sertorius-第4节

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little；　and　to　be　satisfied　with　very　coarse　fare；　and　who　was　never
stained　with　the　least　excess　in　wine；　even　when　he　was　most　at
leisure。　What　leisure　time　he　allowed　himself　he　spent　in　hunting
and　riding　about；　and　so　made　himself　thoroughly　acquainted　with　every
passage　for　escape　when　he　would　fly；　and　for　overtaking　and
intercepting　a　pursuit；　and　gained　a　perfect　knowledge　of　where　he
could　and　where　he　could　not　go。　Insomuch　that　Metellus　suffered　all
the　inconveniences　of　defeat；　although　he　earnestly　desired　to
fight；　and　Sertorius；　though　he　refused　the　field；　reaped　all　the
advantages　of　a　conqueror。　For　he　hindered　them　from　foraging；　and　cut
them　off　from　water；　if　they　advanced；　he　was　nowhere　to　be　found；
if　they　stayed　in　any　place　and　encamped；　he　continually　molested
and　alarmed　them；　if　they　besieged　any　town；　he　presently　appeared　and
besieged　them　again；　and　put　them　to　extremities　for　want　of
necessaries。　Thus　he　so　wearied　out　the　Roman　army　that　when　Sertorius
challenged　Metellus　to　fight　singly　with　him；　they　commended　it；　and
cried　out　it　was　a　fair　offer；　a　Roman　to　fight　against　a　Roman；　and　a
general　against　a　general；　and　when　Metellus　refused　the　challenge；
they　reproached　him。　Metellus　derided　and　contemned　this；　and
rightly　so；　for；　as　Theophrastus　observes；　a　general　should　die　like　a
general；　and　not　like　a　skirmisher。　But　perceiving　that　the　town　of
the　Langobritae；　which　gave　great　assistance　to　Sertorius；　might
easily　be　taken　for　want　of　water；　as　there　was　but　one　well　within
the　walls；　and　the　besieger　would　be　master　of　the　springs　and
fountains　in　the　suburbs；　he　advanced　against　the　place；　expecting
to　carry　it　in　two　days'　time；　there　being　no　more　water；　and　gave
command　to　his　soldiers　to　take　five　days'　provision　only。
Sertorius；　however；　resolving　to　send　speedy　relief；　ordered　two
thousand　skins　to　be　filled　with　water；　naming　a　considerable　sum　of
money　for　the　carriage　of　every　skin；　and　many　Spaniards　and　Moors
undertaking　the　work；　he　chose　out　those　who　were　the　strongest　and
swiftest　of　foot；　and　sent　them　through　the　mountains；　with　order　that
when　they　had　delivered　the　water；　they　should　convey　away　privately
all　those　who　would　be　least　serviceable　in　the　siege；　that　there
might　be　water　sufficient　for　the　defendants。　As　soon　as　Metellus
understood　this；　he　was　disturbed；　as　he　had　already　consumed　most
part　of　the　necessary　provisions　for　his　army；　but　he　sent　out　Aquinus
with　six　thousand　soldiers　to　fetch　in　fresh　supplies。　But　Sertorius
having　notice　of　it；　laid　an　ambush　for　him；　and　having　sent　out
beforehand　three　thousand　men　to　take　post　in　a　thickly　wooded
water…course；　with　these　he　attacked　the　rear　of　Aquinus　in　his
return；　while　he　himself；　charging　him　in　the　front；　destroyed　part　of
his　army；　and　took　the　rest　prisoners；　Aquinus　only　escaping；　after
the　loss　of　both　his　horse　and　his　armour。　And　Metellus；　being
forced　shamefully　to　raise　the　siege；　withdrew　amidst　the　laughter　and
contempt　of　the　Spaniards；　while　Sertorius　became　yet　more　the
object　of　their　esteem　and　admiration。
　　He　was　also　highly　honoured　for　his　introducing　discipline　and
good　order　amongst　them；　for　he　altered　their　furious　savage　manner　of
fighting；　and　brought　them　to　make　use　of　the　Roman　armour；　taught
them　to　keep　their　ranks；　and　observe　signals　and　watchwards；　and
out　of　a　confused　number　of　thieves　and　robbers　he　constituted　a
regular；　well…disciplined　army。　He　bestowed　silver　and　gold　upon
them　liberally　to　gild　and　adorn　their　helmets；　he　had　their　shields
worked　with　various　figures　and　designs；　he　brought　them　into　the　mode
of　wearing　flowered　and　embroidered　cloaks　and　coats；　and　by　supplying
money　for　these　purposes；　and　joining　with　them　in　all　improvements；
he　won　the　hearts　of　all。　That；　however；　which　delighted　them　most　was
the　care　that　he　took　of　their　children。　He　sent　for　all　the　boys　of
noblest　parentage　out　of　all　their　tribes；　and　placed　them　in　the
great　city　of　Osca；　where　he　appointed　masters　to　instruct　them　in　the
Grecian　and　Roman　learning。　that　when　they　came　to　be　men；　they　might；
as　he　professed；　be　fitted　to　share　with　him　in　authority；　and　in
conducting　the　government；　although　under　this　pretext　he　really
made　them　hostages。　However；　their　fathers　were　wonderfully　pleased　to
see　their　children　going　daily　to　the　schools　in　good　order；
handsomely　dressed　in　gowns　edged　with　purple；　and　that　Sertorius　paid
for　their　lessons；　examined　them　often；　distributed　rewards　to　the
