pyrrhus-第4部分

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him　in　his　most　important　occasions。　This　person；　seeing　Pyrrhus
eagerly　preparing　for　Italy；　led　him　one　day　when　he　was　at　leisure
into　the　following　reasonings：　〃The　Romans；　sir；　are　reported　to　be
great　warriors　and　conquerors　of　many　warlike　nations；　if　God　permit
us　to　overcome　them；　how　should　we　use　our　victory？〃　〃You　ask；〃　said
Pyrrhus；　〃a　thing　evident　of　itself。　The　Romans　once　conquered；
there　is　neither　Greek　nor　barbarian　city　that　will　resist　us；　but
we　shall　presently　be　masters　of　all　Italy；　the　extent　and　resources
and　strength　of　which　any　one　should　rather　profess　to　be　ignorant
of　than　yourself。〃　Cineas　after　a　little　pause；　〃And　having　subdued
Italy；　what　shall　we　do　next？〃　Pyrrhus　not　yet　discovering　his
intention；　〃Sicily；〃　he　replied；　〃next　holds　out　her　arms　to　receive
us；　a　wealthy　and　populous　island；　and　easy　to　be　gained；　for　since
Agathocles　left　it；　only　faction　and　anarchy；　and　the　licentious
violence　of　the　demagogues　prevail。〃　〃You　speak；〃　said　Cineas；　〃what
is　perfectly　probable；　but　will　the　possession　of　Sicily　put　an　end　to
the　war？〃　〃God　grant　us；〃　answered　Pyrrhus；　〃victory　and　success　in
that；　and　we　will　use　these　as　forerunners　of　greater　things；　who
could　forbear　from　Libya　and　Carthage　then　within　reach；　which
Agathocles；　even　when　forced　to　fly　from　Syracuse；　and　passing　the　sea
only　with　a　few　ships；　had　all　but　surprised？　These　conquests　once
perfected；　will　any　assert　that　of　the　enemies　who　now　pretend　to
despise　us；　any　one　will　dare　to　make　further　resistance？〃　〃None；〃
replied　Cineas；　〃for　then　it　is　manifest　we　may　with　such　mighty
forces　regain　Macedon；　and　make　an　absolute　conquest　of　Greece；　and
when　all　these　are　in　our　power　what　shall　we　do　then？〃　Said
Pyrrhus；　smiling；　〃We　will　live　at　our　ease；　my　dear　friend；　and　drink
all　day；　and　divert　ourselves　with　pleasant　conversation。〃　When　Cineas
had　led　Pyrrhus　with　his　argument　to　this　point：　〃And　what　hinders
us　now；　sir；　if　we　have　a　mind　to　be　merry；　and　entertain　one　another；
since　we　have　at　hand　without　trouble　all　those　necessary　things；　to
which　through　much　blood　and　great　labour；　and　infinite　hazards　and
mischief　done　to　ourselves　and　to　others；　we　design　at　last　to
arrive？〃　Such　reasonings　rather　troubled　Pyrrhus　with　the　thought　of
the　happiness　he　was　quitting；　than　any　way　altered　his　purpose；　being
unable　to　abandon　the　hopes　of　what　he　so　much　desired。
　　And　first；　he　sent　away　Cineas　to　the　Tarentines　with　three　thousand
men；　presently　after；　many　vessels　for　transport　of　horse；　and
galleys；　and　flat…bottomed　boats　of　all　sorts　arriving　from
Tarentum；　he　shipped　upon　them　twenty　elephants；　three　thousand　horse；
twenty　thousand　foot；　two　thousand　archers；　and　five　hundred　slingers。
All　being　thus　in　readiness；　he　set　sail；　and　being　half…way　over；　was
driven　by　the　wind；　blowing；　contrary　to　the　season　of　the　year；
violently　from　the　north；　and　carried　from　his　course；　but　by　the
great　skill　and　resolution　of　his　pilots　and　seamen；　he　made　the
land　with　infinite　labour；　and　beyond　expectation。　The　rest　of　the
fleet　could　not　get　up；　and　some　of　the　dispersed　ships；　losing　the
coast　of　Italy；　were　driven　into　the　Libyan　and　Sicilian　Sea；
others；　not　able　to　double　the　cape　of　Japygium；　were　overtaken　by　the
night；　and；　with　a　boisterous　and　heavy　sea；　throwing　them　upon　a
