camillus-第6节

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parties；　and　to　such　a　confidence　had　success　raised　them；　that　they
carelessly　rambled　about　without　the　least　fear　or　apprehension　of
danger。　But　the　greatest　and　best　ordered　body　of　their　forces　went　to
the　city　of　Ardea；　where　Camillus　then　sojourned；　having；　ever　since
his　leaving　Rome；　sequestered　himself　from　all　business；　and　taken
to　a　private　life；　but　now　he　began　to　rouse　up　himself；　and
consider　not　how　to　avoid　or　escape　the　enemy；　but　to　find　out　an
opportunity　to　be　revenged　upon　them。　And　perceiving　that　the
Ardeatians　wanted　not　men；　but　rather　enterprise；　through　the
inexperience　and　timidity　of　their　officers；　he　began　to　speak　with
the　young　men；　first　to　the　effect　that　they　ought　not　to　ascribe
the　misfortune　of　the　Romans　to　the　courage　of　their　enemy；　nor
attribute　the　losses　they　sustained　by　rash　counsel　to　the　conduct
of　men　who　had　no　title　to　victory；　the　event　had　been　only　an
evidence　of　the　power　of　fortune；　that　it　was　a　brave　thing　even
with　danger　to　repel　a　foreign　and　barbarous　invader　whose　end　in
conquering　was；　like　fire；　to　lay　waste　and　destroy；　but　if　they　would
be　courageous　and　resolute　he　was　ready　to　put　an　opportunity　into
their　hands　to　gain　a　victory；　without　hazard　at　all。　When　he　found
the　young　men　embraced　the　thing；　he　went　to　the　magistrates　and
council　of　the　city；　and；　having　persuaded　them　also；　he　mustered
all　that　could　bear　arms；　and　drew　them　up　within　the　walls；　that　they
might　not　be　perceived　by　the　enemy；　who　was　near；　who；　having　scoured
the　country；　and　returned　heavy…laden　with　booty；　lay　encamped　in
the　plains　in　a　careless　and　negligent　posture；　so　that；　with　the
night　ensuing　upon　debauch　and　drunkenness；　silence　prevailed
through　all　the　camp。　When　Camillus　learned　this　from　his　scouts；　he
drew　out　the　Ardeatians；　and　in　the　dead　of　the　night；　passing　in
silence　over　the　ground　that　lay　between；　came　up　to　their　works；　and；
commanding　his　trumpets　to　sound　and　his　men　to　shout　and　halloo；　he
struck　terror　into　them　from　all；　quarters；　while　drunkenness
impeded　and　sleep　retarded　their　movements。　A　few；　whom　fear　had
sobered；　getting　into　some　order；　for　a　while　resisted；　and　so　died
with　their　weapons　in　their　hands。　But　the　greatest　part　of　them；
buried　in　wine　and　sleep；　were　surprised　without　their　arms；　and
despatched；　and　as　many　of　them　as　by　the　advantage　of　the　night　got
out　of　the　camp　were　the　next　day　found　scattered　abroad　and　wandering
in　the　fields；　and　were　picked　up　by　the　horse　that　pursued　them。
　　The　fame　of　this　action　soon　fled　through　the　neighbouring　cities；
and　stirred　up　the　young　men　from　various　quarters　to　come　and　join
themselves　with　him。　But　none　were　so　much　concerned　as　those　Romans
who　escaped　in　the　battle　of　Allia；　and　were　now　at　Veii；　thus
lamenting　with　themselves；　〃O　heavens；　what　a　commander　has　Providence
bereaved　Rome　of；　to　honour　Ardea　with　his　actions！　And　that　city；
which　brought　forth　and　nursed　so　great　a　man；　is　lost　and　gone；　and
we；　destitute　of　a　leader　and　shut　up　within　strange　walls；　sit
idle；　and　see　Italy　ruined　before　our　eyes。　Come；　let　us　send　to　the
Ardeatians　to　have　back　our　general；　or　else；　with　weapons　in　our
hands；　let　us　go　thither　to　him；　for　he　is　no　longer　a　banished　man；
nor　we　citizens；　having　no　country　but　what　is　in　the　possession　of
the　enemy。〃　To　this　they　all　agreed；　and　sent　to　Camillus　to　desire
him　to　take　the　command；　but　he　answered；　that　he　would　not；　until
they　that　were　in　the　Capitol　should　legally　appoint　him；　for　he
esteemed　them；　so　long　as　they　were　in　being；　to　be　his　country；
that　if　they　should　command　him　he　would　readily　obey；　but　against
their　consent　he　would　intermeddle　with　nothing。　When　this　answer
was　returned；　they　admired　the　modesty　and　temper　of　Camillus；　but
they　could　not　tell　how　to　find　a　messenger　to　carry　the
intelligence　to　the　Capitol；　or　rather；　indeed；　it　seemed　altogether
impossible　for　any　one　to　get　to　the　citadel　whilst　the　enemy　was　in
full　possession　of　the　city。　But　among　the　young　men　there　was　one
Pontius　Cominius；　of　ordinary　birth；　but　ambitious　of　honour；　who
proffered　himself　to　run　the　hazard；　and　took　no　letters　with　him　to
those　in　the　Capitol；　lest；　if　he　were　intercepted；　the　enemy　might
learn　the　intentions　of　Camillus；　but；　putting　on　a　poor　dress　and
carrying　corks　under　it；　he　boldly　travelled　the　greatest　part　of
the　way　by　day；　and　came　to　the　city　when　it　was　dark；　the　bridge　he
could　not　pass；　as　it　was　guarded　by　the　barbarians；　so　that　taking
