camillus-第5节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


our　treatise　on　Days。　Thargelion　was　a　very　unfortunate　month　to　the
barbarians；　for　in　it　Alexander　overcame　Darius's　generals　on　the
Granicus；　and　the　Carthaginians；　on　the　twenty…fourth；　were　beaten
by　Timoleon　in　Sicily；　on　which　same　day　and　month　Troy　seems　to
have　been　taken；　as　Ephorus；　Callisthenes；　Damastes；　and　Phylarchus
state。　On　the　other　hand；　the　month　Metagitnion；　which　in　Boeotia　is
called　Panemus；　was　not　very　lucky　to　the　Greeks；　for　on　its　seventh
day　they　were　defeated　by　Antipater；　at　the　battle　in　Cranon；　and
utterly　ruined；　and　before；　at　Chaeronea；　were　defeated　by　Philip；　and
on　the　very　same　day；　same　month；　and　same　year；　those　that　went
with　Archidamus　into　Italy　were　there　cut　off　by　the　barbarians。　The
Carthaginians　also　observe　the　twenty…first　of　the　same　month；　as
bringing　with　it　the　largest　number　and　the　severest　of　their
losses。　I　am　not　ignorant　that；　about　the　Feast　of　Mysteries；　Thebes
was　destroyed　the　second　time　by　Alexander；　and　after　that；　upon　the
very　twentieth　of　Boedromion；　on　which　day　they　lead　forth　the
mystic　Iacchus；　the　Athenians　received　a　garrison　of　the
Macedonians。　On　the　selfsame　day　the　Romans　lost　their　army　under
Caepio　by　the　Cimbrians；　and　in　a　subsequent　year；　under　the　conduct
of　Lucullus；　overcame　the　Armenians　and　Tigranes。　King　Attalus　and
Pompey　died　both　on　their　birthdays。　One　could　reckon　up　several
that　have　had　variety　of　fortune　on　the　same　day。　This　day；
meantime；　is　one　of　the　unfortunate　ones　to　the　Romans；　and　for　its
sake　two　others　in　every　month；　fear　and　superstition；　as　the　custom
of　it　is；　more　and　more　prevailing。　But　I　have　discussed　this　more
accurately　in　my　Roman　Questions。
　　And　now；　after　the　battle；　had　the　Gauls　immediately　pursued　those
that　fled；　there　had　been　no　remedy　but　Rome　must　have　wholly　been
ruined；　and　those　who　remained　in　it　utterly　destroyed；　such　was　the
terror　that　those　who　escaped　the　battle　brought　with　them　into　the
city；　and　with　such　distraction　and　confusion　were　themselves　in
turn　infected。　But　the　Gauls；　not　imagining　their　victory　to　be　so
considerable；　and　overtaken　with　the　present　joy；　fell　to　feasting　and
dividing　the　spoil；　by　which　means　they　gave　leisure　to　those　who　were
for　leaving　the　city　to　make　their　escape；　and　to　those　that
remained　to　anticipate　and　prepare　for　their　coming。　For　they　who
resolved　to　stay　at　Rome；　abandoning　the　rest　of　the　city；　betook
themselves　to　the　Capitol；　which　they　fortified　with　the　help　of
missiles　and　new　works。　One　of　their　principal　cares　was　of　their　holy
things；　most　of　which　they　conveyed　into　the　Capitol。　But　the
consecrated　fire　the　vestal　virgins　took；　and　fled　with　it；　as
likewise　their　other　sacred　things。　Some　write　that　they　have
nothing　in　their　charge　but　the　ever…living　fire　which　Numa　had
ordained　to　be　worshipped　as　the　principle　of　all　things；　for　fire
is　the　most　active　thing　in　nature；　and　all　production　is　either
motion；　or　attended　with　motion；　all　the　other　parts　of　matter；　so
long　as　they　are　without　warmth；　lie　sluggish　and　dead；　and　require
the　accession　of　a　sort　of　soul　or　vitality　in　the　principle　of
heat；　and　upon　that　accession；　in　whatever　way；　immediately　receive
a　capacity　either　of　acting　or　being　acted　upon。　And　thus　Numa；　a
man　curious　in　such　things；　and　whose　wisdom　made　it　thought　that　he
conversed　with　the　Muses；　consecrated　fire；　and　ordained　it　to　be　kept
ever　burning；　as　an　image　of　that　eternal　power　which　orders　and
actuates　all　things。　Others　say　that　this　fire　was　kept　burning　in
front　of　the　holy　things；　as　in　Greece；　for　purification；　and　that
there　were　other　things　hid　in　the　most　secret　part　of　the　temple；
which　were　kept　from　the　view　of　all；　except　those　virgins　whom　they
call　vestals。　The　most　common　opinion　was；　that　the　image　of　Pallas；
brought　into　Italy　by　Aeneas；　was　laid　up　there；　others　say　that　the
Samothracian　images　lay　there；　telling　a　story　how　that　Dardanus
carried　them　to　Troy；　and　when　he　had　built　the　city；　celebrated　those
rites；　and　dedicated　those　images　there；　that　after　Troy　was　taken；
Aeneas　stole　them　away；　and　kept　them　till　his　coming　into　Italy。
But　they　who　profess　to　know　more　of　the　matter　affirm　that　there
are　two　barrels；　not　of　any　great　size；　one　of　which　stands　open　and
has　nothing　in　it；　the　other　full　and　sealed　up；　but　that　neither　of
them　may　be　seen　but　by　the　most　holy　virgins。　Others　think　that
they　who　say　this　are　misled　by　the　fact　that　the　virgins　put　most
of　their　holy　things　into　two　barrels　at　this　time　of　the　Gaulish
