sertorius-第7节

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empty　title　to　places　not　in　their　power　to　dispose　of；　in
recompense　of　which　they　should　be　supplied　with　what　they　then
stood　most　in　need　of；　Sertorius　would　by　no　means　agree　to　it；
declaring　that　he　was　willing　that　King　Mithridates　should　exercise
all　royal　power　and　authority　over　Bithynia　and　Cappadocia；
countries　accustomed　to　a　monarchical　government；　and　not　belonging　to
Rome；　but　he　could　never　consent　that　he　should　seize　or　detain　a
province；　which；　by　the　justest　right　and　title；　was　possessed　by
the　Romans；　which　Mithridates　had　formerly　taken　away　from　them；　and
had　afterwards　lost　in　open　war　to　Fimbria；　and　quitted　upon　a
treaty　of　peace　with　Sylla。　For　he　looked　upon　it　as　his　duty　to
enlarge　the　Roman　possessions　by　his　conquering　arms；　and　not　to
increase　his　own　power　by　the　diminution　of　the　Roman　territories。
Since　a　noble…minded　man；　though　he　willingly　accepts　of　victory
when　it　comes　with　honour；　will　never　so　much　as　endeavour　to　save　his
own　life　upon　any　dishonourable　terms。
　　When　this　was　related　to　Mithridates；　he　was　struck　with
amazement；　and　said　to　his　intimate　friends；　〃What　will　Sertorius
enjoin　us　to　do　when　he　comes　to　be　seated　in　the　Palatium　in　Rome；
who　at　present；　when　he　is　driven　out　to　the　borders　of　the　Atlantic
Sea；　sets　bounds　to　our　kingdoms　in　the　east；　and　threatens　us　with
war　if　we　attempt　the　recovery　of　Asia？〃　However；　they　solemnly；
upon　oath；　concluded　a　league　between　them；　upon　these　terms：　that
Mithridates　should　enjoy　the　free　possessions　of　Cappadocia　and
Bithynia；　and　that　Sertorius　should　send　him　soldiers　and　a　general
for　his　army；　in　recompense　of　which　the　king　was　to　supply　him　with
three　thousand　talents　and　forty　ships。　Marcus　Marius；　a　Roman　senator
who　had　quitted　Rome　to　follow　Sertorius；　was　sent　general　into
Asia；　in　company　with　whom；　when　Mithridates　had　reduced　divers　of　the
Asian　cities；　Marius　made　his　entrance　with　rods　and　axes　carried
before　him；　and　Mithridates　followed　in　the　second　place；
voluntarily　waiting　upon　him。　Some　of　these　cities　he　set　at
liberty；　and　others　he　freed　from　taxes；　signifying　to　them　that　these
privileges　were　granted　to　them　by　the　favour　of　Sertorius；　and　hereby
Asia；　which　had　been　miserably　tormented　by　the　revenue　farmers；　and
oppressed　by　the　insolent　pride　and　covetousness　of　the　soldiers；
began　to　rise　again　to　new　hopes　and　to　look　forward　with　joy　to　the
expected　change　of　government。
　　But　in　Spain；　the　senators　about　Sertorius；　and　others　of　the
nobility；　finding　themselves　strong　enough　for　their　enemies；　no
sooner　laid　aside　fear；　but　their　minds　were　possessed　by　envy　and
irrational　jealousies　of　Sertorius's　power。　And　chiefly　Perpenna；
elevated　by　the　thoughts　of　his　noble　birth；　and　carried　away　with　a
fond　ambition　of　commanding　the　army；　threw　out　villainous
discourses　in　private　amongst　his　acquaintance。　〃What　evil　genius；〃　he
would　say；　〃hurries　us　perpetually　from　worse　to　worse？　We　who
disdained　to　obey　the　dictates　of　Sylla；　the　ruler　of　the　sea　and
land；　and　thus　to　live　at　home　in　peace　and　quiet；　are　come　hither
to　our　destruction；　hoping　to　enjoy　our　liberty；　and　have　made
ourselves　slaves　of　our　own　accord；　and　are　become　the　contemptible
guards　and　attendants　of　the　banished　Sertorius；　who；　that　he　may
expose　us　the　further；　gives　us　a　name　that　renders　us　ridiculous　to
all　that　hear　it；　and　calls　us　the　Senate；　when　at　the　same　time　he
makes　us　undergo　as　much　hard　labour；　and　forces　us　to　be　as　subject
to　his　haughty　commands　and　insolences；　as　any　Spaniards　and
Lusitanians。〃　With　these　mutinous　discourses　he　seduced　them；　and
though　the　greater　number　could　not　be　led　into　open　rebellion　against
Sertorius；　fearing　his　power；　they　were　prevailed　with　to　endeavour　to
destroy　his　interest　secretly。　For　by　abusing　the　Lusitanians　and
Spaniards；　by　inflicting　severe　punishments　upon　them；　by　raising
exorbitant　taxes；　and　by　pretending　that　all　this　was　done　by　the
strict　command　of　Sertorius；　they　caused　great　troubles；　and　made　many
cities　to　revolt；　and　those　who　were　sent　to　mitigate　and　heal　these
differences　did　rather　exasperate　them；　and　increase　the　number　of　his
enemies；　and　left　them　at　their　return　more　obstinate　and　rebellious
than　they　found　them。　And　Sertorius；　incensed　with　all　this；　now　so
far　forgot　his　former　clemency　and　goodness　as　to　lay　hands　on　the
sons　of　the　Spaniards　educated　in　the　city　of　Osca；　and；　contrary　to
all　justice；　he　cruelly　put　some　of　them　to　death；　and　sold　others。
