caius marius-第5节

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great　company　of　their　boys　and　camp　followers；　having　neither　drink
for　themselves　nor　for　their　horses；　went　down　to　that　river；　some
taking　axes　and　hatchets；　and　some；　too；　swords　and　darts　with　their
pitchers；　resolving　to　have　water　though　they　fought　for　it。　These
were　first　encountered　by　a　small　party　of　the　enemies；　for　most　of
them　had　just　finished　bathing；　and　were　eating　and　drinking；　and
several　were　still　bathing；　the　country　thereabouts　abounding　in　hot
springs；　so　that　the　Romans　partly　fell　upon　them　whilst　they　were
enjoying　themselves　and　occupied　with　the　novel　sights　and
pleasantness　of　the　place。　Upon　hearing　the　shouts；　great　numbers
still　joining　in　the　fight；　it　was　not　a　little　difficult　for　Marius
to　contain　his　soldiers；　who　were　afraid　of　losing　the　camp
servants；　and　the　more　warlike　part　of　the　enemies；　who　had　overthrown
Manlius　and　Caepio　（they　were　called　Ambrones；　and　were　in　number；　one
with　another；　above　thirty　thousand）；　taking　the　alarm；　leaped　up
and　hurried　to　arms。
　　These；　though　they　had　just　been　gorging　themselves　with　food；　and
were　excited　and　disordered　with　drink；　nevertheless　did　not　advance
with　an　unruly　step；　or　in　mere　senseless　fury；　nor　were　their
shouts　mere　inarticulate　cries；　but　clashing　their　arms　in　concert　and
keeping　time　as　they　leapt　and　bounded　onward；　they　continually
repeated　their　own　name；　〃Ambrones！〃　either　to　encourage　one
another；　or　to　strike　the　greater　terror　into　their　enemies。　Of　all
the　Italians　in　Marius's　army；　the　Ligurians　were　the　first　that
charged；　and　when　they　caught　the　word　of　the　enemy's　confused
shout；　they；　too；　returned　the　same；　as　it　was　an　ancient　name　also　in
their　country；　the　Ligurians　always　using　it　when　speaking　of　their
descent。　This　acclamation；　bandied　from　one　army　to　the　other　before
they　joined；　served　to　rouse　and　heighten　their　fury；　while　the　men　on
either　side　strove；　with　all　possible　vehemence；　the　one　to
overshout　the　other。
　　The　river　disordered　the　Ambrones；　before　they　could　draw　up　all
their　army　on　the　other　side　of　it；　the　Ligurians　presently　fell
upon　the　van；　and　began　to　charge　them　hand　to　hand。　The　Romans；
too；　coming　to　their　assistance；　and　from　the　higher　ground　pouring
upon　the　enemy；　forcibly　repelled　them；　and　the　most　of　them　（one
thrusting　another　into　the　river）　were　there　slain；　and　filled　it　with
their　blood　and　dead　bodies。　Those　that　got　safe　over；　not　daring　to
make　head；　were　slain　by　the　Romans；　as　they　fled　to　their　camp　and
wagons；　where　the　women　meeting　them　with　swords　and　hatchets；　and
making　a　hideous　outcry；　set　upon　those　that　fled　as　well　as　those
that　pursued；　the　one　as　traitors；　the　other　as　enemies；　and　mixing
themselves　with　the　combatants；　with　their　bare　arms　pulling　away
the　Romans'　shields；　and　laying　hold　on　their　swords；　endured　the
wounds　and　slashing　of　their　bodies　to　the　very　last　with　undaunted
resolution。　Thus　the　battle　seems　to　have　happened　at　that　river
rather　by　accident　than　by　the　design　of　the　general。
　　After　the　Romans　were　retired　from　the　great　slaughter　of　the
Ambrones；　night　came　on；　but　the　army　was　not　indulged；　as　was　the
usual　custom；　with　songs　of　victory；　drinking　in　their　tents；　and
mutual　entertainments　and　（what　is　most　welcome　to　soldiers　after
successful　fighting）　quiet　sleep；　but　they　passed　that　night；　above
all　others；　in　fears　and　alarm。　For　their　camp　was　without　either
rampart　or　palisade；　and　there　remained　thousands　upon　thousands　of
their　enemies　yet　unconquered；　to　whom　were　joined　as　many　of　the
Ambrones　as　escaped。　There　were　heard　from　these　all　through　the　night
wild　bewailings；　nothing　like　the　sighs　and　groans　of　men；　but　a
sort　of　wild…beast…like　howling　and　cursing　joined　with　threats　and
lamentations　rising　from　the　vast　multitude；　and　echoed　among　the
neighbouring　hills　and　hollow　banks　of　the　river。　The　whole　plain
was　filled　with　hideous　noise；　insomuch　that　the　Romans　were　not　a
little　afraid　and　Marius　himself　was　apprehensive　of　a　confused
tumultuous　night　engagement。　But　the　enemy　did　not　stir　either　this
night　or　the　next　day；　but　were　employed　in　disposing　and　drawing
themselves　up　to　the　greatest　advantage。
　　Of　this　occasion　Marius　made　good　use；　for　there　were　beyond　the
enemies　some　wooded　ascents　and　deep　valleys　thickly　set　with　trees；
whither　he　sent　Claudius　Marcellus；　secretly；　with　three　thousand
regular　soldiers；　giving　him　orders　to　post　them　in　ambush　there；
and　show　themselves　at　the　rear　of　the　enemies　when　the　fight　was
