knight；　a　man　who　had
declined　public　business　all　his　lifetime；　mounted　the　hustings；　and
addressed　himself　in　an　oration　to　the　assembly；　declaring　that
Jupiter　had　appeared　to　him　in　a　dream；　commanding　him　to　tell　the
consuls　that　they　should　not　give　up　office　until　they　were　friends。
After　this　was　said；　Pompey　stood　silent；　but　Crassus　took　him　by
the　hand；　and　spoke　in　this　manner：　〃I　do　not　think；
fellow…citizens；　that　I　shall　do　anything　mean　or　dishonourable　in
yielding　first　to　Pompey；　whom　you　were　pleased　to　ennoble　with　the
title　of　Great；　when　as　yet　he　scarce　had　a　hair　on　his　face；　and
granted　the　honour　of　two　triumphs　before　he　had　a　place　in　the
senate。〃　Hereupon　they　were　reconciled　and　laid　down　their　office。
Crassus　resumed　the　manner　of　life　which　he　had　always　pursued　before；
but　Pompey　in　the　great　generality　of　causes　for　judgment　declined
appearing　on　either　side；　and　by　degrees　withdrew　himself　totally　from
the　forum；　showing　himself　but　seldom　in　public；　and；　whenever　he　did；
it　was　with　a　great　train　after　him。　Neither　was　it　easy　to　meet　or
visit　him　without　a　crowd　of　people　about　him；　he　was　most　pleased
to　make　his　appearance　before　large　numbers　at　once；　as　though　he
wished　to　maintain　in　this　way　his　state　and　majesty；　and　as　if　he
held　himself　bound　to　preserve　his　dignity　from　contact　with　the
addresses　and　conversation　of　common　people。　And　life　in　the　robe　of
peace　is　only　too　apt　to　lower　the　reputation　of　men　that　have　grown
great　by　arms；　who　naturally　find　difficulty　in　adapting　themselves　to
the　habits　of　civil　equality。　They　expect　to　be　treated　as　the　first
in　the　city；　even　as　they　were　in　the　camp；　and　on　the　other　hand；　men
who　in　war　were　nobody；　think　it　intolerable　if　in　the　city　at　any
rate　they　are　not　to　take　the　lead。　And　so　when　a　warrior　renowned　for
victories　and　triumphs　shall　turn　advocate　and　appear　among　them　in
the　forum；　they　endeavour　their　utmost　to　obscure　and　depress　him；
whereas；　if　he　gives　up　any　pretensions　here　and　retires；　they　will
maintain　his　military　honour　and　authority　beyond　the　reach　of　envy。
Events　themselves　not　long　after　showed　the　truth　of　this。
　　The　power　of　the　pirates　first　commenced　in　Cilicia；　having　in　truth
but　a　precarious　and　obscure　beginning；　but　gained　life　and　boldness
afterwards　in　the　wars　of　Mithridates；　where　they　hired　themselves　out
and　took　employment　in　the　king's　service。　Afterwards；　whilst　the
Romans　were　embroiled　in　their　civil　wars；　being　engaged　against　one
another　even　before　the　very　gates　of　Rome；　the　seas　lay　waste　and
unguarded；　and　by　degrees　enticed　and　drew　them　on　not　only　to　seize
upon　and　spoil　the　merchants　and　ships　upon　the　seas；　but　also　to
lay　waste　the　islands　and　seaport　towns。　So　that　now　there　embarked
with　these　pirates　men　of　wealth　and　noble　birth　and　superior
abilities；　as　if　it　had　been　a　natural　occupation　to　gain
distinction　in。　They　had　divers　arsenals；　or　piratic　harbours；　as
likewise　watch…towers　and　beacons；　all　along　the　sea…coast；　and　fleets
were　here　received　that　were　well　manned　with　the　finest　mariners；　and
well　served　with　the　expertest　pilots；　and　composed　of　swift…sailing
and　light…built　vessels　adapted　for　their　special　purpose。　Nor　was