dangerous　and　rocky　shore；　they　were　all　very　much　disabled　except　the
royal　galley。　She；　while　the　sea　bore　upon　her　sides；　resisted　with
her　bulk　and　strength；　and　avoided　the　force　of　it；　till　the　wind
coming　about；　blew　directly　in　their　teeth　from　the　shore；　and　the
vessel　keeping　up　with　her　head　against　it；　was　in　danger　of　going
to　pieces；　yet　on　the　other　hand；　to　suffer　themselves　to　be　driven
off　to　sea　again；　which　was　thus　raging　and　tempestuous；　with　the　wind
shifting　about　every　way；　seemed　to　them　the　most　dreadful　of　all
their　present　evils。　Pyrrhus；　rising　up；　threw　himself　overboard。
His　friends　and　guards　strove　eagerly　who　should　be　most　ready　to　help
him；　but　night　and　the　sea；　with　its　noise　and　violent　surge；　made
it　extremely　difficult　to　do　this；　so　that　hardly；　when　with　the
morning　the　wind　began　to　subside；　he　got　ashore；　breathless　and
weakened　in　body；　but　with　high　courage　and　strength　of　mind　resisting
his　hard　fortune。　The　Messapians；　upon　whose　shore　they　were　thrown　by
the　tempest；　came　up　eagerly　to　help　them　in　the　best　manner　they
could；　and　some　of　the　straggling　vessels　that　had　escaped　the　storm
arrived；　in　which　were　a　very　few　horse；　and　not　quite　two　thousand
foot；　and　two　elephants。
　　With　these　Pyrrhus　marched　straight　to　Tarentum；　where　Cineas；　being
informed　of　his　arrival；　led　out　the　troops　to　meet　him。　Entering
the　town；　he　did　nothing　unpleasing　to　the　Tarentines；　nor　put　any
force　upon　them；　till　the　ships　were　all　in　harbour；　and　the
greatest　part　of　the　army　got　together；　but　then　perceiving　that　the
people；　unless　some　strong　compulsion　was　used　to　them；　were　not
capable　either　of　saving　others　or　being　saved　themselves；　and　were
rather　intending；　while　he　engaged　for　them　in　the　field；　to　remain　at
home　bathing　and　feasting　themselves；　he　first　shut　up　the　places　of
public　exercise；　and　the　walks；　where；　in　their　idle　way；　they
fought　their　country's　battles　and　conducted　her　campaigns　in　their
talk；　he　prohibited　likewise　all　festivals；　revels；　and　drinking
parties　as　unseasonable；　and　summoning　them　to　arms；　showed　himself
rigorous　and　inflexible　in　carrying　out　the　conscription　for　service
in　the　war。　So　that　many；　not　understanding　what　it　was　to　be
commanded；　left　the　town；　calling　it　mere　slavery　not　to　do　as　they
pleased。　He　now　received　intelligence　that　Laevinus；　the　Roman　consul；
was　upon　his　march　with　a　great　army；　and　plundering　Lucania　as　he
went。　The　confederate　forces　were　not　come　up　to　him；　yet　he　thought
it　impossible　to　suffer　so　near　an　approach　of　an　enemy；　and　drew
out　with　his　army；　but　first　sent　an　herald　to　the　Romans　to　know　if
before　the　war　they　would　decide　the　differences　between　them　and
the　Italian　Greeks　by　his　arbitrament　and　mediation。　But　Laevinus
returning　answer　that　the　Romans　neither　accepted　him　as　arbitrator
nor　feared　him　as　an　enemy；　Pyrrhus　advanced；　and　encamped　in　the
plain　between　the　cities　of　Pandosia　and　Heraclea；　and　having　notice
the　Romans　were　near；　and　lay　on　the　other　side　of　the　river　Siris；　he
rode　up　to　take　a　view　of　them；　and　seeing　their　order；　the
appointment　of　the　watches；　their　method　and　the　general　form　of　their
encampment；　he　was　amazed；　and　addressing　one　of　his　friends　next　to
him：　〃This　order；〃　said　he；　〃Megacles；　of　the　barbarians；　is　not　at
all　barbarian　in　character；　we　shall　see　presently　what　they　can　do；
