antony-第6部分

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s　beforehand　with　his　divers　and　fixed　upon　his　hook　a　salted　fish　from　Pontus。　Antony；　feeling　his　line　give；　drew　up　the　prey；　and　when；　as　may　be　imagined；　great　laughter　ensued；　〃Leave；〃　said　Cleopatra；　〃the　fishing…rod；　general；　to　us　poor　sovereigns　of　Pharos　and　Canopus；　your　game　is　cities；　provinces；　and　kingdoms。〃　　　Whilst　he　was　thus　diverting　himself　and　engaged　in　this　boy's　play；　two　despatches　arrived；　one　from　Rome；　that　his　brother　Lucius　and　his　wife　Fulvia；　after　many　quarrels　among　themselves；　had　joined　in　war　against　Caesar；　and　having　lost　all；　had　fled　out　of　Italy；　the　other　bringing　little　better　news；　that　Labienus；　at　the　head　of　the　Parthians；　was　overrunning　Asia；　from　Euphrates　and　Syria　as　far　as　Lydia　and　Ionia。　So；　scarcely　at　last　rousing　himself　from　sleep；　and　shaking　off　the　fumes　of　wine；　he　set　out　to　attack　the　Parthians；　and　went　as　far　as　Phoenicia；　but；　upon　the　receipt　of　lamentable　letters　from　Fulvia；　turned　his　course　with　two　hundred　ships　to　Italy。　And；　in　his　way；　receiving　such　of　his　friends　as　fled　from　Italy；　he　was　given　to　understand　that　Fulvia　was　the　sole　cause　of　the　war；　a　woman　of　a　restless　spirit　and　very　bold；　and　withal　her　hopes　were　that　commotions　in　Italy　would　force　Antony　from　Cleopatra。　But　it　happened　that　Fulvia　as　she　was　coming　to　meet　her　husband；　fell　sick　by　the　way；　and　died　at　Sicyon；　so　that　an　accommodation　was　the　more　easily　made。　For　when　he　reached　Italy；　and　Caesar　showed　no　intention　of　laying　anything　to　his　charge；　and　he　on　his　part　shifted　the　blame　of　everything　on　Fulvia；　those　that　were　friends　to　them　would　not　suffer　that　the　time　should　be　spent　in　looking　narrowly　into　the　plea；　but　made　a　reconciliation　first；　and　then　a　partition　of　the　empire　between　them；　taking　as　their　boundary　the　Ionian　Sea；　the　eastern　provinces　falling　to　Antony；　to　Caesar　the　western；　and　Africa　being　left　to　Lepidus。　And　an　agreement　was　made　that　everyone　in　their　turn；　as　they　thought　fit；　should　make　their　friends　consuls；　when　they　did　not　choose　to　take　the　offices　themselves。　　　These　terms　were　well　approved　of；　but　yet　it　was　thought　some　closer　tie　would　be　desirable；　and　for　this；　fortune　offered　occasion。　Caesar　had　an　elder　sister；　not　of　the　whole　blood；　for　Attia　was　his　mother's　name；　hers　Ancharia。　This　sister；　Octavia；　he　was　extremely　attached　to；　as　indeed　she　was；　it　is　said；　quite　a　wonder　of　a　woman。　Her　husband；　Caius　Marcellus；　had　died　not　long　before；　and　Antony　was　now　a　widower　by　the　death　of　Fulvia；　for；　though　he　did　not　disavow　the　passion　he　had　for　Cleopatra；　yet　he　disowned　anything　of　marriage；　reason　as　yet；　upon　this　point；　still　maintaining　the　debate　against　the　charms　of　the　Egyptian。　Everybody　concurred　in　promoting　this　new　alliance；　fully　expecting　that　with　the　beauty；　honour；　and　prudence　of　Octavia；　when　her　company　should；　as　it　was　certain　it　would；　have　engaged　his　affections；　all　would　be　kept　in　the　safe　and　happy　course　of　friendship。　So；　both　parties　being　agreed；　they　went　to　Rome　to　celebrate　the　nuptials；　the　senate　dispensing　with　the　law　by　which　a　widow　was　not　permitted　to　marry　till　ten　months　after　the　death　of　her　husband。　　　Sextus　Pompeius　was　in　possession　of　Sicily；　and　with　his　ships；　under　the　command　of　Menas；　the　pirate；　and　Menecrates；　so　infested　the　Italian　coast　that　no　vessels　durst　venture　into　those　seas。　