it　merely　their　being　thus　formidable　that　excited　indignation；　they
were　even　more　odious　for　their　ostentation　than　they　were　feared
for　their　force。　Their　ships　had　gilded　masts　at　their　stems；　the
sails　woven　of　purple；　and　the　oars　plated　with　silver；　as　if　their
delight　were　to　glory　in　their　iniquity。　There　was　nothing　but　music
and　dancing；　banqueting　and　revels；　all　along　the　shore。　Officers　in
command　were　taken　prisoners；　and　cities　put　under　contribution；　to
the　reproach　and　dishonour　of　the　Roman　supremacy。
　　There　were　of　these　corsairs　above　one　thousand　sail；　and　they　had
taken　no　less　than　four　hundred　cities；　committing　sacrilege　upon
the　temples　of　the　gods；　and　enriching　themselves　with　the　spoils　of
many　never　violated　before；　such　as　were　those　of　Claros；　Didyma；
and　Samothrace；　and　the　temple　of　the　Earth　in　Hermione；　and　that　of
Aesculapius　in　Epidaurus；　those　of　Neptune　at　the　Isthmus；　at
Taenarus；　and　at　Calauria；　those　of　Apollo　at　Actium　and　Leucas；　and
those　of　Juno　in　Samos；　at　Argos；　and　at　Lacinium。　They　themselves
offered　strange　sacrifices　upon　Mount　Olympus；　and　performed　certain
secret　rites　or　religious　mysteries；　among　which　those　of　Mithras　have
been　preserved　to　our　own　time　having　received　their　previous
institution　from　them。　But　besides　these　insolencies　by　sea；　they　were
also　injurious　to　the　Romans　by　land；　for　they　would　often　go　inland
up　the　roads；　plundering　and　destroying　their　villages　and
country…houses。　Once　they　seized　upon　two　Roman　praetors；　Sextilius
and　Bellinus；　in　their　purple…edged　robes；　and　carried　them　off
together　with　their　officers　and　lictors。　The　daughter　also　of
Antonius。　a　man　that　had　had　the　honour　of　a　triumph；　taking　a　journey
into　the　country；　was　seized；　and　redeemed　upon　payment　of　a　large
ransom。　But　it　was　most　abusive　of　all　that；　when　any　of　the
captives　declared　himself　to　be　a　Roman；　and　told　his　name；　they
affected　to　be　surprised；　and　feigning　fear；　smote　their　thighs　and
fell　down　at　his　feet　humbly　beseeching　him　to　be　gracious　and　forgive
them。
　　The　captives；　seeing　them　so　humble　and　suppliant；　believed　them
to　be　in　earnest；　and　some　of　them　now　would　proceed　to　put　Roman
shoes　on　his　feet；　and　to　dress　him　in　a　Roman　gown；　to　prevent；
they　said；　his　being　mistaken　another　time。　After　all　this
pageantry；　when　they　had　thus　deluded　and　mocked　him　long　enough；　at
last　putting　out　a　ship's　ladder；　when　they　were　in　the　midst　of　the
sea；　they　told　him　he　was　free　to　go；　and　wished　him　a　pleasant
journey；　and　if　he　resisted　they　themselves　threw　him　overboard　and
drowned　him。
　　This　piratic　power　having　got　the　dominion　and　control　of　all　the
Mediterranean；　there　was　left　no　place　for　navigation　or　commerce。　And
this　it　was　which　most　of　all　made　the　Romans；　finding　themselves　to
be　extremely　straitened　in　their　markets；　and　considering　that　if　it
should　continue；　there　would　be　a　dearth　and　famine　in　the　land；
determined　at　last　to　send　out　Pompey　to　recover　the　seas　from　the
pirates。　Gabinius；　one　of　Pompey's　friends；　preferred　a　law；　whereby
there　was　granted　to　him；　not　only　the　government　of　the　seas　as
admiral；　but；　in　direct　words；　sole　and　irresponsible　sovereignty　over
all　men。　For　the　decree　gave　him　absolute　power　and　authority　in　all
