timoleon-第8节

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left　wing　of　other　Sicilians；　intermingling　only　a　few　strangers　in
each；　he　placed　the　natives　of　Syracuse　in　the　middle；　with　the
stoutest　mercenaries　he　had　about　his　own　person；　and　waiting　a　little
to　observe　the　action　of　his　horse；　when　they　saw　they　were　not　only
hindered　from　grappling　with　the　Carthaginians　by　the　armed　chariots
that　ran　to　and　fro　before　the　army；　but　forced　continually　to　wheel
about　to　escape　having　their　ranks　broken；　and　so　to　repeat　their
charges　anew；　he　took　his　buckler　in　his　hand；　and　crying　out　to　the
foot　that　they　should　follow　him　with　courage　and　confidence；　he
seemed　to　speak　with　a　more　than　human　accent；　and　a　voice　stronger
than　ordinary；　whether　it　were　that　he　naturally　raised　it　so　high
in　the　vehemence　and　ardour　with　his　mind　to　assault　the　enemy；　or
else；　as　many　then　thought；　some　god　or　other　spoke　with　him。　When　his
soldiers　quickly　gave　an　echo　to　it；　and　besought　him　to　lead　them
on　without　any　further　delay；　he　made　a　sign　to　the　horse；　that　they
should　draw　off　from　the　front　where　the　chariots　were；　and　pass
sidewards　to　attack　their　enemies　in　the　flank；　then；　making　his
vanguard　firm　by　joining　man　to　man　and　buckler　to　buckler；　he
caused　the　trumpet　to　sound；　and　so　bore　in　upon　the　Carthaginians。
　　They；　for　their　part；　stoutly　received　and　sustained　his　first
onset；　and　having　their　bodies　armed　with　breast…plates　of　iron；　and
helmets　of　brass　on　their　heads；　besides　great　bucklers　to　cover　and
secure　them；　they　could　easily　repel　the　charge　of　the　Greek　spears。
But　when　the　business　came　to　a　decision　by　the　sword；　where　mastery
depends　no　less　upon　art　than　strength；　all　on　a　sudden　from　the
mountain…tops　violent　peals　of　thunder　and　vivid　flashes　of
lightning　broke　out；　following　upon　which　the　darkness；　that　had
been　hovering　about　the　higher　grounds　and　the　crests　of　the　hills；
descending　to　the　place　of　battle　and　bringing　a　tempest　of　rain　and
of　wind　and　hail　along　with　it；　was　driven　upon　the　Greeks　behind；　and
fell　only　at　their　backs；　but　discharged　itself　in　the　very　faces　of
the　barbarians；　the　rain　beating　on　them；　and　the　lightning　dazzling
them　without　cessation；　annoyances　that　in　many　ways　distressed　at　any
rate　the　inexperienced；　who　had　not　been　used　to　such　hardships；
and；　in　particular；　the　claps　of　thunder；　and　the　noise　of　the　rain
and　hail　beating　on　their　arms；　kept　them　from　hearing　the　commands　of
their　officers。　Besides　which；　the　very　mud　also　was　a　great　hindrance
to　the　Carthaginans；　who　were　not　lightly　equipped；　but；　as　I　said
before；　loaded　with　heavy　armour；　and　then　their　shirts　underneath
getting　drenched；　the　foldings　about　the　bosom　filled　with　water；　grew
unwieldy　and　cumbersome　to　them　as　they　fought；　and　made　it　easy　for
the　Greeks　to　throw　them　down；　and；　when　they　were　once　down；
impossible　for　them；　under　that　weight；　to　disengage　themselves　and
rise　again　with　weapons　in　their　hands。　The　river　Crimesus；　too；
swollen　partly　by　the　rain；　and　partly　by　the　stoppage　of　its　course
with　the　numbers　that　were　passing　through；　overflowed　its　banks；
and　the　level　ground　by　the　side　of　it；　being　so　situated　as　to　have　a
number　of　small　ravines　and　hollows　of　the　hillside　descending　upon
it；　was　now　filled　with　rivulets　and　currents　that　had　no　certain
channel；　in　which　the　Carthaginians　stumbled　and　rolled　about；　and
found　themselves　in　great　difficulty。　So　that；　in　fine；　the　storm
bearing　still　upon　them；　and　the　Greeks　having　cut　in　pieces　four
hundred　men　of　their　first　ranks；　the　whole　body　of　their　army　began
to　fly。　Great　numbers　were　overtaken　in　the　plain；　and　put　to　the
sword　there；　and　many　of　them；　as　they　were　making　their　way　back
through　the　river；　falling　foul　upon　others　that　were　yet　coming　over；
were　borne　away　and　overwhelmed　by　the　waters；　but　the　major　part；
attempting　to　get　up　the　hill　so　as　to　make　their　escape；　were
intercepted　and　destroyed　by　the　light…armed　troops。　It　is　said
that；　of　ten　thousand　who　lay　dead　after　the　fight；　three　thousand；　at
least；　were　Carthaginian　citizens；　a　heavy　loss　and　great　grief　to
their　countrymen；　those　that　fell　being　men　inferior　to　none　among
them　as　to　birth；　wealth；　or　reputation。　Nor　do　their　records
mention　that　so　many　native　Carthaginians　were　ever　cut　off　before
in　any　one　battle；　as　they　usually　employed　Africans；　Spaniards；　and
Numidians　in　their　wars；　so　that　if　they　chanced　to　be　defeated；　it
was　still　at　the　cost　and　damage　of　other　nations。
　　The　Greeks　easily　discovered　of　what　condition　and　account　the　slain
