fabius-第3部分

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also　many　other　eminent　and　considerable　persons；　saying　that　it　was
they　that　had　brought　the　Carthaginians　into　Italy；　with　the　design　to
destroy　the　liberty　of　the　people；　for　which　end　they　had　at　once
put　the　supreme　authority　into　the　hands　of　a　single　person；　who　by
his　slowness　and　delays　might　give　Hannibal　leisure　to　establish
himself　in　Italy；　and　the　people　of　Carthage　time　and　opportunity　to
supply　him　with　fresh　succours　to　complete　his　conquest。
　　Fabius　came　forward　with　no　intention　to　answer　the　tribune；　but
only　said；　that　they　should　expedite　the　sacrifices；　that　so　he
might　speedily　return　to　the　army　to　punish　Minucius；　who　had　presumed
to　fight　contrary　to　his　orders；　words　which　immediately　possessed　the
people　with　the　belief　that　Minucius　stood　in　danger　of　his　life。
For　it　was　in　the　power　of　the　dictator　to　imprison　and　to　put　to
death；　and　they　feared　that　Fabius；　of　a　mild　temper　in　general；　would
be　as　hard　to　be　appeased　when　once　irritated；　as　he　was　slow　to　be
provoked。　Nobody　dared　to　raise　his　voice　in　opposition；　Metilius
alone；　whose　office　of　tribune　gave　him　security　to　say　what　he
pleased　（for　in　the　time　of　a　dictatorship　that　magistrateal　one
preserves　his　authority）；　boldly　applied　himself　to　the　people　in
the　behalf　of　Minucius；　that　they　should　not　suffer　him　to　be　made　a
sacrifice　to　the　enmity　of　Fabius；　nor　permit　him　to　be　destroyed；
like　the　son　of　Manlius　Torquatus；　who　was　beheaded　by　his　father
for　a　victory　fought　and　triumphantly　won　against　order；　he　exhorted
them　to　take　away　from　Fabius　that　absolute　power　of　a　dictator；　and
to　put　it　into　more　worthy　hands；　better　able　and　more　inclined　to　use
it　for　the　public　good。　These　impressions　very　much　prevailed　upon　the
people；　though　not　so　far　as　wholly　to　dispossess　Fabius　of　the
dictatorship。　But　they　decreed　that　Minucius　should　have　an　equal
authority　with　the　dictator　in　the　conduct　of　the　war；　which　was　a
thing　then　without　precedent；　though　a　little　later　it　was　again
practised　after　the　disaster　at　Cannae；　when　the　dictator；　Marcus
Junius；　being　with　the　army；　they　chose　at　Rome　Fabius　Buteo　dictator；
that　he　might　create　new　senators；　to　supply　the　numerous　places　of
those　who　were　killed。　But　as　soon　as；　once　acting　in　public；　he　had
filled　those　vacant　places　with　a　sufficient　number；　he　immediately
dismissed　his　lictors；　and　withdrew　from　all　his　attendance；　and
mingling　like　a　common　person　with　the　rest　of　the　people；　quietly
went　about　his　own　affairs　in　the　forum。
　　The　enemies　of　Fabius　thought　they　had　sufficiently　humiliated　and
subdued　him　by　raising　Minucius　to　be　his　equal　in　authority；　but　they
mistook　the　temper　of　the　man；　who　looked　upon　their　folly　as　not
his　loss；　but　like　Diogenes；　who；　being　told　that　some　persons　derided
him；　made　answer；　〃But　I　am　not　derided；〃　meaning　that　only　those　were
really　insulted　on　whom　such　insults　made　an　impression；　so　Fabius；
with　great　tranquillity　and　unconcern；　submitted　to　what　happened；　and
contributed　a　proof　to　the　argument　of　the　philosophers　that　a　just
and　good　man　is　not　capable　of　being　dishonoured。　His　only　vexation
arose　from　his　fear　lest　this　ill　counsel；　by　supplying
opportunities　to　the　diseased　military　ambition　of　his　subordinate；
should　damage　the　public　cause。　Lest　the　rashness　of　Minucius　should
