antony-第1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！


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　75　AD
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　ANTONY
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　83？…30　B。C。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Plutarch
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　translated　by　John　Dryden


ANTONY

　　THE　grandfather　of　Antony　was　the　famous　pleader；　whom　Marius　put　to　death　for　having　taken　part　with　Sylla。　His　father　was　Antony；　surnamed　of　Crete；　not　very　famous　or　distinguished　in　public　life；　but　a　worthy　good　man；　and　particularly　remarkable　for　his　liberality；　as　may　appear　from　a　single　example。　He　was　not　very　rich；　and　was　for　that　reason　checked　in　the　exercise　of　his　good　nature　by　his　wife。　A　friend　that　stood　in　need　of　money　came　to　borrow　of　him。　Money　he　had　none；　but　he　bade　a　servant　bring　him　water　in　a　silver　basin；　with　which；　when　it　was　brought；　he　wetted　his　face；　as　if　he　meant　to　shave；　and；　sending　away　the　servant　upon　another　errand；　gave　his；　friend　the　basin；　desiring　him　to　turn　it　to　his　purpose。　And　when　there　was；　afterwards；　a　great　inquiry　for　it　in　the　house；　and　his　wife　was　in　a　very　ill…humour；　and　was　going　to　put　the　servants　one　by　one　to　the　search；　he　acknowledged　what　he　had　done；　and　begged　her　pardon。　　　His　wife　was　Julia；　of　the　family　of　the　Caesars；　who；　for　her　discretion　and　fair　was　not　inferior　to　any　of　her　time。　Under　her；　Antony　received　his　education；　she　being；　after　the　death　of　his　father；　remarried　to　Cornelius　Lentulus；　who　was　put　to　death　by　Cicero　for　having　been　of　Catiline's　conspiracy。　This；　probably；　was　the　first　ground　and　occasion　of　that　mortal　grudge　that　Antony　bore　Cicero。　He　says；　even；　that　the　body　of　Lentulus　was　denied　burial；　till；　by　application　made　to　Cicero's　wife；　it　was　granted　to　Julia。　But　this　seems　to　be　a　manifest　error；　for　none　of　those　that　suffered　in　the　consulate　of　Cicero　had　the　right　of　burial　denied　them。　Antony　grew　up　a　very　beautiful　youth；　but　by　the　worst　of　misfortunes；　he　fell　into　the　acquaintance　and　friendship　of　Curio；　a　man　abandoned　to　his　pleasures；　who；　to　make　Antony's　dependence　upon　him　a　matter　of　greater　necessity；　plunged　him　into　a　life　of　drinking　and　dissipation；　and　led　him　through　a　course　of　such　extravagance　that　he　ran；　at　that　early　age；　into　debt　to　the　amount　of　two　hundred　and　fifty　talents。　For　this　sum　Curio　became　his　surety；　on　hearing　which；　the　elder　Curio；　his　father；　drove　Antony　out　of　his　house。　After　this；　for　some　short　time　he　took　part　with　Clodius；　the　most　insolent　and　outrageous　demagogue　of　the　time；　in　his　course　of　violence　and　disorder；　but　getting　weary　before　long；　of　his　madness；　and　apprehensive　of　the　powerful　party　forming　against　him；　he　left　Italy　and　travelled　into　Greece；　where　he　spent　his　time　in　military　exercises　and　in　the　study　of　eloquence。　He　took　most　to　what　was　called　the　Asiatic　taste　in　speaking；　which　was　then　at　its　height；　and　was；　in　many　ways；　suitable　to　his　ostentatious；　vaunting　temper；　full　of　empty　flourishes　and　unsteady　efforts　for　glory。　　　After　some　stay　in　Greece；　he　was　invited　by　Gabinius；　who　had　been　consul；　to　make　a　campaign　with　him　in　Syria；　which　at　first　he　refused；　not　being　willing　to　serve　in　a　private　character；　but　receiving　a　commission　to　command　the　horse；　he　went　along　with　him。　