camillus-第2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！


mines；　hearing　the　words；　immediately　pulled　down　the　floor；　and；
ascending　with　noise　and　clashing　weapons；　frightened　away　the
enemy；　and；　snatching　up　the　entrails；　carried　them　to　Camillus。　But
this　may　look　like　a　fable。　The　city；　however；　being　taken　by　storm；
and　the　soldiers　busied　in　pillaging　and　gathering　an　infinite
quantity　of　riches　and　spoils；　Camillus；　from　the　high　tower；
viewing　what　was　done；　at　first　wept　for　pity；　and　when　they　that　were
by　congratulated　his　success；　he　lifted　up　his　hands　to　heaven；　and
broke　out　into　this　prayer：　〃O　most　mighty　Jupiter；　and　ye　gods　that
are　judges　of　good　and　evil　actions　ye　know　that　not　without　just
cause；　but　constrained　by　necessity；　we　have　been　forced　to　revenge
ourselves　on　the　city　of　our　unrighteous　and　wicked　enemies。　But　if；
in　the　vicissitude　of　things；　there　may　be　any　calamity　due；　to
counterbalance　this　great　felicity；　I　beg　that　it　may　be　diverted　from
the　city　and　army　of　the　Romans；　and　fall；　with　as　little　hurt　as
may　be；　upon　my　own　head。〃　Having　said　these　words；　and　just　turning
about　（as　the　custom　of　the　Romans　is　to　turn　to　the　right　after
adoration　or　prayer）；　he　stumbled　and　fell；　to　the　astonishment　of　all
that　were　present。　But；　recovering　himself　presently　from　the　fall；　he
told　them　that　he　had　received　what　he　had　prayed　for；　a　small
mischance；　in　compensation　for　the　greatest　good　fortune。
　　Having　sacked　the　city；　he　resolved；　according　as　he　had　vowed；　to
carry　Juno's　image　to　Rome；　and；　the　workmen　being　ready　for　that
purpose；　he　sacrificed　to　the　goddess；　and　made　his　supplications　that
she　would　be　pleased　to　accept　of　their　devotion　toward　her；　and
graciously　vouchsafe　to　accept　of　a　place　among　the　gods　that　presided
at　Rome；　and　the　statue；　they　say；　answered　in　a　low　voice　that　she
was　ready　and　willing　to　go。　Livy　writes；　that；　in　praying；　Camillus
touched　the　goddess；　and　invited　her；　and　that　some　of　the　standers…by
cried　out　that　she　was　willing　and　would　come。　They　who　stand　up　for
the　miracle　and　endeavour　to　maintain　it　have　one　great　advocate　on
their　side　in　the　wonderful　fortune　of　the　city；　which；　from　a　small
and　contemptible　beginning；　could　never　have　attained　to　that
greatness　and　power　without　many　signal　manifestations　of　the　divine
presence　and　co…operation。　Other　wonders　of　the　like　nature；　drops
of　sweat　seen　to　stand　on　statues；　groans　heard　from　them；　the　figures
seen　to　turn　round　and　to　close　their　eyes；　are　recorded　by　many
ancient　historians；　and　we　ourselves　could　relate　divers　wonderful
things；　which　we　have　been　told　by　men　of　our　own　time；　that　are　not
lightly　to　be　rejected；　but　to　give　too　easy　credit　to　such　things；　or
wholly　to　disbelieve　them；　is　equally　dangerous；　so　incapable　is　human
infirmity　of　keeping　any　bounds；　or　exercising　command　over　itself；
running　off　sometimes　to　superstition　and　dotage；　at　other　times　to
the　contempt　and　neglect　of　all　that　is　supernatural。　But　moderation
is　best；　and　to　avoid　all　extremes。
　　Camillus；　however；　whether　puffed　up　with　the　greatness　of　his
achievement　in　conquering　a　city　that　was　the　rival　of　Rome；　and　had
held　out　a　ten　years'　siege；　or　exalted　with　the　felicitations　of
those　that　were　about　him；　assumed　to　himself　more　than　became　a　civil
and　legal　magistrate；　among　other　things；　in　the　pride　and　haughtiness