now　at　once　run　headlong　into　some　disaster；　he　returned　back　with　all
privacy　and　speed　to　the　army；　where　he　found　Minucius　so　elevated
with　his　new　dignity；　that；　a　joint…authority　not　contenting　him；　he
required　by　turns　to　have　the　command　of　the　army　every　other　day。
This　Fabius　rejected；　but　was　contented　that　the　army　should　be
divided；　thinking　each　general　singly　would　better　command　his　part；
than　partially　command　the　whole。　The　first　and　fourth　legion　he
took　for　his　own　division；　the　second　and　third　he　delivered　to
Minucius；　so　also　of　the　auxiliary　forces　each　had　an　equal　share。
　　Minucius；　thus　exalted；　could　not　contain　himself　from　boasting　of
his　success　in　humiliating　the　high　and　powerful　office　of　the
dictatorship。　Fabius　quietly　reminded　him　that　it　was；　in　all
wisdom；　Hannibal；　and　not　Fabius；　whom　he　had　to　combat；　but　if　he
must　needs　contend　with　his　colleague；　it　had　best　be　in　diligence　and
care　for　the　preservation　of　Rome；　that　it　might　not　be　said；　a　man　so
favoured　by　the　people　served　them　worse　than　he　who　had　been
ill…treated　and　disgraced　by　them。
　　The　young　general；　despising　these　admonitions　as　the　false　humility
of　age；　immediately　removed　with　the　body　of　his　army；　and　encamped　by
himself。　Hannibal；　who　was　not　ignorant　of　all　these　passages；　lay
watching　his　advantage　from　them。　It　happened　that　between　his　army
and　that　of　Minucius　there　was　a　certain　eminence；　which　seemed　a　very
advantageous　and　not　difficult　post　to　encamp　upon；　the　level　field
around　it　appeared；　from　a　distance；　to　be　all　smooth　and　even；　though
it　had　many　inconsiderable　ditches　and　dips　in　it；　not　discernible
to　the　eye。　Hannibal；　had　he　pleased；　could　easily　have　possessed
himself　of　this　ground；　but　he　had　reserved　it　for　a　bait；　or　train；
in　proper　season；　to　draw　the　Romans　to　an　engagement。　Now　that
Minucius　and　Fabius　were　divided；　he　thought　the　opportunity　fair
for　his　purpose；　and；　therefore；　having　in　the　night…time　lodged　a
convenient　number　of　his　men　in　these　ditches　and　hollow　places；　early
in　the　morning　he　sent　forth　a　small　detachment；　who；　in　the　sight
of　Minucius；　proceeded　to　possess　themselves　of　the　rising　ground。
According　to　his　expectation；　Minucius　swallowed　the　bait；　and　first
sends　out　his　light　troops；　and　after　them　some　horse；　to　dislodge　the
enemy；　and；　at　last；　when　he　saw　Hannibal　in　person　advancing　to　the
assistance　of　his　men；　marched　down　with　his　whole　army　drawn　up。　He
engaged　with　the　troops　on　the　eminence；　and　sustained　their　missiles；
the　combat　for　some　time　was　equal；　but　as　soon　as　Hannibal
perceived　that　the　whole　army　was　now　sufficiently　advanced　within　the
toils　he　had　set　for　them；　so　that　their　backs　were　open　to　his　men
whom　he　had　posted　in　the　hollows；　he　gave　the　signal；　upon　which　they
rushed　forth　from　various　quarters；　and　with　loud　cries　furiously
attacked　Minucius　in　the　rear。　The　surprise　and　the　slaughter　was
great；　and　struck　universal　alarm　and　disorder　through　the　whole　army。
Minucius　himself　lost　all　his　confidence；　he　looked　from　officer　to
officer；　and　found　all　alike　unprepared　to　face　the　danger；　and
yielding　to　a　flight；　which；　however；　could　not　end　in　safety。　The
Numidian　horsemen　were　already　in　full　victory　riding　about　the　plain；
cutting　down　the　fugitives。
　　Fabius　was　not　ignorant　of　this　danger　of　his　countrymen；　he　foresaw
what　would　happen　from　the　rashness　of　Minucius；　and　the　cunning　of