His　first…service　was　against　Aristobulus；　who　had　prevailed　with　the　Jews　to　rebel。　Here　he　was　himself　the　first　man　to　scale　the　largest　of　the　works；　and　beat　Aristobulus　out　of　all　of　them；　after　which　he　routed　in　a　pitched　battle；　an　army　many　times　over　the　number　of　his；　killed　almost　all　of　them　and　took　Aristobulus　and　his　son　prisoners。　This　war　ended；　Gabinius　was　solicited　by　Ptolemy　to　restore　him　to　his　kingdom　of　Egypt；　and　a　promise　made　of　ten　thousand　talents　reward。　Most　of　the　officers　were　against　this　enterprise；　and　Gabinius　himself　did　not　much　like　it；　though　sorely　tempted　by　the　ten　thousand　talents。　But　Antony；　desirous　of　brave

actions　and　willing　to　please　Ptolemy；　joined　in　persuading　Gabinius　to　go。　And　whereas　all　were　of　opinion　that　the　most　dangerous　thing　before　them　was　the　march　to　Pelusium；　in　which　they　would　have　to　pass　over　a　deep　sand；　where　no　fresh　water　was　to　be　hoped　for；　along　the　Acregma　and　the　Serbonian　marsh　（which　the　Egyptians　call　Typhon's　breathing…hole；　and　which　is；　in　probability；　water　left　behind　by；　or　making　its　way　through　from；　the　Red　Sea；　which　is　here　divided　from　the　Mediterranean　by　a　narrow　isthmus）；　Antony；　being　ordered　thither　with　the　horse；　not　only　made　himself　master　of　the　passes；　but　won　Pelusium　itself；　a　great　city；　took　the　garrison　prisoners；　and　by　this　means　rendered　the　march　secure　to　the　army；　and　the　way　to　victory　not　difficult　for　the　general　to　pursue。　The　enemy　also　reaped　some　benefit　of　his　eagerness　for　honour。　For　when　Ptolemy；　after　he　had　entered　Pelusium；　in　his　rage　and　spite　against　the　Egyptians；　designed　to　put　them　to　the　sword；　Antony　withstood　him；　and　hindered　the　execution。　In　all　the　great　and　frequent　skirmishes　and　battles　he　gave　continual　proofs　of　his　personal　valour　and　military　conduct；　and　once　in　particular；　by　wheeling　about　and　attacking　the　rear　of　the　enemy；　he　gave　the　victory　to　the　assailants　in　the　front；　and　received　for　this　service　signal　marks　of　distinction。　Nor　was　his　humanity　towards　the　deceased　Archelaus　less　taken　notice　of。　He　had　been　formerly　his　guest　and　acquaintance；　and；　as　he　was　now　compelled；　he　fought　him　bravely　while　alive；　but　on　his　death；　sought　out　his　body　and　buried　it　with　royal　honours。　The　consequence　was　that　he　left　behind　him　a　great　name　among　the　Alexandrians；　and　all　who　were　serving　in　the　Roman　army　looked　upon　him　as　a　most　gallant　soldier。　　　He　had　also　a　very　good　and　noble　appearance；　his　beard　was　well　grown；　his　forehead　large；　and　his　nose　aquiline；　giving　him　altogether　a　bold；　masculine　look　that　reminded　people　of　the　faces　of　Hercules　in　paintings　and　sculptures。　It　was；　moreover；　an　ancient　tradition；　that　the　Antonys　were　descended　from　Hercules；　by　a　son　of　his　called　Anton；　and　this　opinion　he　thought　to　give　credit　to　by　the　similarity　of　his　person　just　mentioned；　and　also　by　the　fashion　of　his　dress。　For；　whenever　he　had　to　appear　before　large　numbers；　he　wore　his　tunic　girt　low　about　the　hips；　a　broadsword　on　his　side；　and　over　all　a　large　coarse　mantle。　What　might　seem　to　some　very　insupportable；　his　vaunting；　his　raillery；　his　drinking　in　public；　sitting　down　by　the　men　as　they　were　taking　their　food；　and　eating；　as　he　stood；　off　the　common　soldiers'　tables；　made　him　the　delight　and　pleasure　of　the　army。　In　love　affairs；　also；　he　was　very　agreeable：　he　gained　many　friends　by　the　assistance　he　gave　them　in　theirs；　and　took　other　people's　raillery　upon　his　own　with　good…humour。　