camillus-第6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！


the　hollow　of　the　cliff；　and　presented　himself　to　the　guards；　saluting
them；　and　telling　them　his　name；　he　was　taken　in；　and　carried　to　the
commanders。　And　a　senate　being　immediately　called；　he　related　to
them　in　order　the　victory　of　Camillus；　which　they　had　not　heard　of
before；　and　the　proceedings　of　the　soldiers；　urging　them　to　confirm
Camillus　in　the　command；　as　on　him　alone　all　their　fellow…countrymen
outside　the　city　would　rely。　Having　heard　and　consulted　of　the　matter；
the　senate　declared　Camillus　dictator；　and　sent　back　Pontius　the
same　way　that　he　came；　who；　with　the　same　success　as　before；　got
through　the　enemy　without　being　discovered；　and　delivered　to　the
Romans　outside　the　decision　of　the　senate；　who　joyfully　received　it。
Camillus；　on　his　arrival；　found　twenty　thousand　of　them　ready　in　arms；
with　which　forces；　and　those　confederates　he　brought　along　with　him；
he　prepared　to　set　upon　the　enemy。
　　But　at　Rome　some　of　the　barbarians；　passing　by　chance　near　the　place
at　which　Pontius　by　night　had　got　into　the　Capitol；　spied　in　several
places　marks　of　feet　and　hands；　where　he　had　laid　hold　and
clambered；　and　places　where　the　plants　that　grew　to　the　rock　had
been　rubbed　off；　and　the　earth　had　slipped；　and　went　accordingly　and
reported　it　to　the　king；　who；　coming　in　person；　and　viewing　it；　for
the　present　said　nothing；　but　in　the　evening；　picking　out　such　of
the　Gauls　as　were　nimblest　of　body；　and　by　living　in　the　mountains
were　accustomed　to　climb；　he　said　to　them；　〃The　enemy　themselves
have　shown　us　a　way　how　to　come　at　them；　which　we　knew　not　of
before；　and　have　taught　us　that　it　is　not　so　difficult　and
impossible　but　that　men　may　overcome　it。　It　would　be　a　great　shame；
having　begun　well；　to　fail　in　the　end；　and　to　give　up　a　place　as
impregnable；　when　the　enemy　himself　lets　us　see　the　way　by　which　it
may　be　taken；　for　where　it　was　easy　for　one　man　to　get　up；　it　will　not
be　hard　for　many；　one　after　another；　nay；　when　many　shall　undertake
it；　they　will　be　aid　and　strength　to　each　other。　Rewards　and　honours
shall　be　bestowed　on　every　man　as　he　shall　acquit　himself。〃
　　When　the　king　had　thus　spoken；　the　Gauls　cheerfully　undertook　to
perform　it；　and　in　the　dead　of　night　a　good　party　of　them　together；
with　great　silence；　began　to　climb　the　rock；　clinging　to　the
precipitous　and　difficult　ascent；　which　yet　upon　trial　offered　a　way
to　them；　and　proved　less　difficult　than　they　had　expected。　So　that　the
foremost　of　them　having　gained　the　top　of　all；　and　put　themselves　into
order；　they　all　but　surprised　the　outworks；　and　mastered　the　watch；
who　were　fast　asleep；　for　neither　man　nor　dog　perceived　their
coming。　But　there　were　sacred　geese　kept　near　the　temple　of　Juno；
which　at　other　times　were　plentifully　fed；　but　now；　by　reason　that
corn　and　other　provisions　were　grown　scarce　for　all；　were　but　in　a
poor　condition。　The　creature　is　by　nature　of　quick　sense；　and
apprehensive　of　the　least　noise；　so　that　these；　being　moreover
watchful　through　hunger；　and　restless；　immediately　discovered　the
coming　of　the　Gauls；　and；　running　up　and　down　with　their　noise　and
cackling；　they　raised　the　whole　camp；　while　the　barbarians　on　the
other　side；　perceiving　themselves　discovered；　no　longer　endeavoured　to
conceal　their　attempt；　but　with　shouting　and　violence　advanced　to
the　assault。　The　Romans；　every　one　in　haste　snatching　up　the　next