the　seas　within　the　pillars　of　Hercules；　and　in　the　adjacent
mainland　for　the　space　of　four　hundred　furlongs　from　the　sea。　Now
there　were　but　few　regions　in　the　Roman　empire　out　of　that　compass；
and　the　greatest　of　the　nations　and　most　powerful　of　the　kings　were
included　in　the　limit。　Moreover；　by　this　decree　he　had　a　power　of
selecting　fifteen　lieutenants　out　of　the　senate；　and　of　assigning　to
each　his　province　in　charge；　then　he　might　take　likewise　out　of　the
treasury　and　out　of　the　hands　of　the　revenue…farmers　what　moneys　he
pleased；　as　also　two　hundred　sail　of　ships；　with　a　power　to　press
and　levy　what　soldiers　and　seamen　he　thought　fit。
　　When　this　law　was　read；　the　common　people　approved　of　it
exceedingly；　but　the　chief　men　and　most　important　among　the　senators
looked　upon　it　as　an　exorbitant　power；　even　beyond　the　reach　of
envy；　but　well　deserving　their　fears。　Therefore　concluding　with
themselves　that　such　unlimited　authority　was　dangerous；　they　agreed
unanimously　to　oppose　the　bill；　and　all　went　against　it；　except
Caesar；　who　gave　his　vote　for　the　law；　not　to　gratify　Pompey；　but
the　people；　whose　favour　he　had　courted　underhand　from　the
beginning；　and　hoped　to　compass　for　himself。　The　rest　inveighed
bitterly　against　Pompey；　insomuch　that　one　of　the　consuls　told　him
that；　if　he　was　ambitious　of　the　place　of　Romulus；　he　would　scarce
avoid　his　end；　but　he　was　in　danger　of　being　torn　to　pieces　by　the
multitude　for　his　speech。　Yet　when　Catulus　stood　up　to　speak　against
the　law；　the　people　in　reverence　to　him　were　silent　and　attentive。　And
when；　after　saying　much　in　the　most　honourable　terms　in　favour　of
Pompey；　he　proceeded　to　advise　the　people　in　kindness　to　spare　him；
and　not　to　expose　a　man　of　his　value　to　such　a　succession　of　dangers
and　wars；　〃For；〃　said　he；　〃where　could　you　find　another　Pompey；　or
whom　would　you　have　in　case　you　should　chance　to　lose　him？〃　they　all
cried　out　with　one　voice；　〃Yourself。〃　And　so　Catulus；　finding　all
his　rhetoric　ineffectual；　desisted。　Then　Roscius　attempted　to　speak；
but　could　obtain　no　hearing；　and　made　signs　with　his　fingers；
intimating；　〃Not　him　alone；〃　but　that　there　might　be　a　second　Pompey
or　colleague　in　authority　with　him。　Upon　this；　it　is　said；　the
multitude；　being　extremely　incensed；　made　such　a　loud　outcry；　that　a
crow　flying　over　the　market…place　at　that　instant　was　struck；　and
dropped　down　among　the　crowd；　whence　it　would　appear　that　the　cause　of
birds　falling　down　to　the　ground　is　not　any　rupture　or　division　of　the
air　causing　a　vacuum；　but　purely　the　actual　stroke　of　the　voice；
which；　when　carried　up　in　a　great　mass　and　with　violence；　raises　a
sort　of　tempest　and　billow；　as　it　were；　in　the　air。
　　The　assembly　broke　up　for　that　day；　and　when　the　day　was　come　on
which　the　bill　was　to　pass　by　suffrage　into　a　decree；　Pompey　went
privately　into　the　country；　but　hearing　that　it　was　passed　and
confirmed；　he　returned　again　into　the　city　by　night；　to　avoid　the　envy
that　might　be　occasioned　by　the　concourse　of　people　that　would　meet
and　congratulate　him。　The　next　morning　he　came　abroad　and　sacrificed
to　the　gods；　and　having　audience　at　an　open　assembly；　so　handled　the
matter　that　they　enlarged　his　power；　giving　him　many　things　besid