pyrrhus-第6部分

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ransom；　and　again　employed　Cineas　to　negotiate　a　peace　for　him。　But
they；　regarding　it　as　at　once　too　great　a　kindness　from　an　enemy；
and　too　great　a　reward　for　not　doing　an　ill　thing　to　accept　their
prisoners　so；　released　in　return　an　equal　number　of　the　Tarentines　and
Samnites；　but　would　admit　of　no　debate　of　alliance　or　peace　until　he
had　removed　his　arms　and　forces　out　of　Italy；　and　sailed　back　to
Epirus　with　the　same　ships　that　brought　him　over。　Afterwards；　his
affairs　demanding　a　second　fight；　when　he　had　refreshed　his　men；　he
decamped；　and　met　the　Romans　about　the　city　Asculum；　where；　however；
he　was　much　incommoded　by　a　woody　country　unfit　for　his　horse；　and　a
swift　river；　so　that　the　elephants；　for　want　of　sure　treading；　could
not　get　up　with　the　infantry。　After　many　wounded　and　many　killed；
night　put　an　end　to　the　engagement。　Next　day；　designing　to　make　the
fight　on　even　ground；　and　have　the　elephants　among　the　thickest　of　the
enemy；　he　caused　a　detachment　to　possess　themselves　of　those
incommodious　grounds；　and；　mixing　slingers　and　archers　among　the
elephants；　with　full　strength　and　courage；　he　advanced　in　a　close
and　well…ordered　body。　The　Romans；　not　having　those　advantages　of
retreating　and　falling　on　as　they　pleased；　which　they　had　before；　were
obliged　to　fight　man　to　man　upon　plain　ground；　and；　being　anxious　to
drive　back　the　infantry　before　the　elephants　could　get　up；　they　fought
fiercely　with　their　swords　among　the　Macedonian　spears；　not　sparing
themselves；　thinking　only　to　wound　and　kill；　without　regard　to　what
they　suffered。　After　a　long　and　obstinate　fight；　the　first　giving
ground　is　reported　to　have　been　where　Pyrrhus　himself　engaged　with
extraordinary　courage；　but　they　were　most　carried　away　by　the
overwhelming　force　of　the　elephants；　not　being　able　to　make　use　of
their　valour；　but　overthrown　as　it　were　by　the　irruption　of　a　sea　or
an　earthquake；　before　which　it　seemed　better　to　give　way　than　to　die
without　doing　anything；　and　not　gain　the　least　advantage　by
suffering　the　utmost　extremity；　the　retreat　to　their　camp　not　being
far。　Hieronymus　says　there　fell　six　thousand　of　the　Romans；　and　of
Pyrrhus's　men；　the　king's　own　commentaries　reported　three　thousand
five　hundred　and　fifty　lost　in　this　action。　Dionysius；　however；
neither　gives　any　account　of　two　engagements　at　Asculum；　nor　allows
the　Romans　to　have　been　certainly　beaten；　stating　that　once　only　after
they　had　fought　till　sunset；　both　armies　were　unwillingly　separated　by
the　night；　Pyrrhus　being　wounded　by　a　javelin　in　the　arm；　and　his
baggage　plundered　by　the　Samnites；　that　in　all　there　died　of　Pyrrhus's
men　and　the　Romans　above　fifteen　thousand。　The　armies　separated；
and；　it　is　said；　Pyrrhus　replied　to　one　that　gave　him　joy　of　his
victory　that　one　other　such　would　utterly　undo　him。　For　he　had　lost
a　great　part　of　the　forces　he　brought　with　him；　and　almost　all　his
particular　friends　and　principal　commanders；　there　were　no　others
there　to　make　recruits；　and　he　found　the　confederates　in　Italy
backward。　On　the　other　hand；　as　from　a　fountain　continually　flowing
out　of　the　city；　the　Roman　camp　was　quickly　and　plentifully　filled
up　with　fresh　men；　not　at　all　abating　in　courage　for　the　loss　they
sustained；　but　even　from　their　very　anger　gaining　new　force　and
resolution　to　go　on　with　the　war。
