fabius-第6部分

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Bruttian　born；　and　was　kept　by　Fabius　as　his　concubine；　and　being　a
countrywoman　and　an　acquaintance　of　the　Bruttian　governor；　he
privately　sent　her　to　him　to　corrupt　him。
　　Whilst　these　matters　were　thus　in　process；　to　draw　off　Hannibal　from
scenting　the　design；　Fabius　sends　orders　to　the　garrison　in　Rhegium；
that　they　should　waste　and　spoil　the　Bruttian　country；　and　should　also
lay　siege　to　Caulonia；　and　storm　the　place　with　all　their　might。　These
were　a　body　of　eight　thousand　men；　the　worst　of　the　Roman　army；　who
had　most　of　them　been　runaways；　and　had　been　brought　home　by　Marcellus
from　Sicily；　in　dishonour；　so　that　the　loss　of　them　would　not　be　any
great　grief　to　the　Romans。　Fabius；　therefore；　threw　out　these　men　as　a
bait　for　Hannibal；　to　divert　him　from　Tarentum；　who　instantly　caught
at　it；　and　led　his　forces　to　Caulonia；　in　the　meantime；　Fabius　sat
down　before　Tarentum。　On　the　sixth　day　of　the　siege；　the　young
Tarentine　slips　by　night　out　of　the　town；　and；　having　carefully
observed　the　place　where　the　Bruttian　commander；　according　to
agreement；　was　to　admit　the　Romans；　gave　an　account　of　the　whole
matter　to　Fabius；　who　thought　it　not　safe　to　rely　wholly　upon　the
plot；　but；　while　proceeding　with　secrecy　to　the　post；　gave　order　for　a
general　assault　to　be　made　on　the　other　side　of　the　town；　both　by　land
and　sea。　This　being　accordingly　executed；　while　the　Tarentines　hurried
to　defend　the　town　on　the　side　attacked；　Fabius　received　the　signal
from　the　Bruttian；　scaled　the　walls；　and　entered　the　town　unopposed。
　　Here；　we　must　confess；　ambition　seems　to　have　overcome　him。　To
make　it　appear　to　the　world　that　he　had　taken　Tarentum　by　force　and
his　own　prowess；　and　not　by　treachery；　he　commanded　his　men　to　kill
the　Bruttians　before　all　others；　yet　he　did　not　succeed　in
establishing　the　impression　he　desired；　but　merely　gained　the
character　of　perfidy　and　cruelty。　Many　of　the　Tarentines　were　also
killed；　and　thirty　thousand　of　them　were　sold　for　slaves；　the　army　had
the　plunder　of　the　town；　and　there　was　brought　into　the　treasury　three
thousand　talents。　Whilst　they　were　carrying　off　everything　else　as
plunder；　the　officer　who　took　the　inventory　asked　what　should　be
done　with　their　gods；　meaning　the　pictures　and　statues；　Fabius
answered；　〃Let　us　leave　their　angry　gods　to　the　Tarentines。〃
Nevertheless；　he　removed　the　colossal　statue　of　Hercules；　and　had　it
set　up　in　the　Capitol；　with　one　of　himself　on　horseback；　in　brass；
near　it；　proceedings　very　different　from　those　of　Marcellus　on　a
like　occasion；　and　which；　indeed；　very　much　set　off　in　the　eyes　of　the
world　his　clemency　and　humanity；　as　appears　in　the　account　of　his
life。
　　Hannibal；　it　is　said；　was　within　five　miles　of　Tarentum；　when　he　was
informed　that　the　town　was　taken。　He　said　openly；　〃Rome　then　has
also　got　a　Hannibal；　as　we　won　Tarentum；　so　have　we　lost　it。〃　And；
in　private　with　some　of　his　confidants；　he　told　them；　for　the　first
time；　that　he　always　thought　it　difficult；　but　now　he　held　it
impossible；　with　the　forces　he　then　had；　to　master　Italy。
　　Upon　this　success；　Fabius　had　a　triumph　decreed　him　at　Rome；　much
more　splendid　than　his　first；　they　looked　upon　him　now　as　a　champion
who　had　learned　to　cope　with　his　antagonist；　and　could　now　easily　foil
his　arts　and　prove　his　best　skill　ineffectual。　And；　indeed；　the　army