of　his　triumph；　driving　through　Rome　in　a　chariot　drawn　with　four
white　horses；　which　no　general　either　before　or　since　ever　did；　for
the　Romans　consider　such　a　mode　of　conveyance　to　be　sacred　and
specially　set　apart　to　the　king；　and　father　of　the　gods。　This
alienated　the　hearts　of　his　fellow…citizens；　who　were　not　accustomed
to　such　pomp　and　display。
　　The　second　pique　they　had　against　him　was　his　opposing　the　law　by
which　the　city　was　to　be　divided；　for　the　tribunes　of　the　people
brought　forward　a　motion　that　the　people　and　senate　should　be
divided　into　two　parts；　one　of　which　should　remain　at　home；　the
other　as　the　lot　should　decide；　remove　to　the　new…taken　city。　By　which
means　they　should　not　only　have　much　more　room；　but；　by　the
advantage　of　two　great　and　magnificent　cities；　be　better　able　to
maintain　their　territories　and　their　fortunes　in　general。　The
people；　therefore；　who　were　numerous　and　indigent；　greedily　embraced
it；　and　crowded　continually　to　the　forum；　with　tumultuous　demands　to
have　it　put　to　the　vote。　But　the　senate　and　the　noblest　citizens；
judging　the　proceedings　of　the　tribunes　to　tend　rather　to　a
destruction　than　a　division　of　Rome；　greatly　averse　to　it；　went　to
Camillus　for　assistance；　who；　fearing　the　result　if　it　came　to　a
direct　contest；　contrived　to　occupy　the　people　with　other　business；
and　so　staved　it　off。　He　thus　became　unpopular。　But　the　greatest　and
most　apparent　cause　of　their　dislike　against　him　arose　from　the　tenths
of　the　spoil；　the　multitude　having　here；　if　not　a　just；　yet　a
plausible　case　against　him。　For　it　seems；　as　he　went　to　the　siege　of
Veii；　he　had　vowed　to　Apollo　that　if　he　took　the　city　he　would
dedicate　to　him　the　tenth　of　the　spoil。　The　city　being　taken　and
sacked；　whether　he　was　loth　to　trouble　the　soldiers　at　that　time；　or
that　through　the　multitude　of　business　he　had　forgotten　his　vow；　he
suffered　them　to　enjoy　that　part　of　the　spoils　also。　Some　time
afterwards；　when　his　authority　was　laid　down；　he　brought　the　matter
before　the　senate；　and　the　priests；　at　the　same　time；　reported；　out　of
the　sacrifices；　that　there　were　intimations　of　divine　anger；　requiring
propitiations　and　offerings。　The　senate　decreed　the　obligations　to
be　in　force。
　　But　seeing　it　was　difficult　for　every　one　to　produce　the　very　same
things　they　had　taken；　to　be　divided　anew；　they　ordained　that　every
one　upon　oath　should　bring　into　the　public　the　tenth　part　of　his
gains。　This　occasioned　many　annoyances　and　hardships　to　the
soldiers；　who　were　poor　men；　and　had　endured　much　in　the　war；　and
now　were　forced；　out　of　what　they　had　gained　and　spent；　to　bring　in　so
great　a　proportion。　Camillus；　being　assaulted　by　their　clamour　and
tumults；　for　want　of　a　better　excuse；　betook　himself　to　the　poorest　of
defences；　confessing　he　had　forgotten　his　vow；　they　in　turn　complained
that　he　had　vowed　the　tenth　of　the　enemy's　goods；　and　now　levied　it
out　of　the　tenth　of　the　citizens'。　Nevertheless；　every　one　having
brought　in　his　due　proportion；　it　was　decreed　that　out　of　it　a　bowl　of
massy　gold　should　be　made；　and　sent　to　Delphi。　And　when　there　was
great　scarcity　of　gold　in　the　city；　and　the　magistrates　were
considering　where　to　get　it；　the　Roman　ladies；　meeting　together　and
consulting　among　themselves；　out　of　the　golden　ornaments　they　wore
contributed　as　much　as　went　to　the　making　of　the　offering；　which　in
weight　came　to　eight　talents　of　gold。　The　senate；　to　give　them　the