　　Among　these　difficulties　he　fell　again　into　new　hopes　and　projects
distracting　his　purposes。　For　at　the　same　time　some　persons　arrived
from　Sicily；　offering　into　his　hands　the　cities　of　Agrigentum；
Syracuse；　and　Leontini；　and　begging　his　assistance　to　drive　out　the
Carthaginians　and　rid　the　island　of　tyrants；　and　others　brought　him
news　out　of　Greece　that　Ptolemy；　called　Ceranus；　was　slain　in　a　fight；
and　his　army　cut　in　pieces　by　the　Gauls；　and　that　now；　above　all
others；　was　his　time　to　offer　himself　to　the　Macedonians；　in　great
need　of　a　king。　Complaining　much　of　fortune　for　bringing　him　so　many
occasions　of　great　things　all　together　at　a　time；　and　thinking　that　to
have　both　offered　to　him　was　to　lose　one　of　them；　he　was　doubtful；
balancing　in　his　thoughts。　But　the　affairs　of　Sicily　seeming　to　hold
out　the　greater　prospects；　Africa　lying　so　near；　he　turned　himself
to　them；　and　presently　despatched　away　Cineas；　as　he　used　to　do；　to
make　terms　beforehand　with　the　cities。　Then　he　placed　a　garrison　in
Tarentum；　much　to　the　Tarentines'　discontent；　who　required　him
either　to　perform　what　he　came　for；　and　continue　with　them　in　a　war
against　the　Romans；　or　leave　the　city　as　he　found　it。　He　returned　no
pleasing　answer；　but　commanded　them　to　be　quiet　and　attend　his　time；
and　so　sailed　away。　Being　arrived　in　Sicily；　what　he　had　designed　in
his　hopes　was　confirmed　effectually；　and　the　cities　frankly
surrendered　to　him；　and　wherever　his　arms　and　force　were　necessary；
nothing　at　first　made　any　considerable　resistance。　For　advancing
with　thirty　thousand　foot；　and　twenty…five　hundred　horse；　and　two
hundred　ships；　he　totally　routed　the　Phoenicians；　and　overran　their
whole　province；　and　Eryx　being　the　strongest　town　they　held；　and
having　a　great　garrison　in　it；　he　resolved　to　take　it　by　storm。　The
army　being　in　readiness　to　give　the　assault；　he　put　on　his　arms；　and
coming　to　the　head　of　his　men　made　a　vow　of　plays　and　sacrifices　in
honour　to　Hercules；　if　he　signalized　himself　in　that　day's　action
before　the　Greeks　that　dwelt　in　Sicily；　as　became　his　great　descent
and　his　fortunes。　The　sign　being　given　by　sound　of　trumpet；　he　first
scattered　the　barbarians　with　his　shot；　and　then　brought　his　ladders
to　the　wall；　and　was　the　first　that　mounted　upon　it　himself；　and；
the　enemy　appearing　in　great　numbers；　he　beat　them　back；　some　he　threw
down　from　the　walls　on　each　side；　others　he　laid　dead　in　a　heap
round　about　him　with　his　sword；　nor　did　he　receive　the　least　wound；
but　by　his　very　aspect　inspired　terror　in　the　enemy；　and　gave　a
clear　demonstration　that　Homer　was　in　the　right；　and　pronounced
according　to　the　truth　of　fact；　that　fortitude　alone；　of　all　the
virtues；　is　wont　to　display　itself　in　divine　transports　and
frenzies。　The　being　taken；　he　offered　to　Hercules　most
magnificently；　and　exhibited　all　varieties　of　shows　and　plays。
　　A　sort　of　barbarous　people　about　Messena；　called　Mamertines；　gave
much　trouble　to　the　Greeks；　and　put　several　of　them　under
contribution。　These　being　numerous　and　valiant　（from　whence　they　had
their　name；　equivalent　in　the　Latin　tongue　to　warlike；*）　he　first
intercepted　the　collectors　of　the　contribution　money；　and　cut　them
off；　then　beat　them　in　open　fight；　and　destroyed　many　of　their
places　of　strength。　The　Carthaginians　being　now　inclined　to
composition；　and　offering　him　a　round　sum　of　money；　and　to　furnish　him
with　shipping；　if　a　peace　were　concluded；　he　told　them　plainly；