of　Hannibal　was　at　this　time　partly　worn　away　with　continual　action；
and　partly　weakened　and　become　dissolute　with　overabundance　and
luxury。　Marcus　Livius；　who　was　governor　of　Tarentum　when　it　was
betrayed　to　Hannibal；　and　then　retired　into　the　citadel；　which　he　kept
till　the　town　was　retaken；　was　annoyed　at　these　honours　and
distinctions；　and；　on　one　occasion；　openly　declared　in　the　senate；
that　by　his　resistance；　more　than　by　any　action　of　Fabius；　Tarentum
had　been　recovered；　on　which　Fabius　laughingly　replied：　〃You　say
very　true；　for　if　Marcus　Livius　had　not　lost　Tarentum；　Fabius
Maximus　had　never　recovered　it。〃　The　people；　amongst　other　marks　of
gratitude；　gave　his　son　the　consulship　of　the　next　year；　shortly　after
whose　entrance　upon　his　office；　there　being　some　business　on　foot
about　provision　for　the　war；　his　father；　either　by　reason　of　age　and
infirmity；　or　perhaps　out　of　design　to　try　his　son；　came　up　to　him
on　horseback。　While　he　was　still　at　a　distance；　the　young　consul
observed　it；　and　bade　one　of　his　lictors　command　his　father　to　alight；
and　tell　him　if　he　had　any　business　with　the　consul；　he　should　come　on
foot。　The　standers…by　seemed　offended　at　the　imperiousness　of　the
son　towards　a　father　so　venerable　for　his　age　and　his　authority；　and
turned　their　eyes　in　silence　towards　Fabius。　He；　however；　instantly
alighted　from　his　horse；　and　with　open　arms　came　up；　almost　running；
and　embraced　his　son；　saying；　〃Yes；　my　son；　you　do　well；　and
understand　well　what　authority　you　have　received；　and　over　whom　you
are　to　use　it。　This　was　the　way　by　which　we　and　our　forefathers
advanced　the　dignity　of　Rome；　preferring　ever　her　honour　and　service
to　our　own　fathers　and　children。〃
　　And；　in　fact；　it　is　told　that　the　great…grandfather　of　our　Fabius；
who　was　undoubtedly　the　greatest　man　of　Rome　in　his　time；　both　in
reputation　and　authority；　who　had　been　five　times　consul；　and　had　been
honoured　with　several　triumphs　for　victories　obtained　by　him；　took
pleasure　in　serving　as　lieutenant　under　his　own　son；　when　he　went　as
consul　to　his　command。　And　when　afterwards　his　son　had　a　triumph
bestowed　upon　him　for　his　good　service；　the　old　man　followed；　on
horseback；　his　triumphant　chariot；　as　one　of　his　attendants；　and
made　it　his　glory；　that　while　he　really　was；　and　was　acknowledged　to
be；　the　greatest　man　in　Rome；　and　held　a　father's　full　power　over
his　son；　he　yet　submitted　himself　to　the　laws　and　the　magistrate。
　　But　the　praises　of　our　Fabius　are　not　bounded　here。　He　afterwards
lost　his　son；　and　was　remarkable　for　bearing　the　loss　with　the
moderation　becoming　a　pious　father　and　a　wise　man；　and　as　it　was　the
custom　amongst　the　Romans；　upon　the　death　of　any　illustrious　person；
to　have　a　funeral　oration　recited　by　some　of　the　nearest　relations；　he
took　upon　himself　that　office；　and　delivered　a　speech　in　the　forum；
which　he　committed　afterwards　to　writing。
　　After　Cornelius　Scipio；　who　was　sent　into　Spain；　had　driven　the
Carthaginians；　defeated　by　him　in　many　battles；　out　of　the　country；
and　had　gained　over　to　Rome　many　towns　and　nations　with　large
resources；　he　was　received　at　his　coming　home　with　unexampled　joy
and　acclamation　of　the　people；　who；　to　show　their　gratitude；　elected
him　consul　for　the　year　ensuing。　Knowing　what　high　expectation　they
had　of　him；　he　thought　the　occupation　of　contesting　Italy　with
Hannibal　a　mere　old　man's　employment；　and　proposed　no　less　a　task　to