weapon　that　came　to　hand；　did　what　they　could　on　the　sudden
occasion。　Manlius；　a　man　of　consular　dignity；　of　strong　body　and　great
spirit；　was　the　first　that　made　head　against　them；　and；　engaging
with　two　of　the　enemy　at　once；　with　his　sword　cut　off　the　right　arm　of
one　just　as　he　was　lifting　up　his　blade　to　strike；　and；　running　his
target　full　in　the　face　of　the　other；　tumbled　him　headlong　down　the
steep　rock；　then　mounting　the　rampart；　and　there　standing　with
others　that　came　running　to　his　assistance；　drove　down　the　rest　of
them；　who；　indeed；　to　begin；　had　not　been　many；　and　did　nothing　worthy
of　so　bold　an　attempt。　The　Romans；　having　thus　escaped　this　danger；
early　in　the　morning　took　the　captain　of　the　watch　and　flung　him
down　the　rock　upon　the　heads　of　their　enemies；　and　to　Manlius　for
his　victory　voted　a　reward；　intended　more　for　honour　than　advantage；
bringing　him；　each　man　of　them　as　much　as　he　received　for　his　daily
allowance；　which　was　half　a　pound　of　bread　and　one　eighth　of　a　pint　of
wine。
　　Henceforward；　the　affairs　of　the　Gauls　were　daily　in　a　worse　and
worse　condition；　they　wanted　provisions；　being　withheld　from
foraging　through　fear　of　Camillus；　and　sickness　also　was　amongst　them；
occasioned　by　the　number　of　carcasses　that　lay　in　heaps　unburied。
Being　lodged　among　the　ruins；　the　ashes；　which　were　very　deep；　blown
about　by　the　winds　and　combining　with　the　sultry　heats；　breathed　up；
so　to　say；　a　dry　and　searching　air；　the　inhalation　of　which　was
destructive　to　their　health。　But　the　chief　cause　was　the　change　from
their　natural　climate；　coming　as　they　did　out　of　shady　and　hilly
countries；　abounding　in　means　of　shelter　from　the　heat；　to　lodge　in
low；　and；　in　the　autumn　season；　very　unhealthy　ground；　added　to
which　was　the　length　and　tediousness　of　the　siege；　as　they　had　now
sate　seven　months　before　the　Capitol。　There　was；　therefore；　a　great
destruction　among　them；　and　the　number　of　the　dead　grew　so　great
that　the　living　gave　up　burying　them。　Neither；　indeed；　were　things
on　that　account　any　better　with　the　besieged；　for　famine　increased
upon　them；　and　despondency　with　not　hearing　anything　of　Camillus；　it
being　impossible　to　send　any　one　to　him；　the　city　was　so　guarded　by
the　barbarians。　Things　being　in　this　sad　condition　on　both　sides；　a
motion　of　treaty　was　made　at　first　by　some　of　the　outposts；　as　they
happened　to　speak　with　one　another；　which　being　embraced　by　the
leading　men；　Sulpicius；　tribune　of　the　Romans；　came　to　a　parley　with
Brennus；　in　which　it　was　agreed；　that　the　Romans　laying　down　a
thousand　weight　of　gold；　the　Gauls　upon　the　receipt　of　it　should
immediately　quit　the　city　and　territories。　The　agreement　being
confirmed　by　oath　on　both　sides；　and　the　gold　brought　forth；　the　Gauls
used　false　dealing　in　the　weight；　secretly　at　first；　but　afterwards
openly　pulled　back　and　disturbed　the　balance；　at　which　the　Romans
indignantly　complaining；　Brennus；　in　a　scoffing　and　insulting
manner；　pulled　off　his　sword　and　belt；　and　threw　them　both　into　the
scales；　and　when　Sulpicius　asked　what　that　meant；　〃What　should　it
mean；〃　says　he；　〃but　woe　to　the　conquered？〃　which　afterwards　became
a　proverbial　saying。　As　for　the　Romans；　some　were　so　incensed　that
they　were　for　taking　their　gold　back　again　and　returning　to　endure　the
siege。　Others　were　for　passing　by　and　dissembling　a　petty　injury；
and　not　to　account　that　the　indignity　of　the　thing　lay　in　paying
