caius marius-第6节

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the　river　Adige；　where　he　occupied　the　passages　with　strong
fortifications　on　both　sides　the　river；　and　made　a　bridge；　that　so
he　might　cross　to　the　assistance　of　his　men　on　the　other　side；　if　so
be　the　enemy；　having　forced　their　way　through　the　mountain　passes；
should　storm　the　fortresses。　The　barbarians；　however；　came　on　with
such　insolence　and　contempt　of　their　enemies；　that　to　show　their
strength　and　courage；　rather　than　out　of　any　necessity；　they　went
naked　in　the　showers　of　snow；　and　through　the　ice　and　deep　snow
climbed　up　to　the　tops　of　the　hills；　and　from　thence；　placing　their
broad　shields　under　their　bodies；　let　themselves　slide　from　the
precipices　along　their　vast　slippery　descents。
　　When　they　had　pitched　their　camp　at　a　little　distance　from　the
river；　and　surveyed　the　passage；　they　began　to　pile　it　up；　giant…like；
tearing　down　the　neighbouring　hills；　and　brought　trees　pulled　up　by
the　roots；　and　heaps　of　earth　to　the　river；　damming　up　its　course；　and
with　great　heavy　materials　which　they　rolled　down　the　stream　and
dashed　against　the　bridge；　they　forced　away　the　beams　which
supported　it；　in　consequence　of　which　the　greatest　part　of　the　Roman
soldiers；　much　affrighted；　left　the　camp　and　fled。　Here　Catulus　showed
himself　a　generous　and　noble　general；　in　preferring　the　glory　of　his
people　before　his　own；　for　when　he　could　not　prevail　with　his　soldiers
to　stand　to　their　colours；　but　saw　how　they　all　deserted　them；　he
commanded　his　own　standard　to　be　taken　up；　and　running　to　the　foremost
of　those　that　fled；　he　led　them　forward；　choosing　rather　that　the
disgrace　should　fall　upon　himself　than　upon　his　country；　and　that　they
should　not　seem　to　fly；　but；　following　their　captain；　to　make　a
retreat。　The　barbarians　assaulted　and　took　the　fortress　on　the　other
side　the　Adige；　where　much　admiring　the　few　Romans　there　left；　who　had
shown　extreme　courage；　and　had　fought　worthily　of　their　country；
they　dismissed　them　upon　terms；　swearing　them　upon　their　brazen
bull；　which　was　afterwards　taken　in　the　battle；　and　carried；　they　say；
to　Catulus's　house；　as　the　chief　trophy　of　victory。
　　Thus　falling　in　upon　the　country　destitute　of　defence；　they　wasted
it　on　all　sides。　Marius　was　presently　sent　for　to　the　city；　where；
when　he　arrived；　every　one　supposing　he　would　triumph；　the　senate；
too；　unanimously　voting　it；　he　himself　did　not　think　it　convenient：
whether　that　he　were　not　willing　to　deprive　his　soldiers　and
officers　of　their　share　of　the　glory；　or　that；　to　encourage　the　people
in　this　juncture；　he　would　leave　the　honour　due　to　his　past　victory　on
trust；　as　it　were；　in　the　hands　of　the　city　and　its　future　fortune；
deferring　it　now　to　receive　it　afterwards　with　the　greater
splendour。　Having　left　such　orders　as　the　occasion　required；　he
hastened　to　Catulus；　whose　drooping　spirits　he　much　raised；　and　sent
for　his　own　army　from　Gaul；　and　as　soon　as　it　came；　passing　the
river　Po；　he　endeavoured　to　keep　the　barbarians　out　of　that　part　of
Italy　which　lies　south　of　it。
　　They　professed　they　were　in　expectation　of　the　Teutones；　and
saying　they　wondered　they　were　so　long　in　coming　deferred　the
battle；　either　that　they　were　really　ignorant　of　their　defeat　or
were　willing　to　seem　so。　For　they　certainly　much　maltreated　those　that
brought　them　such　news；　and；　sending　to　Marius；　required　some　part
of　the　country　for　themselves　and　their　brethren；　and　cities　fit　for
them　to　inhabit。　When　Marius　inquired　of　the　ambassadors　who　their
brethren　were；　upon　their　saying　the　Teutones；　all　that　were　present
began　to　laugh；　and　Marius　scoffingly　answered　them；　〃Do　not　trouble
yourself　for　your　brethren；　for　we　have　already　provided　lands　for
them；　which　they　shall　possess　for　ever。〃　The　ambassadors；
understanding　the　mockery；　broke　into　insults；　and　threatened　that　the
Cimbri　would　make　him　pay　for　this　and　the　Teutones；　too；　when　they
came。　〃They　are　not　far　off；〃　replied　Marius；　〃and　it　will　be　unkindly
done　of　you　to　go　away　before　greeting　your　brethren。〃　Saying　so；　he
commanded　the　kings　of　the　Teutones　to　be　brought　out；　as　they　were；
in　chains；　for　they　were　taken　by　the　Sequani　among　the　Alps；　before
they　could　make　their　escape。　This　was　no　sooner　made　known　to　the
Cimbri；　but　they　with　all　expedition　came　against　Marius；　who　then　lay
still　and　guarded　his　camp。
　　It　is　said　that；　against　this　battle　Marius　first　altered　the
construction　of　the　Roman　javelins。　For　before　at　the　place　where
the　wood　was　joined　to　the　iron　it　was　made　fast　with　two　iron　pins；
