sertorius-第3节

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immediately　forsook　him　and　sailed　away　into　Africa　to　assist　Ascalis；
the　son　of　Iphtha；　and　to　help　to　restore　him　to　his　kingdom　of
Mauritania。　Their　sudden　departure　noways　discouraged　Sertorius；　he
presently　resolved　to　assist　the　enemies　of　Ascalis；　and　by　this　new
adventure　trusted　to　keep　his　soldiers　together。　who　from　this　might
conceive　new　hopes；　and　a　prospect　of　a　new　scene　of　action。　His
arrival　in　Mauritania　being　very　acceptable　to　the　Moors；　he　lost　no
time；　but　immediately　giving　battle　to　Ascalis；　beat　him　out　of　the
field　and　besieged　him；　and　Paccianus　being　sent　by　Sylla；　with　a
powerful　supply；　to　raise　the　siege；　Sertorius　slew　him　in　the
field；　gained　over　all　his　forces；　and　took　the　city　of　Tingis；　into
which　Ascalis　and　his　brothers　were　fled　for　refuge。　The　Africans　tell
that　Antaeus　was　buried　in　this　city；　and　Sertorius　had　the　grave
opened；　doubting　the　story　because　of　the　prodigious　size；　and　finding
there　his　body；　in　effect；　it　is　said；　full　sixty　cubits　long；　he
was　infinitely　astonished；　offered　sacrifice；　and　heaped　up　the　tomb
again；　gave　his　confirmation　to　the　story；　and　added　new　honours　to
the　memory　of　Antaeus。　The　Africans　tell　that　after　the　death　of
Antaeus；　his　wife　Tinga　lived　with　Hercules；　and　had　a　son　by　him
called　Sophax；　who　was　king　of　these　countries；　and　gave　his
mother's　name　to　this　city；　whose　son；　also；　was　Diodorus；　a　great
conqueror；　who　brought　the　greatest　part　of　the　Libyan　tribes　under
his　subjection；　with　an　army　of　Greeks；　raised　out　of　the　colonies
of　the　Olbians　and　Myceneans　placed　here　by　Hercules。　Thus　much　I
may　mention　for　the　sake　of　King　Juba；　of　all　monarchs　the　greatest
student　of　history　whose　ancestors　are　said　to　have　sprung　from
Diodorus　and　Sophax。
　　When　Sertorius　had　made　himself　absolute　master　of　the　whole
country；　he　acted　with　great　fairness　to　those　who　had　confided　in
him；　and　who　yielded　to　his　mercy；　he　restored　to　them　their　property；
cities；　and　government；　accepting　only　of　such　acknowledgments　as　they
themselves　freely　offered。　And　whilst　he　considered　which　way　next
to　turn　his　arms；　the　Lusitanians　sent　ambassadors　to　desire　him　to　be
their　general；　for　being　terrified　with　the　Roman　power；　and　finding
the　necessity　of　having　a　commander　of　great　authority　and
experience　in　war；　being　also　sufficiently　assured　of　his　worth　and
valour　by　those　who　had　formerly　known　him；　they　were　desirous　to
commit　themselves　especially　to　his　care。　And　in　fact　Sertorius　is
said　to　have　been　of　a　temper　unassailable　either　by　fear　or　pleasure；
in　adversity　and　dangers　undaunted；　and　noways　puffed　up　with
prosperity。　In　straightforward　fighting；　no　commander　in　his　time
was　more　bold　and　daring；　and　in　whatever　was　to　be　performed　in　war
by　stratagem；　secrecy；　or　surprise；　if　any　strong　place　was　to　be
secured；　any　pass　to　be　gained　speedily；　for　deceiving　and
overreaching　an　enemy；　there　was　no　man　equal　to　him　in　subtlety　and
skill。　In　bestowing　rewards　and　conferring　honours　upon　those　who
had　performed　good　service　in　the　wars；　he　was　bountiful　and
magnificent；　and　was　no　less　sparing　and　moderate　in　inflicting
punishment。　It　is　true　that　that　piece　of　harshness　and　cruelty
which　he　executed　in　the　latter　part　of　his　days　upon　the　Spanish
hostages　seems　to　argue　that　his　clemency　was　not　natural　to　him；
but　only　worn　as　a　dress；　and　employed　upon　calculation；　as　his
occasion　or　necessity　required。　As　to　my　own　opinion；　I　am　persuaded
that　pure　virtue；　established　by　reason　and　judgment；　can　never　be
totally　perverted　or　changed　into　its　opposite；　by　any　misfortune
whatever。　Yet　I　think　it　at　the　same　time　possible　that　virtuous
inclinations　and　natural　good　qualities　may；　when　unworthily　oppressed
by　calamities；　show；　with　change　of　fortune；　some　change　and
alteration　of　their　temper；　and　thus　I　conceive　it　happened　to
Sertorius；　who；　when　prosperity　failed　him；　became　exasperated　by
his　disasters　against　those　who　had　done　him　wrong。
　　The　Lusitanians　having　sent　for　Sertorius；　he　left　Africa；　and　being
made　general　with　absolute　authority；　he　put　all　in　order　amongst
them；　and　brought　the　neighbouring　parts　of　Spain　under　subjection。
Most　of　the　tribes　voluntarily　submitted　themselves；　won　by　the　fame
of　his　clemency　and　of　his　courage；　and；　to　some　extent；　also；　he
availed　himself　of　cunning　artifices　of　his　own　devising　to　impose
upon　them　and　gain　influence　over　them。　Amongst　which；　certainly；　that
of　the　hind　was　not　the　least。　Spanus；　a　countryman　who　lived　in　those