invasion；　and　hid　them　underground　in　the　temple　of　Quirinus；　and　that
from　hence　that　place　to　this　day　bears　the　name　of　Barrels。
　　However　it　be；　taking　the　most　precious　and　important　things　they
had；　they　fled　away　with　them；　shaping　their　course　along　the
river…side；　where　Lucius　Albinius；　a　simple　citizen　of　Rome；　who　among
others　was　making　his　escape；　overtook　them；　having　his　wife；
children；　and　goods　in　a　cart；　and；　seeing　the　virgins；　dragging　along
in　their　arms　the　holy　things　of　the　gods；　in　a　helpless　and　weary
condition；　he　caused　his　wife　and　children　to　get　down；　and；　taking
out　his　goods；　put　the　virgins　in　the　cart；　that　they　might　make　their
escape　to　some　of　the　Greek　cities。　This　devout　act　of　Albinius；　and
the　respect　he　showed　thus　signally　to　the　gods　at　a　time　of　such
extremity；　deserved　not　to　be　passed　over　in　silence。　But　the
priests　that　belonged　to　other　gods；　and　the　most　elderly　of　the
senators；　men　who　had　been　consuls　and　had　enjoyed　triumphs；　could　not
endure　to　leave　the　city；　but；　putting　on　their　sacred　and　splendid
robes；　Fabius　the　high　priest　performing　the　office；　they　made　their
prayers　to　the　gods；　and；　devoting　themselves；　as　it　were；　for　their
country；　sate　themselves　down　in　their　ivory　chairs　in　the　forum；
and　in　that　posture　expected　the　event。
　　On　the　third　day　after　the　battle；　Brennus　appeared　with　his　army　at
the　city；　and；　finding　the　gates　wide　open　and　no　guards　upon　the
walls；　first　began　to　suspect　it　was　some　design　or　stratagem；　never
dreaming　that　the　Romans　were　in　so　desperate　a　condition。　But　when　he
found　it　to　be　so　indeed；　he　entered　at　the　Colline　gate；　and　took
Rome；　in　the　three　hundred　and　sixtieth　year；　or　a　little　more；
after　it　was　built；　if；　indeed；　it　can　be　supposed　probable　that　an
exact　chronological　statement　has　been　preserved　of　events　which
were　themselves　the　cause　of　chronological　difficulties　about　things
of　later　date；　of　the　calamity　itself；　however；　and　of　the　fact　of　the
capture；　some　faint　rumours　seem　to　have　passed　at　the　time　into
Greece。　Heraclides　Ponticus；　who　lived　not　long　after　these　times；
in　his　hook　upon　the　Soul；　relates　that　a　certain　report　came　from　the
west；　that　an　army；　proceeding　from　the　Hyperboreans；　had　taken　a
Greek　city　called　Rome；　seated　somewhere　upon　the　great　sea。　But　I
do　not　wonder　that　so　fabulous　and　high…flown　an　author　as
Heraclides　should　embellish　the　truth　of　the　story　with　expressions
about　Hyperboreans　and　the　great　sea。　Aristotle　the　philosopher
appears　to　have　heard　a　correct　statement　of　the　taking　of　the　city　by
the　Gauls；　but　he　calls　its　deliverer　Lucius；　whereas　Camillus's
surname　was　not　Lucius；　but　Marcus。　But　this　is　a　matter　of
conjecture。
　　Brennus；　having　taken　possession　of　Rome；　set　a　strong　guard　about
the　Capitol　and；　going　himself　down　into　the　forum；　was　there　struck
with　amazement　at　the　sight　of　so　many　men　sitting　in　that　order　and
silence　observing　that　they　neither　rose　at　his　coming；　nor　so　much　as
changed　colour　or　countenance；　but　remained　without　fear　or　concern
leaning　upon　their　staves；　and　sitting　quietly；　looking　at　each　other。
The　Gauls；　for　a　great　while；　stood　wondering　at　the　strangeness　of
the　sight；　not　daring　to　approach　or　touch　them；　taking　them　for　an
assembly　of　superior　beings。　But　when　one；　bolder　than　the　rest；
drew　near　to　Marcus　Papirius；　and；　putting　forth　his　hand；　gently
touched　his　chin　and　stroked　his　long　beard；　Papirius　with　his　staff
struck　him　a　severe　blow　on　the　head；　upon　which　the　barbarian　drew
his　sword　and　slew　him。　This　was　the　introduction　to　the　slaughter；
for　the　rest；　following　his　example；　set　upon　them　all　and　killed
them；　and　despatched　all　others　that　came　in　their　way；　and　so　went　on
to　the　sacking　and　pillaging　the　houses；　which　they　continued　for　many
days　ensuing。　Afterwards；　they　burnt　them　down　to　the　ground　and
demolished　them；　being　incensed　at　those　who　kept　the　Capitol；　because
they　would　not　yield　to　summons；　but；　on　the　contrary；　when
assailed；　had　repelled　them；　with　some　loss；　from　their　defences。　This
provoked　them　to　ruin　the　whole　city；　and　to　put　to　the　sword　all　that
came　to　their　hands；　young　and　old；　men；　women；　and　children。
　　And　now；　the　siege　of　the　Capitol　having　lasted　a　good　while；　the
Gauls　began　to　be　in　want　of　provision；　and　dividing　their　forces；
part　of　them　stayed　with　their　king　at　the　siege；　the　rest　went　to
forage　the　country；　ravaging　the　towns　and　villages　where　they　came；
but　not　all　together　in　a　body；　but　in　different　squadrons　and
parties；　and　to　such　a　confidence　had　succ