his　clothes；　which　were　neither　many　nor　heavy；　and　binding　them　about
his　head；　he　laid　his　body　upon　the　corks；　and　swimming　with　them；　got
over　to　the　city。　And　avoiding　those　quarters　where　he　perceived　the
enemy　was　awake；　which　he　guessed　at　by　the　lights　and　noise；　he
went　to　the　Carmental　gate；　where　there　was　greatest　silence；　and
where　the　hill　of　the　Capitol　is　steepest　and　rises　with　craggy　and
broken　rock。　By　this　way　he　got　up；　though　with　much　difficulty；　by
the　hollow　of　the　cliff；　and　presented　himself　to　the　guards；　saluting
them；　and　telling　them　his　name；　he　was　taken　in；　and　carried　to　the
commanders。　And　a　senate　being　immediately　called；　he　related　to
them　in　order　the　victory　of　Camillus；　which　they　had　not　heard　of
before；　and　the　proceedings　of　the　soldiers；　urging　them　to　confirm
Camillus　in　the　command；　as　on　him　alone　all　their　fellow…countrymen
outside　the　city　would　rely。　Having　heard　and　consulted　of　the　matter；
the　senate　declared　Camillus　dictator；　and　sent　back　Pontius　the
same　way　that　he　came；　who；　with　the　same　success　as　before；　got
through　the　enemy　without　being　discovered；　and　delivered　to　the
Romans　outside　the　decision　of　the　senate；　who　joyfully　received　it。
Camillus；　on　his　arrival；　found　twenty　thousand　of　them　ready　in　arms；
with　which　forces；　and　those　confederates　he　brought　along　with　him；
he　prepared　to　set　upon　the　enemy。
　　But　at　Rome　some　of　the　barbarians；　passing　by　chance　near　the　place
at　which　Pontius　by　night　had　got　into　the　Capitol；　spied　in　several
places　marks　of　feet　and　hands；　where　he　had　laid　hold　and
clambered；　and　places　where　the　plants　that　grew　to　the　rock　had
been　rubbed　off；　and　the　earth　had　slipped；　and　went　accordingly　and
reported　it　to　the　king；　who；　coming　in　person；　and　viewing　it；　for
the　present　said　nothing；　but　in　the　evening；　picking　out　such　of
the　Gauls　as　were　nimblest　of　body；　and　by　living　in　the　mountains
were　accustomed　to　climb；　he　said　to　them；　〃The　enemy　themselves
have　shown　us　a　way　how　to　come　at　them；　which　we　knew　not　of
before；　and　have　taught　us　that　it　is　not　so　difficult　and
impossible　but　that　men　may　overcome　it。　It　would　be　a　great　shame；
having　begun　well；　to　fail　in　the　end；　and　to　give　up　a　place　as
impregnable；　when　the　enemy　himself　lets　us　see　the　way　by　which　it
may　be　taken；　for　where　it　was　easy　for　one　man　to　get　up；　it　will　not
be　hard　for　many；　one　after　another；　nay；　when　many　shall　undertake
it；　they　will　be　aid　and　strength　to　each　other。　Rewards　and　honours
shall　be　bestowed　on　every　man　as　he　shall　acquit　himself。〃
　　When　the　king　had　thus　spoken；　the　Gauls　cheerfully　undertook　to
perform　it；　and　in　the　dead　of　night　a　good　party　of　them　together；
with　great　silence；　began　to　climb　the　rock；　clinging　to　the
precipitous　and　difficult　ascent；　which　yet　upon　trial　offered　a　way
to　them；　and　proved　less　difficult　than　they　had　expected。　So　that　the
foremost　of　them　having　gained　the　top　of　all；　and　put　themselves　into
order；　they　all　but　surprised　the　outworks；　and　mastered　the　watch；
who　were　fast　asleep；　for　neither　man　nor　dog　perceived　their
coming。　But　there　were　sacred　geese　kept　near　the　temple　of　Juno；
which　at　other　times　were　plentifully　fed；　but　now；　by　reason　that
corn　and　other　provisions　were　grown　scarce　for　all；　were　but　in　a
poor　condition。　The　creature　is　by　nature　of　quick　sense；　and
apprehensive　of　the　least　noise；　so　that　these；　being　moreover
watchful　through　hunger；　and　restless；　immediately　discovered　the
coming　of　the　Gauls；　and；　running　up　and　down　with　their　noise　and
cackling；　they　raised　the　whole　camp；　while　the　barbarians　on　the
other　side；　perceiving　themselves　discovered；　no　longer　endeavoured　to
conceal　their　attempt；　but　with　shouting　and　violence　advanced　to
the　assault。　The　Romans；　every　one　in　haste　snatching　up　the　next
weapon　that　came　to　hand；　did　what　they　could　on　the　sudden
occasion。　Manlius；　a　man　of　consular　dignity；　of　strong　body　and　great
spirit；　was　the　first　that　made　head　against　them；　and；　engaging
with　two　of　the　enemy　at　once；　with　his　sword　cut　off　the　right　arm　of
one　just　as　he　was　lifting　up　his　blade　to　strike；　and；　running　his
target　full　in　the　face　of　the　other；　tumbled　him　headlong　down　the
steep　rock；　then　mounting　the　rampart；　and　there　standing　with
others　that　came　running　to　his　assistance；　drove　down　the　rest　of
them；　who；　indeed；　to　begin；　had　not　been　many；　and　did　nothing　worthy
of　so　bold　an　attempt。　The　Romans；　having　thus　escaped　this　danger；
early　in　the　morning　took　the　captain　of　the　watch　and　flung　him
down　the　rock　upon　the　heads　of　their　enemies；