Sextus　had　behaved　with　much　humanity　towards　Antony；　having　received　his　mother　when　she　fled　with　Fulvia；　and　it　was　therefore　judged　fit　that　he　also　should　be　received　into　the　peace。　They　met　near　the　promontory　of　Misenum；　by　the　mole　of　the　port；　Pompey　having　his　fleet　at　anchor　close　by；　and　Antony　and　Caesar　their　troops　drawn　up　all　along　the　shore。　There　it　was　concluded　that　Sextus　should　quietly　enjoy　the　government　of　Sicily　and　Sardinia；　he　conditioning　to　scour　the　seas　of　all　pirates；　and　to　send　so　much　corn　every　year　to　Rome。　　　This　agreed　on；　they　invited　one　another　to　supper；　and　by　lot　it　fell　to　Pompey's　turn　to　give　the　first　entertainment；　and　Antony；　asking　where　it　was　to　be；　〃There；〃　said　he；　pointing　to　the　admiral…galley；　a　ship　of　six　banks　of　oars。　〃that　is　the　only　house　that　Pompey　is　heir　to　of　his　father's。〃　And　this　he　said；　reflecting　upon　Antony；　who　was　then　in　possession　of　his　father's　house。　Having　fixed　the　ship　on　her　anchors；　and　formed　a　bridgeway　from　the　promontory　to　conduct　on　board　of　her；　he　gave　them　a　cordial　welcome。　And　when　they　began　to　grow　warm；　and　jests　were　passing　freely　on　Antony　and　Cleopatra's　loves；　Menas；　the　pirate；　whispered　Pompey；　in　the　ear；　〃Shall　I；〃　said　he；　〃cut　the　cables　and　make　you　master　not　of　Sicily　only　and　Sardinia；　but　of　the　whole　Roman　empire？〃　Pompey；　having　considered　a　little　while；　returned　him　answer；　〃Menas；　this　might　have　been　done　without　acquainting　me；　now　we　must　rest　content；　I　do　not　break　my　word。〃　And　so；　having　been　entertained　by　the　other　two　in　their　turns；　he　set　sail　for　Sicily。　　　After　the　treaty　was　completed；　Antony　despatched　Ventidius　into　Asia；　to　check　the　advance　of　the　Parthians；　while　he；　as　a　compliment　to　Caesar；　accepted　the　office　of　priest　to　the　deceased　Caesar。　And　in　any　state　affair　and　matter　of　consequence；　they　both　behaved　themselves　with　much　consideration　and　friendliness　for　each　other。　But　it　annoyed　Antony　that　in　all　their　amusements；　on　any　trial　of　skill　or　fortune；　Caesar　should　be　constantly　victorious。　He　had　with　him　an　Egyptian　diviner；　one　of　those　who　calculate　nativities；　who；　either　to　make　his　court　to　Cleopatra；　or　that　by　the　rules　of　his　art　he　found　it　to　be　so；　openly　declared　to　him　that　though　the　fortune　that　attended　him　was　bright　and　glorious；　yet　it　was　overshadowed　by　Caesar's；　and　advised　him　to　keep　himself　as　far　distant　as　he　could　from　that　young　man；　〃for　your　Genius；〃　said　he；　〃dreads　his；　when　absent　from　him　yours　is　proud　and　brave；　but　in　his　presence　unmanly　and　dejected；〃　and　incidents　that　occurred　appeared　to　show　that　the　Egyptian　spoke　truth。　For　whenever　they　cast　lots　for　any　playful　purpose；　or　threw　dice；　Antony　was　still　the　loser；　and　when　they　fought　game…cocks　or　quails；　Caesar's　had　the　victory。　This　gave　Antony　a　secret　displeasure；　and　made　him　put　the　more　confidence　in　the　skill　of　his　Egyptian。　So；　leaving　the　management　of　his　home　affairs　to　Caesar；　he　left　Italy；　and　took　Octavia；　who　had　lately　borne　him　a　daughter；　along　with　him　into　Greece。　　　Here；　whilst　he　wintered　in　Athens；　he　received　the　first　news　of　Ventidius's　successes　over　the　Parthians；　of　his　having　defeated　them　in　a　battle；　having　slain　Labienus　and　Pharnapates；　the　best　general　their　king；　Hyrodes；　possessed。　