aspiring　still　to　greater　things；　there　was　but　one　way　for　a
friendship　and　right　understanding　between　them；　if　they；　wholly
abandoning　Sicily；　would　consent　to　make　the　African　sea　the　limit
between　them　and　the　Greeks。　And　being　elevated　with　his　good　fortune；
and　the　strength　of　his　forces；　and　pursuing　those　hopes　in　prospect
of　which　he　first　sailed　thither；　his　immediate　aim　was　at　Africa；　and
as　he　had　abundance　of　shipping；　but　very　ill　equipped；　he　collected
seamen；　not　by　fair　and　gentle　dealing　with　the　cities；　but　by　force
in　a　haughty　and　insolent　way；　and　menacing　them　with　punishments。　And
as　at　first　he　had　not　acted　thus；　but　had　been　unusually　indulgent
and　kind；　ready　to　believe；　and　uneasy　to　none；　now　of　a　popular
leader　becoming　a　tyrant　by　these　severe　proceedings；　he　got　the
name　of　an　ungrateful　and　a　faithless　man。　However；　they　gave　way　to
these　things　as　necessary；　although　they　took　them　very　ill　from
him；　and　especially　when　he　began　to　show　suspicion　of　Thoenon　and
Sosistratus；　men　of　the　first　position　in　Syracuse；　who　invited　him
over　into　Sicily；　and　when　he　was　come；　put　the　cities　into　his　power；
and　were　most　instrumental　in　all　he　had　done　there　since　his　arrival；
whom　he　now　would　neither　suffer　to　be　about　his　person；　nor　leave
at　home；　and　when　Sosistratus　out　of　fear　withdrew　himself；　and　then
he　charged　Thoenon；　as　in　a　conspiracy　with　the　other；　and　put　him
to　death；　with　this　all　his　prospects　changed；　not　by　little　and
little；　nor　in　a　single　place　only；　but　a　mortal　hatred　being　raised
in　the　cities　against　him；　some　fell　off　to　the　Carthaginians；
others　called　in　the　Mamertines。　And　seeing　revolts　in　all　places；　and
desires　of　alteration；　and　a　potent　faction　against　him；　at　the　same
time　he　received　letters　from　the　Samnites　and　Tarentines；　who　were
beaten　quite　out　of　the　field；　and　scarce　able　to　secure　their　towns
against　the　war；　earnestly　begging　his　help。　This　served　as　a　colour
to　make　his　relinquishing　Sicily　no　flight；　nor　a　despair　of　good
success；　but　in　truth　not　being　able　to　manage　Sicily；　which　was　as
a　ship　labouring　in　a　storm；　and　willing　to　be　out　of　her；　he　suddenly
threw　himself　over　into　Italy。　It　is　reported　that　at　his　going　off　he
looked　back　upon　the　island；　and　said　to　those　about　him；　〃How　brave　a
field　of　war　do　we　leave；　my　friends；　for　the　Romans　and　Carthaginians
to　fight　in；〃　which；　as　he　then　conjectured；　fell　out　indeed　not
long　after。

　　*　Mamers　being　another　and　older　form　for　Mars。　The　Mamertines
were　descended　from　Campanian　or　Oscan　mercenaries　and　spoke　a　kind　of
Latin。

　　When　he　was　sailing　off；　the　barbarians　having　conspired　together；
he　was　forced　to　a　fight　with　the　Carthaginians　in　the　very　road；
and　lost　many　of　his　ships；　with　the　rest　he　fled　into　Italy。　There；
about　one　thousand　Mamertines；　who　had　crossed　the　sea　a　little
before；　though　afraid　to　engage　him　in　open　field；　setting　upon　him
where　the　passages　were　difficult；　put　the　whole　army　in　confusion。
Two　elephants　fell；　and　a　great　part　of　his　rear　was　cut　off。　He；
therefore；　coming　up　in　person；　repulsed　the　enemy；　but　ran　into　great
danger　among　men　long　trained　and　bold　in　war。　His　being　wounded　in
the　head　with　a　sword；　and　retiring　a　little　out　of　the　fight；　much
increased　their　confidence；　and　one　of　them　advancing　a　good　way
before　the　rest；　large　of　body　and　in　bright　armour；　with　an