the comparison of sertorius with eumenes-第1节

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　COMPARISON　OF　SERTORIUS　WITH　EUMENES

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Plutarch

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　translated　by　John　Dryden



　　THESE　are　the　most　remarkable　passages　that　are　come　to　our
knowledge　concerning　Eumenes　and　Sertorius。　In　comparing　their
lives；　we　may　observe　that　this　was　common　to　them　both；　that　being
aliens；　strangers；　and　banished　men；　they　came　to　be　commanders　of
powerful　forces；　and　had　the　leading　of　numerous　and　warlike　armies；
made　up　of　divers　nations。　This　was　peculiar　to　Sertorius；　that　the
chief　command　was；　by　his　whole　party；　freely　yielded　to　him；　as　to
the　person　of　the　greatest　merit　and　renown；　whereas　Eumenes　had
many　who　contested　the　office　with　him；　and　only　by　his　actions
obtained　the　superiority。　They　followed　the　one　honestly；　out　of
desire　to　be　commanded　by　him；　they　submitted　themselves　to　the
other　for　their　own　security；　because　they　could　not　command
themselves。　The　one；　being　a　Roman；　was　the　general　of　the　Spaniards
and　Lusitanians；　who　for　many　years　had　been　under　the　subjection　of
Rome；　and　the　other；　a　Chersonesian；　who　was　chief　commander　of　the
Macedonians；　who　were　the　great　conquerors　of　mankind；　and　were　at
that　time　subduing　the　world。　Sertorius；　being　already　in　high
esteem　for　his　former　services　in　the　wars　and　his　abilities　in　the
senate；　was　advanced　to　the　dignity　of　a　general；　whereas　Eumenes
obtained　this　honour　from　the　office　of　a　writer；　or　secretary；　in
which　he　had　been　despised。　Nor　did　he　only　at　first　rise　from
inferior　opportunities；　but　afterwards；　also；　met　with　greater
impediments　in　the　progress　of　his　authority；　and　that　not　only　from
those　who　publicly　resisted　him；　but　from　many　others　that　privately
conspired　against　him。　It　was　much　otherwise　with　Sertorius；　not　one
of　whose　party　publicly　opposed　him；　only　late　in　life；　and
secretly；　a　few　of　his　acquaintance　entered　into　a　conspiracy
against　him。　Sertorius　put　an　end　to　his　dangers　as　often　as　he　was
victorious　in　the　field；　whereas　the　victories　of　Eumenes　were　the
beginning　of　his　perils；　through　the　malice　of　those　that　envied　him。
　　Their　deeds　in　war　were　equal　and　parallel；　but　their　general
inclinations　different。　Eumenes　naturally　loved　war　and　contention；
but　Sertorius　esteemed　peace　and　tranquillity；　when　Eumenes　might　have
lived　in　safety；　with　honour；　if　he　would　have　quietly　retired　out
of　their　way；　he　persisted　in　a　dangerous　contest　with　the　greatest　of
the　Macedonian　leaders；　but　Sertorius；　who　was　unwilling　to　trouble
himself　with　any　public　disturbances；　was　forced；　for　the　safety　of
his　person；　to　make　war　against　those　who　would　not　suffer　him　to　live
in　peace。　If　Eumenes　could　have　contented　himself　with　the　second
place；　Antigonus；　freed　from　his　competition　for　the　first；　would　have
used　him　well；　and　shown　him　favour；　whereas　Pompey's　friends　would
never　permit　Sertorius　so　much　as　to　live　in　quiet。　The　one　made　war
of　his　own　accord；　out　of　a　desire　for　command；　and　the　other　was
constrained　to　accept　of　command　to　defend　himself　from　war　that　was
made　against　him。　Eumenes　was　certainly　a　true　lover　of　war；　for　he
preferred　his　covetous　ambition　before　his　own　security；　but　Sertorius
was　truly　warlike；　who　procured　his　own　safety　by　the　success　of　his
arms。
　　As　to　the　manner　of　their　deaths；　it　happened　to　one　without　the
least　thought　or　surmise　of　it；　but　to　the　other　when　he　suspected
it　daily；　which　in　the　first　argues　an　equitable　temper；　and　a　noble
mind；　not　to　distrust　his　friends；　but　in　the　other　it　showed　some
infirmity　of　spirit；　for　Eumenes　intended　to　fly　and　was　taken。　The
death　of　Sertorius　dishonoured　not　his　life；　he　suffered　that　from　his
companions　which　none　of　his　enemies　were　ever　able　to　perform。　The
other；　not　being　able　to　deliver　himself　before　his　imprisonment；
being　willing　also　to　live　in　captivity；　did　neither　prevent　nor
expect　his　fate　with　honour　or　bravery；　for　by　meanly　supplicating　and
petitioning；　he　made　his　enemy；　that　pretended　only　to　have　power　over
his　body；　to　be　lord　and　master　of　his　body　and　mind。





　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　END