and　growing　a　little　more　thoughtful　of　the　event；　resolved　to
expect　the　arriving　of　the　confederate　troops。　And　to　hinder　the
Romans；　if　in　the　meantime　they　should　endeavour　to　pass　the　river；　he
planted　men　all　along　the　bank　to　oppose　them。　But　they；　hastening
to　anticipate　the　coming　up　of　the　same　forces　which　he　had　determined
to　wait　for；　attempted　the　passage　with　their　infantry；　where　it　was
fordable；　and　with　the　horse　in　several　places；　so　that　the　Greeks；
fearing　to　be　surrounded；　were　obliged　to　retreat；　and　Pyrrhus；
perceiving　this；　and　being　much　surprised；　bade　his　foot　officers　draw
their　men　up　in　line　of　battle；　and　continue　in　arms；　while　he　himself
with　three　thousand　horse　advanced；　hoping　to　attack　the　Romans　as
they　were　coming　over；　scattered　and　disordered。　But　when　he　saw　a
vast　number　of　shields　appearing　above　the　water；　and　the　horse
following　them　in　good　order；　gathering　his　men　in　a　closer　body；
himself　at　the　head　of　them；　he　began　the　charge；　conspicuous　by　his
rich　and　beautiful　armour；　and　letting　it　be　seen　that　his
reputation　had　not　outgone　what　he　was　able　effectually　to　perform。
While　exposing　his　hands　and　body　in　the　fight；　and　bravely
repelling　all　that　engaged　him；　he　still　guided　the　battle　with　a
steady　and　undisturbed　reason；　and　such　presence　of　mind；　as　if　he　had
been　out　of　the　action　and　watching　it　from　a　distance；　passing
still　from　point　to　point；　and　assisting　those　whom　he　thought　most
pressed　by　the　enemy。　Here　Leonnatus　the　Macedonian；　observing　one
of　the　Italians　very　intent　upon　Pyrrhus；　riding　up　towards　him；　and
changing　places　as　he　did；　and　moving　as　he　moved：　〃Do　you　see；
sir；〃　said　he；　〃that　barbarian　on　the　black　horse　with　white　feet？
he　seems　to　be　one　that　designs　some　great　and　dangerous　thing；　for　he
looks　constantly　at　you；　and　fixes　his　whole　attention；　full　of
vehement　purpose；　on　you　alone；　taking　no　notice　of　others。　Be　on　your
guard；　sir；　against　him。〃　〃Leonnatus；〃　said　Pyrrhus；　〃it　is　impossible
for　any　man　to　avoid　his　fate；　but　neither　he　nor　any　other　Italian
shall　have　much　satisfaction　in　engaging　with　me。〃　While　they　were
in　this　discourse；　the　Italian；　lowering　his　spear　and　quickening
his　horse；　rode　furiously　at　Pyrrhus；　and　run　his　horse　through　with
his　lance；　at　the　same　instant　Leonnatus　ran　his　through。　Both
horses　falling；　Pyrrhus's　friends　surrounded　him　and　brought　him　off
safe；　and　killed　the　Italian；　bravely　defending　himself。　He　was　by
birth　a　Frentanian；　captain　of　a　troop；　and　named　Oplacus。
　　This　made　Pyrrhus　use　greater　caution；　and　now　seeing　his　horse　give
ground；　he　brought　up　the　infantry　against　the　enemy；　and　changing　his
scarf　and　his　arms　with　Megacles；　one　of　his　friends；　and　obscuring
himself；　as　it　were；　in　his；　charged　upon　the　Romans；　who　received　and
engaged　him；　and　a　great　while　the　success　of　the　battle　remained
undetermined；　and　it　is　said　there　were　seven　turns　of　fortune　both　of
pursuing　and　being　pursued。　And　the　change　of　his　arms　was　very
opportune　for　the　safety　of　his　person；　but　had　like　to　have
overthrown　his　cause　and　lost　him　the　victory；　for　several　falling
upon　Megacles；　the　first　that　gave　him　his　mortal　wound　was　one
Dexous；　who；　snatching　away　his　helmet　and　his　robe；　rode　at　once　to
Laevinus；　holding　them　up；　and　saying　aloud　he　had　killed　Pyrrhus。
These　spoils　being　carried　about　and　shown　among　the　ranks；　the　Romans
were　tran