more　than　was　due；　since　the　paying　anything　at　all　was　itself　a
dishonour　only　submitted　to　as　a　necessity　of　the　times。
　　Whilst　this　difference　remained　still　unsettled；　both　amongst
themselves　and　with　the　Gauls；　Camillus　was　at　the　gates　with　his
army；　and　having　learned　what　was　going　on；　commanded　the　main　body　of
his　forces　to　follow　slowly　after　him　in　good　order；　and　himself
with　the　choicest　of　his　men　hastening　on；　went　at　once　to　the　Romans；
where；　all　giving　way　to　him；　and　receiving　him　as　their　sole
magistrate；　with　profound　silence　and　order；　he　took　the　gold　out　of
the　scales；　and　delivered　it　to　his　officers；　and　commanded　the
Gauls　to　take　their　weights　and　scales　and　depart；　saying　that　it
was　customary　with　the　Romans　to　deliver　their　country　with　iron；
not　with　gold。　And　when　Brennus　began　to　rage；　and　say　that　he　was
unjustly　dealt　with　in　such　a　breach　of　contract；　Camillus　answered
that　it　was　never　legally　made；　and　the　agreement　of　no　force　or
obligation；　for　that　himself　being　declared　dictator；　and　there
being　no　other　magistrate　by　law；　the　engagement　had　been　made　with
men　who　had　no　power　to　enter　into　it；　but　now　they　might　say　anything
they　had　to　urge；　for　he　was　come　with　full　power　by　law　to　grant
pardon　to　such　as　should　ask　it；　or　inflict　punishment　on　the
guilty；　if　they　did　not　repent。　At　this；　Brennus　broke　into　violent
anger；　and　an　immediate　quarrel　ensued；　both　sides　drew　their　swords
and　attacked；　but　in　confusion；　as　could　not　be　otherwise　amongst
houses；　and　in　narrow　lanes　and　places　where　it　was　impossible　to　form
in　any　order。　But　Brennus；　presently　recollecting　himself；　called
off　his　men；　and；　with　the　loss　of　a　few　only；　brought　them　to　their
camp；　and　rising　in　the　night　with　all　his　forces；　left　the　city；　and；
advancing　about　eight　miles；　encamped　upon　the　way　to　Gabii。　As　soon
as　day　appeared；　Camillus　came　up　with　him；　splendidly　armed
himself；　and　his　soldiers　full　of　courage　and　confidence；　and　there
engaging　with　him　in　a　sharp　conflict；　which　lasted　a　long　while；
overthrew　his　army　with　great　slaughter；　and　took　their　camp。　Of　those
that　fled；　some　were　presently　cut　off　by　the　pursuers；　others；　and
these　were　the　greatest　number；　dispersed　hither　and　thither；　and　were
despatched　by　the　people　that　came　sallying　out　from　the
neighbouring　towns　and　villages。
　　Thus　Rome　was　strangely　taken；　and　more　strangely　recovered；
having　been　seven　whole　months　in　the　possession　of　the　barbarians；
who　entered　her　a　little　after　the　Ides　of　July；　and　were　driven　out
about　the　Ides　of　February　following。　Camillus　triumphed；　as　he
deserved；　having　saved　his　country　that　was　lost；　and　brought　the
city；　so　to　say；　back　again　to　itself。　For　those　that　had　fled　abroad；
together　with　their　wives　and　children；　accompanied　him　as　he　rode　in；
and　those　who　had　been　shut　up　in　the　Capitol；　and　were　reduced　almost
to　the　point　of　perishing　with　hunger；　went　out　to　meet　him；　embracing
each　other　as　they　met；　and　weeping　for　joy；　and；　through　the　excess
of　the　present　pleasure；　scarce　believing　in　its　truth。　And　when　the
priests　and　ministers　of　the　gods　appeared　bearing　the　sacred
things；　which　in　their　flight　they　had　either　hid　on　the　spot；　or
conveyed　away　with　them；　and　now　openly　showed　in　safety；　the　citizens
who　saw　the　blessed　sight　felt　as　if　with　these　the　gods　themselves
were　again　retu