himself　than　to　make　Carthage　the　seat　of　the　war；　fill　Africa　with
arms　and　devastation；　and　so　oblige　Hannibal；　instead　of　invading
the　countries　of　others；　to　draw　back　and　defend　his　own。　And　to
this　end　he　proceeded　to　exert　all　the　influence　he　had　with　the
people。　Fabius；　on　the　other　side；　opposed　the　undertaking　with　all
his　might；　alarming　the　city；　and　telling　them　that　nothing　but　the
temerity　of　a　hot　young　man　could　inspire　them　with　such　dangerous
counsels；　and　sparing　no　means；　by　word　or　deed；　to　prevent　it。　He
prevailed　with　the　senate　to　espouse　his　sentiments；　but　the　common
people　thought　that　he　envied　the　fame　of　Scipio；　and　that　he　was
afraid　lest　this　young　conqueror　should　achieve　some　great　and　noble
exploit；　and　have　the　glory；　perhaps；　of　driving　Hannibal　out　of
Italy；　or　even　of　ending　the　war；　which　had　for　so　many　years
continued　and　been　protracted　under　his　management。
　　To　say　the　truth；　when　Fabius　first　opposed　this　project　of
Scipio；　he　probably　did　it　out　of　caution　and　prudence；　in
consideration　only　of　the　public　safety；　and　of　the　danger　which　the
commonwealth　might　incur；　but　when　he　found　Scipio　every　day
increasing　in　the　esteem　of　the　people；　rivalry　and　ambition　led　him
further；　and　made　him　violent　and　personal　in　his　opposition。　For　he
even　applied　to　Crassus；　the　colleague　of　Scipio；　and　urged　him　not　to
yield　the　command　to　Scipio；　but　that；　if　his　inclinations　were　for
it；　he　should　himself　in　person　lead　the　army　to　Carthage。　He　also
hindered　the　giving　money　to　Scipio　for　the　war；　so　that　he　was　forced
to　raise　it　upon　his　own　credit　and　interest　from　the　cities　of
Etruria；　which　were　extremely　attached　to　him。　On　the　other　side；
Crassus　would　not　stir　against　him；　nor　remove　out　of　Italy；　being；　in
his　own　nature；　averse　to　all　contention；　and　also　having；　by　his
office　of　high　priest；　religious　duties　to　retain　him。　Fabius；
therefore；　tried　other　ways　to　oppose　the　design；　he　impeded　the
levies；　and　he　declaimed；　both　in　the　senate　and　to　the　people；　that
Scipio　was　not　only　himself　flying　from　Hannibal；　but　was　also
endeavouring　to　drain　Italy　of　all　its　forces；　and　to　spirit　away
the　youth　of　the　country　to　a　foreign　war；　leaving　behind　them　their
parents；　wives；　and　children；　and　the　city　itself；　a　defenceless
prey　to　the　conquering　and　undefeated　enemy　at　their　doors。　With
this　he　so　far　alarmed　the　people；　that　at　last　they　would　only
allow　Scipio　for　the　war　the　legions　which　were　in　Sicily；　and　three
hundred；　whom　he　particularly　trusted；　of　those　men　who　had　served
with　him　in　Spain。　In　these　transactions；　Fabius　seems　to　have
followed　the　dictates　of　his　own　wary　temper。
　　But；　after　that　Scipio　was　gone　over　into　Africa；　when　news　almost
immediately　came　to　Rome　of　wonderful　exploits　and　victories；　of　which
the　fame　was　confirmed　by　the　spoils　he　sent　home；　of　a　Numidian
king　taken　prisoner；　of　a　vast　slaughter　of　their　men；　of　two　camps　of
the　enemy　burnt　and　destroyed；　and　in　them　a　great　quantity　of　arms
and　horses；　and　when；　hereupon；　the　Carthaginians　were　compelled　to
send　envoys　to　Hannibal　to　call　him　home；　and　leave　his　idle　hopes
in　Italy；　to　defend　Carthage；　when；　for　such　eminent　and
transcending　services；　the　whole　people　of　Rome　cried　up　and
extolled　the　actions　of　Scipio；　even　then；　Fabius　contended　that　a
successor　should　be　sent　in　his　place；　alleging　for　it　only　the　old
reason