For　the　celebrating　of　which　he　made　public　feast　through　Greece；　and　for　the　prizes　which　were　contested　at　Athens　he　himself　acted　as　steward；　and；　leaving　at　home　the　ensigns　that　are　carried　before　the　general；　he　made　his　public　appearance　in　a　gown　and　white　shoes；　with　the　steward's　wands　marching　before；　and　he　performed　his　duty　in　taking　the　combatants　by　the　neck；　to　part　them；　when　they　had　fought　enough。　　　When　the　time　came　for　him　to　set　out　for　the　war；　he　took　a　garland　from　the　sacred　olive；　and；　in　obedience　to　some　oracle；　he　filled　a　vessel　with　the　water　of　the　Clepsydra　to　carry　along　with　him。　In　this　interval；　Pacorus；　the　Parthian　king's　son；　who　was　marching　into　Syria　with　a　large　army；　was　met　by　Ventidius；　who　gave　him　battle　in　the　country　of　Cyrrhestica；　slew　a　large　number　of　his　men；　and　Pacorus　among　the　first。　This　victory　was　one　of　the　most　renowned　achievements　of　the　Romans；　and　fully　avenged　their　defeats　under　Crassus；　the　Parthians　being　obliged；　after　the　loss　of　three　battles　successively；　to　keep　themselves　within　the　bounds　of　Media　and　Mesopotamia。　Ventidius　was　not　willing　to　push　his　good　fortune　further；　for　fear　of　raising　some　jealousy　in　Antony；　but　turning　his　aims　against　those　that　had　quitted　the　Roman　interest；　he　reduced　them　to　their　former　obedience。　Among　the　rest；　he　besieged　Antiochus；　King　of　Commagene；　in　the　city　of　Samosata；　who　made　an　offer　of　a　thousand　talents　for　his　pardon；　and　a　promise　of　submission　to　Antony's　commands。　But　Ventidius　told　him　that　he　must　send　to　Antony；　who　was　already　on　his　march；　and　had　sent　word　to　Ventidius　to　make　no　terms　with　Antiochus；　wishing　that　at　any　rate　this　one　exploit　might　be　ascribed　to　him；　and　that　people　might　not　think　that　all　his　successes　were　won　by　his　lieutenants。　The　siege；　however；　was　long　protracted；　for　when　those　within　found　their　offers　refused；　they　defended　themselves　stoutly；　till；　at　last；　Antony；　finding　he　was　doing　nothing；　in　shame　and　regret　for　having　refused　the　first　offer；　was　glad　to　make　an　accommodation　with　Antiochus　for　three　hundred　talents。　And；　having　given　some　orders　for　the　affairs　of　Syria；　he　returned　to　Athens；　and；　paying　Ventidius　the　honours　he　well　deserved；　dismissed　him　to　receive　his　triumph。　He　is　the　only　man　that　has　ever　yet　triumphed　for　victories　obtained　over　the　Parthians；　he　was　of　obscure　birth；　but；　by　means　of　Antony's　friendship；　obtained　an　opportunity　of　showing　his　capacity；　and　doing　great　things；　and　his　making　such　glorious　use　of　it　gave　new　credit　to　the　current　observation　about　Caesar　and　Antony；　that　they　were　more　fortunate　in　what　they　did　by　their　lieutenants　than　in　their　own　persons。　For　Sossius；　also；　had　great　success；　and　Canidius；　whom　he　left　in　Armenia；　defeated　the　people　there；　and　also　the　kings　of　the　Albanians　and　Iberians；　and　marched　victorious　as　far　as　Caucasus；　by　which　means　the　fame　of　Antony's　arms　had　become　great　among　the　barbarous　nations。　　　He；　however；　once　more；　upon　some　unfavourable　stories；　taking　offence　against　Caesar；　set　sail　with　three　hundred　ships　for　Italy；　and；　being　refused　admittance　to　the　port　of　Brundusium；　made　for　Tarentum。　There　his　wife　Octavia；　who　came　from　Greece　with　him；　obtained　leave　to　visit　her　brother；　she　being　then　great　with　child；　having　already　borne　her　husband　a　second　daughter；　and　as　she　was　on　her　way　she　met　Caesar；　with　his　two　friends　Agrippa　and　Maecenas；　and；　taking　these　two　aside；　with　great　entreaties　and　lamentations　she　told　them；　that　of　the