most　deserving；　and　gave　them　the　golden　bosses　to　hang　about　their
necks；　which　the　Romans　called　bullae。
　　There　being　a　custom　in　Spain　that　when　a　commander　was　slain　in
battle；　those　who　attended　his　person　fought　it　out　till　they　all　died
with　him；　which　the　inhabitants　of　those　countries　called　an　offering；
or　libation；　there　were　few　commanders　that　had　any　considerable　guard
or　number　of　attendants；　but　Sertorius　was　followed　by　many
thousands　who　offered　themselves；　and　vowed　to　spend　their　blood
with　his。　And　it　is　told　that　when　his　army　was　defeated　near　a　city
in　Spain；　and　the　enemy　pressed　hard　upon　them；　the　Spaniards；　with　no
care　for　themselves；　but　being　totally　solicitous　to　save　Sertorius；
took　him　upon　their　shoulders　and　passed　him　from　one　to　another；　till
they　carried　him　into　the　city；　and　only　when　they　had　thus　placed
their　general　in　safety；　provided　afterwards　each　man　for　his　own
security。
　　Nor　were　the　Spaniards　alone　ambitious　to　serve　him；　but　the　Roman
soldiers；　also；　that　came　out　of　Italy；　were　impatient　to　be　under　his
command；　and　when　Perpenna　Vento；　who　was　of　the　same　faction　with
Sertorius；　came　into　Spain　with　a　quantity　of　money　and　a　large　number
of　troops；　and　designed　to　make　war　against　Metellus　on　his　own
account；　his　own　soldiers　opposed　it；　and　talked　continually　of
Sertorius；　much　to　the　mortification　of　Perpenna；　who　was　puffed　up
with　the　grandeur　of　his　family　and　his　riches。　And　when　they
afterwards　received　tidings　that　Pompey　was　passing　the　Pyrenees；　they
took　up　their　arms　laid　hold　on　their　ensigns；　called　upon　Perpenna　to
lead　them　to　Sertorius；　and　threatened　him　that　if　he　refused　they
would　go　without　him　and　place　themselves　under　a　commander　who　was
able　to　defend　himself　and　those　that　served　him。　And　so　Perpenna
was　obliged　to　yield　to　their　desires；　and　joining　Sertorius；　added　to
his　army　three…and…fifty　cohorts。
　　When　now　all　the　cities　on　this　side　of　the　river　Ebro　also　united
their　forces　together　under　his　command；　his　army　grew　great；　for　they
flocked　together　and　flowed　in　upon　him　from　all　quarters。　But　when
they　continually　cried　out　to　attack　the　enemy；　and　were　impatient
of　delay；　their　inexperienced；　disorderly　rashness　caused　Sertorius
much　trouble；　who　at　first　strove　to　restrain　them　with　reason　and
good　counsel；　but　when　he　perceived　them　refractory　and　unseasonably
violent；　he　gave　way　to　their　impetuous　desires；　and　permitted　them　to
engage　with　the　enemy；　in　such　sort　that　they　might；　being　repulsed；
yet　not　totally　routed　become　more　obedient　to　his　commands　for　the
future。　Which　happening　as　he　had　anticipated；　he　soon　rescued　them；
and　brought　them　safe　into　his　camp。　After　a　few　days；　being　willing
to　encourage　them　again；　when　he　had　called　all　his　army　together；
he　caused　two　horses　to　be　brought　into　the　field；　one　old；　feeble；
lean　animal　the　other　a　lusty；　strong　horse；　with　a　remarkably　thick
and　long　tail。　Near　the　lean　one　he　placed　a　tall；　strong　man；　and
near　the　strong　young　horse　a　weak；　despicable…looking　fellow；　and
at　a　sign　given；　the　strong　man　took　hold　of　the　weak　horse's　tail
with　both　his　hands；　and　drew　it　to　him　with　his　whole　force；　as　if　he
would　pull　it　off；　the　other；　the　weak　man；　in　the　meantime；　set　to
work　to　pluck　off　hair　by　hair　from　the　great　horse's　tail。　When　the
strong　man　had　given　trouble　enough　to　himself　in　vain；　and　sufficient
diversion　to　the　company；　and　had　abandoned　his　attempt；　whilst　the
weak；　pitiful　fellow　in　a　short　time　and　with　little　pains　had　left
not　a　hair　on　the　great　horse's　tail；　Sertorius　rose　up　and　spoke　to
his　army。　〃You　see；　fellow…soldiers；　that　perseverance　is　more
prevailing　than　violence；　and　that　many　things　which　cannot　be
overcome　when　they　are　together；　yield　themselves　up　when　taken　little
by　little。　Assiduity　and　persistence　are　irresistible；　and　in　time
overthrow　and　destroy　the　greatest　powers　whatever。　Time　being　the
favourable　friend　and　assistant　of　those　who　use　their　judgment　to
await　his　occasions；　and　the　destructive　enemy　of　those　who　are
unreasonably　urging　and　pressing　forward。〃　With　a　frequent　use　of　such
words　and　such　devices；　he　soothed　the　fierceness　of　the　barbarous
people；　and　taught　them　to　attend　and　watch　for　their　opportunities。
　　Of　all　his　remarkable　exploits；　none　raised　greater　admiration
than　that　which　he　put　in　practice　against　the　Characitanians。　These
are　a　people　beyond　the　river　Tagus；　who　inhabit　neither　cities　nor
towns；　but　live　in　a　vast　high　hill；　within　the　deep　dens　and　caves　of
the　rocks；　the　mouths　of　which　open　all　towards　the　north。　T