but　now　Marius　let　one　of　them　alone　as　it　was；　and　pulling　out　the
other；　put　a　weak　wooden　peg　in　its　place；　thus　contriving　that　when
it　was　driven　into　the　enemy's　shield；　it　should　not　stand　right
out；　but　the　wooden　peg　breaking；　the　iron　should　bend；　and　so　the
javelin　should　hold　fast　by　its　crooked　point　and　drag。　Boeorix；
King　of　the　Cimbri；　came　with　a　small　party　of　horse　to　the　Roman
camp；　and　challenged　Marius　to　appoint　the　time　and　place　where　they
might　meet　and　fight　for　the　country。　Marius　answered　that　the
Romans　never　consulted　their　enemies　when　to　fight；　however；　he
would　gratify　the　Cimbri　so　far；　and　so　they　fixed　upon　the　third
day　after　and　for　the　place；　the　plain　near　Vercellae；　which　was
convenient　enough　for　the　Roman　horse；　and　afforded　room　for　the　enemy
to　display　their　numbers。
　　They　observed　the　time　appointed；　and　drew　out　their　forces
against　each　other。　Catulus　commanded　twenty　thousand　three　hundred；
and　Marius　thirty…two　thousand；　who　were　placed　in　the　two　wings；
leaving　Catulus　the　centre。　Sylla；　who　was　present　at　the　fight；　gives
this　account；　saying；　also；　that　Marius　drew　up　his　army　in　this
order；　because　he　expected　that　the　armies　would　meet　on　the　wings
since　it　generally　happens　that　in　such　extensive　fronts　the　centre
falls　back；　and　thus　he　would　have　the　whole　victory　to　himself　and
his　soldiers；　and　Catulus　would　not　be　even　engaged。　They　tell　us；
also；　that　Catulus　himself　alleged　this　in　vindication　of　his
honour；　accusing；　in　various　ways；　the　enviousness　of　Marius。　The
infantry　of　the　Cimbri　marched　quietly　out　of　their　fortifications；
having　their　flanks　equal　to　their　front；　every　side　of　the　army
taking　up　thirty　furlongs。　Their　horse；　that　were　in　number　fifteen
thousand；　made　a　very　splendid　appearance。　They　wore　helmets；　made
to　resemble　the　head　and　jaws　of　wild　beasts；　and　other　strange
shapes；　and　heightening　these　with　plumes　of　feathers；　they　made
themselves　appear　taller　than　they　were。　They　had　breastplates　of　iron
and　white　glittering　shields；　and　for　their　offensive　arms　every　one
had　two　darts；　and　when　they　came　hand　to　hand；　they　used　large　and
heavy　swords。
　　The　cavalry　did　not　fall　directly　upon　the　front　of　the　Romans；　but；
turning　to　the　right；　they　endeavoured　to　draw　them　on　in　that
direction　by　little　and　little；　so　as　to　get　them　between　themselves
and　their　infantry；　who　were　placed　in　the　left　wing。　The　Roman
commanders　soon　perceived　the　design；　but　could　not　contain　the
soldiers；　for　one　happening　to　shout　out　that　the　enemy　fled；　they　all
rushed　to　pursue　them；　while　the　whole　barbarian　foot　came　on；
moving　like　a　great　ocean。　Here　Marius；　having　washed　his　hands；　and
lifting　them　up　towards　heaven；　vowed　an　hecatomb　to　the　gods；　and
Catulus；　too；　in　the　same　posture；　solemnly　promised　to　consecrate　a
temple　to　the　〃Fortune　of　that　day。〃　They　say；　too；　that　Marius；
having　the　victim　shown　to　him　as　he　was　sacrificing；　cried　out　with　a
loud　voice；　〃The　victory　is　mine。〃
　　However；　in　the　engagement；　according　to　the　accounts　of　Sylla　and
his　friends；　Marius　met　with　what　might　be　called　a　mark　of　divine
displeasure。　For　a　great　dust　being　raised；　which　（as　it　might　very
probably　happen）　almost　covered　both　the　armies；　he；　leading　on　his
forces　to　the　pursuit；　missed　the　enemy；　and　having　passed　by　their
array；　moved　for　a　good　space；　up　and　down　the　field；　meanwhile　the
enemy；　by　chance；　engaged　with　Catulus；　and　the　heat　of　the　battle　was
chiefly　with　him　and　his　men；　among　whom　Sylla　says　he　was；　adding；
that　the　Romans　had　great　advantage　of　the　heat　and　sun　that　shone
in　the　faces　of　the　Cimbri。　For　they；　well　able　to　endure　cold；　and
having　been　bred　up　（as　we　observed　before）　in　cold　and　shady
countries；　were　overcome　with　the　excessive　heat；　they　sweated
extremely；　and　were　much　out　of　breath；　being　forced　to　hold　their
shields　before　their　faces；　for　the　battle　was　fought　not　long　after
the　summer　solstice；　or；　as　the　Romans　reckon；　upon　the　third　day
before　the　new　moon　of　the　month　now　called　August　and　then
Sextilis。　The　dust；　too；　gave　the　Romans　no　small　addition　to　their
courage；　inasmuch　as　it　hid　the　enemy。　For　afar　off　they　could　not
discover　their　number；　but　every　one　advancing　to　encounter　those　that
were　nearest　to　them；　came　to　fight　hand　to　hand　before　the　sight　of
so　vast　a　multitude　had　struck　terror　into　them。　They　were　so　much
used　to　labour；　and　so　well　exercised；　that　in　all　the　heat　and　toil
of　the　encounter；　not　one　of　them　was　observed　either　to　sweat　or　to
be　out　of　breath；　so　much　so；　that　Catulus　himself；　they　say；　recorded
it　in　commendation　of