And　his　generous　ways；　his　open　and　lavish　hand　in　gifts　and　favours　to　his　friends　and　fellow…soldiers；　did　a　great　deal　for　him　in　his　first　advance　to　power；　and　after　he　had　become　great；　long　maintained　his　fortunes；　when　a　thousand　follies　were　hastening　their　overthrow。　One　instance　of　his　liberality　I　must　relate。　He　had　ordered　payment　to　one　of　his　friends　of　twenty…five　myriads　of　money　or　decies；　as　the　Romans　call　it；　and　his　steward　wondering　at　the　extravagance　of　the　sum；　laid　all　the　silver　in　a　heap；　as　he　should　pass　by。　Antony；　seeing　the　heap；　asked　what　it　meant；　his　steward　replied；　〃The　money　you　have　ordered　to　be　given　to　your　friend。〃　So；　perceiving　the　man's　malice；　said　he；　〃I　thought　the　decies　had　been　much　more；　'tis　too　little；　let　it　be　doubled。〃　This；　however；　was　at　a　later　time。　　　When　the　Roman　state　finally　broke　up　into　two　hostile　factions；　the　aristocratical　party　joining　Pompey；　who　was　in　the　city；　and　the　popular　side　seeking　help　from　Caesar；　who　was　at　the　head　of　an　army　in　Gaul；　Curio；　the　friend　of　Antony；　having　changed　his　party　and　devoted　himself　to　Caesar；　brought　over　Antony　also　to　his　service。　And　the　influence　which　he　gained　with　the　people　by　his　eloquence　and　by　the　money　which　was　supplied　by　Caesar；　enabled　him　to　make　Antony；　first；　tribune　of　the　people；　and　then；　augur。　And　Antony's　accession　to　office　was　at　once　of　the　greatest　advantage　to　Caesar。　In　the　first　place；　he　resisted　the　consul　Marcellus；　who　was　putting　under　Pompey's　orders　the　troops　who　were　already　collected；　and　was　giving　him　power　to　raise　new　levies；　he；　on　the　other　hand；　making　an　order　that　they　should　be　sent　into　Syria　to　reinforce　Bibulus；　who　was　making　war　with　the　Parthians；　and　that　no　one　should　give　in　his　name　to　serve　under　Pompey。　Next；　when　the　senators　would　not　suffer　Caesar's　letters　to　be　received　or　read　in　the　senate；　by　virtue　of　his　office　he　read　them　publicly；　and　succeeded　so　well；　that　many　were　brought　to　change　their　mind；　Caesar's　demands；　as　they　appeared　in　what　he　wrote；　being　but　just　and　reasonable。　At　length；　two　questions　being　put　in　the　senate；　the　one；　whether　Pompey　should　dismiss　his　army；　the　other；　if　Caesar　his；　some　were　for　the　former；　for　the　latter　all；　except　some　few；　when　Antony　stood　up　and　put　the　question；　if　it　would　be　agreeable　to　them　that　both　Pompey　and　Caesar　should　dismiss　their　armies。　This　proposal　met　with　the　greatest　approval；　they　gave　him　loud　acclamations；　and　called　for　it　to　be　put　to　the　vote。　But　when　the　consuls　would　not　have　it　so；　Caesar's　friends　again　made　some　few　offers；　very　fair　and　equitable；　but　were　strongly　opposed　by　Cato；　and　Antony　himself　was　commanded　to　leave　the　senate　by　the　consul　Lentulus。　So；　leaving　them　with　execrations；　and　disguising　himself　in　a　servant's　dress；　hiring　a　carriage　with　Quintus　Cassius；　he　went　straight　away　to　Caesar；　declaring　at　once；　when　they　reached　the　camp；　that　affairs　at　Rome　were　conducted　without　any　order　or　justice；　that　the　privilege　of　speaking　in　the　senate　was　denied　the　tribunes；　and　that　he　who　spoke　for　common　fair　dealing　was　driven　out　and　in　danger　of　his　life。　　　Upon　this；　Caesar　set　his　army　in　motion；　and　marched　into　Italy；　and　for　this　reason　it　is　that　Cicero　writes　in　his　Philippics　that　Antony　was　as　much　the　cause　of　the　civil　war　as　Helen　was　of　the　Trojan。　But　this　is　but　a　calumny。　For　Caesar　was　not　of　so　slight　or　weak　a　temper　as　to　suffer