begun。　The　others；　refreshed　with　victuals　and　sleep；　as　soon　as　it
was　day　he　drew　up　before　the　camp；　and　commanded　the　horse　to　sally
out　into　the　plain；　at　the　sight　of　which　the　Teutones　could　not
contain　themselves　till　the　Romans　should　come　down　and　fight　them
on　equal　terms；　but　hastily　arming　themselves；　charged　in　their　fury
up　the　hillside。　Marius；　sending　officers　to　all　parts；　commanded
his　men　to　stand　still　and　keep　their　ground；　when　they　came　within
reach；　to　throw　their　javelins；　then　use　their　swords；　and　joining
their　shields；　force　them　back；　pointing　out　to　them　that　the
steepness　of　the　ground　would　render　the　enemy's　blows　inefficient；
nor　could　their　shields　be　kept　close　together；　the　inequality　of
the　ground　hindering　the　stability　of　their　footing。
　　This　counsel　he　gave　them；　and　was　the　first　that　followed　it；　for
he　was　inferior　to　none　in　the　use　of　his　body；　and　far　excelled　all
in　resolution。　The　Romans　accordingly　stood　for　their　approach；　and；
checking　them　in　their　advance　upwards；　forced　them　little　by　little
to　give　way　and　yield　down　the　hill；　and　here；　on　the　level　ground；　no
sooner　had　the　Ambrones　begun　to　restore　their　van　into　a　posture　of
resistance；　but　they　found　their　rear　disordered。　For　Marcellus　had
not　let　slip　the　opportunity；　but　as　soon　as　the　shout　was　raised
among　the　Romans　on　the　hills；　he；　setting　his　men　in　motion；　fell
in　upon　the　enemy　behind；　at　full　speed；　and　with　loud　cries；　and
routed　those　nearest　him；　and　they；　breaking　the　ranks　of　those　that
were　before　them；　filled　the　whole　army　with　confusion。　They　made　no
long　resistance　after　they　were　thus　broke　in　upon；　but　having　lost
all　order；　fled。
　　The　Romans；　pursuing　them；　slew　and　took　prisoners　above　one　hundred
thousand；　and　possessing　themselves　of　their　spoil；　tents；　and
carriages；　voted　all　that　was　not　purloined　to　Marius's　share；
which；　though　so　magnificent　a　present；　yet　was　generally　thought　less
than　his　conduct　deserved　in　so　great　a　danger。　Other　authors　give　a
different　account；　both　about　the　division　of　the　plunder　and　the
number　of　the　slain。　They　say；　however；　that　the　inhabitants　of
Massilia　made　fences　round　their　vineyards　with　the　bones；　and　that
the　ground；　enriched　by　the　moisture　of　the　putrefied　bodies　（soaked
with　the　rain　of　the　following　winter）；　yielded　at　the　season　a
prodigious　crop；　and　fully　justified　Archilochus；　who　said；　that　the
fallows　thus　are　fattened。　It　is　an　observation；　also；　that
extraordinary　rains　pretty　generally　fall　after　great　battles；　whether
it　be　that　some　divine　power　thus　washes　and　cleanses　the　polluted
earth　with　showers　from　above；　or　that　moist　and　heavy　evaporations；
steaming　forth　from　the　blood　and　corruption；　thicken　the　air；　which
naturally　is　subject　to　alteration　from　the　smallest　causes。
　　After　the　battle；　Marius　chose　out　from　amongst　the　barbarians'
spoils　and　arms　those　that　were　whole　and　handsome；　and　that　would
make　the　greatest　show　in　his　triumph；　the　rest　he　heaped　upon　a　large
pile；　and　offered　a　very　splendid　sacrifice。　Whilst　the　army　stood
round　about　with　their　arms　and　garlands；　himself　attired　（as　the
fashion　is　on　such　occasions）　in　the　purple…bordered　robe；　and
taking　a　lighted　torch；　and　with　both　hands　lifting　it　up　towards
heaven；　he　was　then　going　to　put　it　to　the　pile；　when　some　friends
were　espied　with　all　haste　coming　towards　him　on　horseback。　Upon　which
every　one　remained　in　silence　and　expectation。　They；　upon　their　coming
up；　leapt　off　and　saluted　Marius；　bringing　him　the　news　of　his　fifth
consulship；　and　delivered　him　letters　to　that　effect。　This　gave　the
addition　of　no　small　joy　to　the　solemnity；　and　while　the　soldiers
clashed　their　arms　and　shouted；　the　officers　again　crowned　Marius　with
a　laurel　wreath；　and　he　thus　set　fire　to　the　pile；　and　finished　his
sacrifice。
　　But　whatever　it　be　which　interferes　to　prevent　the　enjoyment　of
prosperity　ever　being　pure　and　sincere；　and　still　diversifies　human
affairs　with　the　mixture　of　good　and　bad；　whether　fortune　or　divine
displeasure；　or　the　necessity　of　the　nature　of　things；　within　a　few
days　Marius　received　an　account　of　his　colleague；　Catulus；　which；　as　a
cloud　in　serenity　and　calm；　terrified　Rome　with　the　apprehension　of
another　imminent　storm。　Catulus；　who　marched　against　the　Cimbri；
despairing　of　being　able　to　defend　the　passes　of　the　Alps；　lest；　being
compelled　to　divide　his　forces　into　several　parties；　he　should
weaken　himself；　descended　again　into　Italy；　and　posted　his　army　behind
the　river　Adige；　where　he　occupied　the　passages　with　strong
fortifications　on　both　sides　the　riv