were　by　the　richness　of　their　spoils；　for　when　they　came　to　collect
the　booty；　there　was　little　reckoning　made　either　of　brass　or　iron；　so
abundant　were　better　metals；　and　so　common　were　silver　and　gold。
Passing　over　the　river　they　became　masters　of　their　camp　and
carriages。　As　for　captives；　a　great　many　of　them　were　stolen　away
and　sold　privately　by　the　soldiers　but　about　five　thousand　were
brought　in　and　delivered　up　for　the　benefit　of　the　public；　two　hundred
of　their　chariots　of　war　were　also　taken。　The　tent　of　Timoleon　then
presented　a　most　glorious　and　magnificent　appearance；　being　heaped
up　and　hung　round　with　every　variety　of　spoils　and　military　ornaments；
among　which　there　were　a　thousand　breastplates　of　rare　workmanship　and
beauty；　and　bucklers　to　the　number　of　ten　thousand。　The　victors
being　but　few　to　strip　so　many　that　were　vanquished；　and　having　such
valuable　booty　to　occupy　them；　it　was　the　third　day　after　the　fight
before　they　could　erect　and　finish　the　trophy　of　their　conquest。
Timoleon　sent　tidings　of　his　victory　to　Corinth；　with　the　best　and
goodliest　arms　he　had　taken　as　a　proof　of　it；　that　he　thus　might
render　his　country　an　object　of　emulation　to　the　whole　world；　when；　of
all　the　cities　of　Greece；　men　should　there　alone　behold　the　chief
temples　adorned；　not　with　Grecian　spoils；　nor　offerings　obtained　by
the　bloodshed　and　plunder　of　their　own　countrymen　and　kindred；　and
attended；　therefore；　with　sad　and　unhappy　remembrances；　but　with
such　as　had　been　stripped　from　barbarians　and　enemies　to　their　nation；
with　the　noblest　titles　inscribed　upon　them；　titles　telling　of　the
justice　as　well　as　fortitude　of　the　conquerors；　namely；　that　the
people　of　Corinth；　and　Timoleon　their　general；　having　redeemed　the
Greeks　of　Sicily　from　Carthaginian　bondage；　made　oblation　of　these
to　the　gods；　in　grateful　acknowledgment　of　their　favour。
　　Having　done　this；　he　left　his　hired　soldiers　in　the　enemy's
country　to　drive　and　carry　away　all　they　could　throughout　the
subject…territory　of　Carthage；　and　so　marched　with　the　rest　of　his
army　to　Syracuse；　where　he　issued　an　edict　for　banishing　the
thousand　mercenaries　who　had　basely　deserted　him　before　the　battle；
and　obliged　them　to　quit　the　city　before　sunset。　They；　sailing　into
Italy；　lost　their　lives　there　by　the　hands　of　the　Bruttians；　in
spite　of　a　public　assurance　of　safety　previously　given　them；　thus
receiving；　from　the　divine　power；　a　just　reward　of　their　own
treachery。　Mamercus；　however；　the　tyrant　of　Catana；　and　Hicetes；　after
all；　either　envying　Timoleon　the　glory　of　his　exploits；　or　fearing　him
as　one　that　would　keep　no　agreement；　or　having　any　peace　with　tyrants；
made　a　league　with　the　Carthaginians；　and　pressed　them　much　to　send
a　new　army　and　commander　into　Sicily；　unless　they　would　be　content
to　hazard　all　and　to　be　wholly　ejected　out　of　that　island。　And　in
consequence　of　this；　Gisco　was　despatched　with　a　navy　of　seventy　sail。
He　took　numerous　Greek　mercenaries　also　into　pay；　that　being　the　first
time　they　had　ever　been　enlisted　for　the　Carthaginian　service；　but
then　it　seems　the　Carthaginians　began　to　admire　them；　as　the　most
irresistible　soldiers　of　all　mankind。　Uniting　their　forces　in　the
territory　of　Messena；　they　cut　off　four　hundred　of　Timoleon's　paid
soldiers；　and　within　the　dependencies　of　Carthage；　at　a　place　called
Hierae；　destroyed；　by　an　ambuscade；　the　whole　body　of　mercenaries　that
served　under　Euthymus　the　Leucadian；　which　accidents；　however；　made
the　good　fortune　of　Timoleon　accounted　all　the　more　remarkable；　as
these　were　the　men　that；　with　Philomelus　of　Phocis　and　Onomarchus；　had
forcibly　broken　into　the　temple　of　Apollo　at　Delphi；　and　were
partakers　with　them　in　the　sacrilege；　so　that　being　hated　and
shunned　by　all；　as　persons　under　a　curse；　they　were　constrained　to
wander　about　in　Peloponnesus；　when；　for　want　of　others；　Timoleon　was
glad　to　take　them　into　service　in　his　expedition　for　Sicily；　where
they　were　successful　in　whatever　enterprise　they　attempted　under　his
conduct。　But　now；　when　all　the　important　dangers　were　past；　on　his
sending　them　out　for　the　relief　and　defence　of　his　party　in　several
places；　they　perished　and　were　destroyed　at　a　distance　from　him；　not
all　together；　but　in　small　parties；　and　the　vengeance　which　was
destined　for　them；　so　accommodating　itself　to　the　good　fortune　which
guarded　Timoleon　as　not　to　allow　any　harm　or　prejudice　for　good　men　to
arise　from　the　punishment　of　the　wicked；　the　benevolence　and
kindness　which　the　gods　had　for　Timoleon　was　thus　as　distinctly
recognized　in　his　disasters　as　in　his　successes。
　　What　most