　　In　the　meantime；　Perpenna；　having　increased　the　number　of　his
conspirators；　drew　in　Manlius；　a　commander　in　the　army；　who；　at　that
time　being　attached　to　a　youth；　to　gain　his　affections　the　more；
discovered　the　confederacy　to　him；　bidding　him　neglect　others；　and
be　constant　to　him　alone；　who；　in　a　few　days；　was　to　be　a　person　of
great　power　and　authority。　But　the　youth　having　a　greater
inclination　for　Aufidius；　disclosed　all　to　him；　which　much　surprised
and　amazed　him。　For　he　was　also　one　of　the　confederacy；　but　knew　not
that　Manlius　was　anyways　engaged　in　it；　but　when　the　youth　began　to
name　Perpenna；　Gracinus；　and　others；　whom　he　new　very　well　to　be　sworn
conspirators；　he　was　very　much　terrified　and　astonished；　but　made
light　of　it　to　the　youth；　and　bade　him　not　regard　what　Manlius　said；　a
vain；　boasting　fellow。　However；　he　went　presently　to　Perpenna；　and
giving　him　notice　of　the　danger　they　were　in；　and　of　the　shortness
of　their　time；　desired　him　immediately　to　put　their　designs　in
execution。　When　all　the　confederates　had　consented　to　it；　they
provided　a　messenger　who　brought　feigned　letters　to　Sertorius；　in
which　he　had　notice　of　a　victory　obtained；　it　said；　by　one　of　his
lieutenants；　and　of　the　great　slaughter　of　his　enemies：　and　as
Sertorius；　being　extremely　well　pleased；　was　sacrificing　and　giving
thanks　to　the　gods　for　his　prosperous　success；　Perpenna　invited　him；
and　those　with　him；　who　were　also　of　the　conspiracy；　to　an
entertainment；　and　being　very　importunate；　prevailed　with　him　to　come。
At　all　suppers　and　entertainments　where　Sertorius　was　present；　great
order　and　decency　was　wont　to　be　observed；　for　he　would　not　endure
to　hear　or　see　anything　that　was　rude　or　unhandsome；　but　made　it　the
habit　of　all　who　kept　his　company　to　entertain　themselves　with　quiet
and　inoffensive　amusements。　But　in　the　middle　of　this　entertainment；
those　who　sought　occasion　to　quarrel　fell　into　dissolute　discourse
openly；　and　making　as　if　they　were　very　drunk；　committed　many
insolences　on　purpose　to　provoke　him。　Sertorius；　being　offended　with
their　ill…behaviour；　or　perceiving　the　state　of　their　minds　by　their
way　of　speaking　and　their　unusually　disrespectful　manner　changed　the
posture　of　his　lying；　and　leaned　backward；　as　one　that　neither　heard
nor　regarded　them。　Perpenna　now　took　a　cup　full　of　wine；　and；　as　he
was　drinking；　let　it　fall　out　of　his　hand　and　made　a　noise；　which
was　the　sign　agreed　upon　amongst　them；　and　Antonius；　who　was　next　to
Sertorius；　immediately　wounded　him　with　his　sword。　And　whilst
Sertorius；　upon　receiving　the　wound；　turned　himself；　and　strove　to　get
up；　Antonius　threw　himself　upon　his　breast；　and　held　both　his　hands；
so　that　he　died　by　a　number　of　blows；　without　being　able　even　to
defend　himself。
　　Upon　the　first　news　of　his　death；　most　of　the　Spaniards　left　the
conspirators；　and　sent　ambassadors　to　Pompey　and　Metellus；　and　yielded
themselves　up　to　them。　Perpenna　attempted　to　do　something　with　those
that　remained；　but　he　made　only　so　much　use　of　Sertorius's　arms　and
preparations　for　war　as　to　disgrace　himself　in　them；　and　to　let　it
be　evident　to　all　that　he　understood　no　more　how　to　command　than　he
knew　how　to　obey；　and　when　he　came　against　Pompey；　he　was　soon
overthrown　and　taken　prisoner。　Neither　did　he　bear　this　last
affliction　with　any　bravery；　but　having　Sertorius's　papers　and
writings　in　his　hands；　he　offered　to　show　Pompey　letters　from
persons　of　consular　dignity；　and　of　the　highest　quality　in　Rome；
written　with　their　own　hands；　expressly　to　call　Sertorius　into
Italy；　and　to　let　him　know　what　great　numbers　there　were　that
earnestly　desired　to　alter　the　present　state　of　affairs；　and　to
introduce　another　manner　of　government。　Upon　this　occasion；　Pompey
behaved　not　like　a　youth；　or　one　of　a　light　inconsiderate　mind；　but　as
a　man　of　a　confirmed；　mature；　and　solid　judgment；　and　so　freed　Rome
from　great　fears　and　dangers　of　change。　For　he　put　all　Sertorius's
writings　and　letters　together　and　read　not　one　of　them；　nor　suffered
any　one　else　to　read　them；　but　burnt　them　all；　and　caused　Perpenna
immediately　to　be　put　to　death；　lest　by　discovering　their　names
further　troubles　and　revolutions　might　ensue。
　　Of　the　rest　of　the　conspirators　with　Perpenna；　some　were　taken　and
slain　by　the　command　of　Pompey；　others　fled　into　Africa；　and　were
set　upon　by　the　Moors；　and　run　through　with　their　darts：　and　in　a
short　time　not　one　of　them　was　left　alive；　except　only　Aufidius；　the
rival　of　Manlius；　who；　hiding　himself；　or　not　being　much　inquired
after；　died　an　old　man；　in　an　obscure　village　in　Spain；　in　extreme
poverty；　and　hated　by　all。