Hannibal；　and；　therefore；　kept　his　men　to　their　arms；　in　readiness
to　wait　the　event；　nor　would　he　trust　to　the　reports　of　others；　but　he
himself；　in　front　of　his　camp；　viewed　all　that　passed。　When；
therefore；　he　saw　the　army　of　Minucius　encompassed　by　the　enemy；　and
that　by　their　countenance　and　shifting　their　ground　they　appeared　more
disposed　to　flight　than　to　resistance；　with　a　great　sigh；　striking　his
hand　upon　his　thigh；　he　said　to　those　about　him；　〃O　Hercules！　how　much
sooner　than　I　expected；　though　later　than　he　seemed　to　desire；　hath
Minucius　destroyed　himself！〃　He　then　commanded　the　ensigns　to　be　led
forward；　and　the　army　to　follow；　telling　them；　〃We　must　make　haste
to　rescue　Minucius；　who　is　a　valiant　man；　and　a　lover　of　his
country；　and　if　he　hath　been　too　forward　to　engage　the　enemy；　at
another　time　we　will　tell　him　of　it。〃　Thus；　at　the　head　of　his　men；
Fabius　marched　up　to　the　enemy；　and　first　cleared　the　plain　of　the
Numidians；　and　next　fell　upon　those　who　were　charging　the　Romans　in
the　rear；　cutting　down　all　that　made　opposition；　and　obliging　the　rest
to　save　themselves　by　a　hasty　retreat；　lest　they　should　be　environed
as　the　Romans　had　been。　Hannibal；　seeing　so　sudden　a　change　of
affairs；　and　Fabius；　beyond　the　force　of　his　age；　opening　his　way
through　the　ranks　up　the　hillside；　that　he　might　join　Minucius；　warily
forbore；　sounded　a　retreat；　and　drew　off　his　men　into　their　camp；
while　the　Romans　on　their　part　were　no　less　contented　to　retire　in
safety。　It　is　reported　that　upon　this　occasion　Hannibal　said　jestingly
to　his　friends：　〃Did　not　I　tell　you；　that　this　cloud　which　always
hovered　upon　the　mountains　would；　at　some　time　or　other；　come　down
with　a　storm　upon　us？〃
　　Fabius；　after　his　men　had　picked　up　the　spoils　of　the　field；　retired
to　his　own　camp；　without　saying　any　harsh　or　reproachful　thing　to
his　colleague；　who；　also；　in　his　part；　gathering　his　army　together；
spoke　and　said　to　them：　〃To　conduct　great　matters　and　never　commit　a
fault　is　above　the　force　of　human　nature；　but　to　learn　and　improve
by　the　faults　we　have　committed；　is　that　which　becomes　a　good　and
sensible　man。　Some　reasons　I　may　have　to　accuse　fortune；　but　I　have
many　more　to　thank　her；　for　in　a　few　hours　she　hath　cured　a　long
mistake；　and　taught　me　that　I　am　not　the　man　who　should　command
others；　but　have　need　of　another　to　command　me；　and　that　we　are　not　to
contend　for　victory　over　those　to　whom　it　is　our　advantage　to　yield。
Therefore　in　everything　else　henceforth　the　dictator　must　be　your
commander；　only　in　showing　gratitude　towards　him　I　will　still　be
your　leader；　and　always　be　the　first　to　obey　his　orders。〃　Having
said　this；　he　commanded　the　Roman　eagles　to　move　forward；　and　all
his　men　to　follow　him　to　the　camp　of　Fabius。　The　soldiers；　then；　as　he
entered；　stood　amazed　at　the　novelty　of　the　sight；　and　were　anxious
and　doubtful　what　the　meaning　might　be。　When　he　came　near　the
dictator's　tent；　Fabius　went　forth　to　meet　him；　on　which　he　at　once
laid　his　standards　at　his　feet；　calling　him　with　a　loud　voice　his
father；　while　the　soldiers　with　him　saluted　the　soldiers　here　as　their
patrons；　the　term　employed　by　freedmen　to　those　who　gave　them　their
liberty。　After　silence　was　obtained；　Minucius　said；　〃You　have　this
day；　O　dictator；　obtained　two　victories；　one　by　your　valour　and
conduct　over　Hannibal；　and　another　by　your　wisdom　and　goodness　ov