parts；　meeting　by　chance　a　hind　that　had　recently　calved；　flying
from　the　hunters；　let　the　dam　go；　and　pursuing　the　fawn；　took　it；
being　wonderfully　pleased　with　the　rarity　of　the　colour；　which　was　all
milk…white。　As　at　that　time　Sertorius　was　living　in　the　neighbourhood；
and　accepted　gladly　any　presents　of　fruit；　fowl；　or　venison　that　the
country　afforded；　and　rewarded　liberally　those　who　presented　them；　the
countryman　brought　him　his　young　hind；　which　he　took　and　was　well
pleased　with　at　the　first　sight；　but　when　in　time　he　had　made　it　so
tame　and　gentle　that　it　would　come　when　he　called；　and　follow　him
wheresoever　he　went；　and　could　endure　the　noise　and　tumult　of　the
camp；　knowing　well　that　uncivilized　people　are　naturally　prone　to
superstition；　by　little　and　little　he　raised　it　into　something
preternatural；　saying　that　it　was　given　him　by　the　goddess　Diana；
and　that　it　revealed　to　him　many　secrets。　He　added；　also；　further
contrivances。　If　he　had　received　at　any　time　private　intelligence　that
the　enemies　had　made　an　incursion　into　any　part　of　the　districts　under
his　command；　or　had　solicited　any　city　to　revolt；　he　pretended　that
the　hind　had　informed　him　of　it　in　his　sleep；　and　charged　him　to
keep　his　forces　in　readiness。　Or　if　again　he　had　noticed　that　any　of
the　commanders　under　him　had　got　a　victory；　he　would　hide　the
messengers　and　bring　forth　the　hind　crowned　with　flowers；　for　joy　of
the　good　news　that　was　to　come；　and　would　encourage　them　to　rejoice
and　sacrifice　to　the　gods　for　the　good　account　they　should　soon
receive　of　their　prosperous　success。
　　By　such　practices；　he　brought　them　to　be　more　tractable　and　obedient
in　all　things；　for　now　they　thought　themselves　no　longer　to　be　led
by　a　stranger；　but　rather　conducted　by　a　god；　and　the　more　so；　as
the　facts　themselves　seemed　to　bear　witness　to　it；　his　power；　contrary
to　all　expectation　or　probability；　continually　increasing。　For　with
two　thousand　six　hundred　men；　whom　for　honour's　sake　he　called　Romans；
combined　with　seven　hundred　Africans；　who　landed　with　him　when　he
first　entered　Lusitania；　together　with　four　thousand　targeteers　and
seven　hundred　horse　of　the　Lusitanians　themselves；　he　made　war　against
four　Roman　generals；　who　commanded　a　hundred　and　twenty　thousand　foot；
six　thousand　horse；　two　thousand　archers　and　slingers；　and　had
cities　innumerable　in　their　power；　whereas　at　the　first　he　had　not
above　twenty　cities　in　all。　From　this　weak　and　slender　beginning；　he
raised　himself　to　the　command　of　large　nations　of　men；　and　the
possession　of　numerous　cities；　and　of　the　Roman　commanders　who　were
sent　against　him；　he　overthrew　Cotta　in　a　sea…fight；　in　the　channel
near　the　town　of　Mellaria；　he　routed　Fufidius；　the　governor　of
Baetica；　with　the　loss　of　two　thousand　Romans；　near　the　banks　of　the
river　Baetis；　Lucius　Domitius；　proconsul　of　the　other　province　of
Spain；　was　overthrown　by　one　of　his　lieutenants；　Thoranius；　another
commander　sent　against　him　by　Metellus　with　a　great　force；　was
slain；　and　Metellus；　one　of　the　greatest　and　most　approved　Roman
generals　then　living；　by　a　series　of　defeats；　was　reduced　to　such
extremities；　that　Lucius　Manlius　came　to　his　assistance　out　of
Gallia　Narbonensis；　and　Pompey　the　Great　was　sent　from　Rome　itself
in　all　haste　with　considerable　forces。　Nor　did　Metellus　know　which　way
to　turn　himself；　in　a　war　with　such　a　bold　and　ready　commander；　who
was　continually　molesting　him；　and　yet　could　not　be　brought　to　a　set
battle；　but　by　the　swiftness　and　dexterity　of　his　Spanish　soldiery　was
enabled　to　shift　and　adapt　himself　to　any　change　of　circumstances。
Metellus　had　had　experience　in　battles　fought　by　regular　legions　of
soldiers；　fully　armed　and　drawn　up　in　due　order　into　a　heavy
standing　phalanx；　admirably　trained　for　encountering　and
overpowering　an　enemy　who　came　to　close　combat；　hand　to　hand；　but
entirely　unfit　for　climbing　among　the　hills；　and　competing　incessantly
with　the　swift　attacks　and　retreats　of　a　set　of　fleet　mountaineers；　or
to　endure　hunger　and　thirst　and　live　exposed　like　them　to　the　wind　and
weather；　without　fire　or　covering。
　　Besides；　being　now　in　years；　and　having　been　formerly　engaged　in
many　fights　and　dangerous　conflicts；　he　had　grown　inclined　to　a　more
remiss；　easy；　and　luxurious　life；　and　was　the　less　able　to　contend
with　Sertorius　who　was　in　the　prime　of　his　strength　and　vigour；　and
had　a　body　wonderfully　fitted　for　war；　being　strong；　active；　and
temperate；　continually　accustomed　to　endure　hard　labour；　to　take　long；
tedious　journeys；　to　pass　many　nights　together　without　sleep；　to　eat
little；　and　to　be　satisfied　with　very　coarse　far