honour　they　had　deserved；　ordained　that　funeral　orations　should　be
used　at　the　obsequies　of　women　as　well　as　men；　it　having　never
before　been　a　custom　that　any　women　after　death　should　receive　any
public　eulogy。　Choosing　out；　therefore；　three　of　the　noblest
citizens　as　a　deputation；　they　sent　them　in　a　vessel　of　war；　well
manned　and　sumptuously　adorned。　Storm　and　calm　at　sea　may　both；　they
say；　alike　be　dangerous；　as　they　at　this　time　experienced；　being
brought　almost　to　the　very　brink　of　destruction；　and；　beyond　all
expectation；　escaping。　For　near　the　isles　of　Aeolus　the　wind　slacking；
galleys　of　the　Lipareans　came　upon　them；　taking　them　for　pirates；　and；
when　they　held　up　their　hands　as　suppliants；　forbore　indeed　from
violence；　but　took　their　ship　in　tow；　and　carried　her　into　the
harbour；　where　they　exposed　to　sale　their　goods　and　persons　as
lawful　prize；　they　being　pirates；　and　scarcely；　at　last；　by　the　virtue
and　interest　of　one　man；　Timasitheus　by　name；　who　was　in　office　as
general；　and　used　his　utmost　persuasion；　they　were；　with　much　ado；
dismissed。　He；　however；　himself　sent　out　some　of　his　own　vessels
with　them；　to　accompany　them　in　their　voyage　and　assist　them　at　the
dedication；　for　which　he　received　honours　at　Rome；　as　he　had　deserved。
　　And　now　the　tribunes　of　the　people　again　resuming　their　motion　for
the　division　of　the　city；　the　war　against　the　Faliscans　luckily
broke　out；　giving　liberty　to　the　chief　citizens　to　choose　what
magistrates　they　pleased；　and　to　appoint　Camillus　military　tribune；
with　five　colleagues；　affairs　then　requiring　a　commander　of
authority　and　reputation；　as　well　as　experience。　And　when　the　people
had　ratified　the　election；　he　marched　with　his　forces　into　the
territories　of　the　Faliscans；　and　laid　siege　to　Falerii；　a
well…fortified　city；　and　plentifully　stored　with　all　necessaries　of
war。　And　although　he　perceived　it　would　be　no　small　work　to　take　it；
and　no　little　time　would　be　required　for　it；　yet　he　was　willing　to
exercise　the　citizens　and　keep　them　abroad；　that　they　might　have　no
leisure；　idling　at　home；　to　follow　the　tribunes　in　factions　and
seditions；　a　very　common　remedy；　indeed；　with　the　Romans；　who　thus
carried　off；　like　good　physicians；　the　ill　humours　of　their
commonwealth。　The　Falerians；　trusting　in　the　strength　of　their　city；
which　was　well　fortified　on　all　sides；　made　so　little　account　of　the
siege；　that　all；　with　the　exception　of　those　that　guarded　the　walls；
as　in　times　of　peace；　walked　about　the　streets　in　their　common
dress；　the　boys　went　to　school；　and　were　led　by　their　master　to　play
and　exercise　about　the　town　walls；　for　the　Falerians；　like　the　Greeks；
used　to　have　a　single　teacher　for　many　pupils；　wishing　their
children　to　live　and　be　brought　up　from　the　beginning　in　each
other's　company。
　　This　schoolmaster；　designing　to　betray　the　Falerians　by　their
children；　led　them　out　every　day　under　the　town　wall；　at　first　but　a
little　way；　and；　when　they　had　exercised；　brought　them　home　again。
Afterwards　by　degrees　he　drew　them　farther　and　farther；　till　by
practice　he　had　made　them　bold　and　fearless；　as　if　no　danger　was　about
them；　and　at　last；　having　got　them　all　together；　he　brought　them　to
the　outposts　of　the　Romans；　and　delivered　them　up；　demanding　to　be　led
to　Camillus。　Where　being　come；　and　standing　in　the　middle；　he　said
that　he　was　the　master　and　teacher　of　these　children；　but　preferri