poplicola-第4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！


before　its　destruction；　as　Sylla　was　the　reverse　in　dying　before　the
dedication　of　his。　For　immediately　after　Vespasian's　death　it　was
consumed　by　fire。　The　fourth；　which　now　exists；　was　both　built　and
dedicated　by　Domitian。　It　is　said　Tarquin　expended　forty　thousand
pounds　of　silver　in　the　very　foundations；　but　the　whole　wealth　of
the　richest　private　man　in　Rome　would　not　discharge　the　cost　of　the
gilding　of　this　temple　in　our　days；　it　amounting　to　above　twelve
thousand　talents；　the　pillars　were　cut　out　of　Pentelican　marble；　of
a　length　most　happily　proportioned　to　their　thickness；　these　we　saw　at
Athens；　but　when　they　were　cut　anew　at　Rome　and　polished；　they　did　not
gain　so　much　in　embellishment　as　they　lost　in　symmetry；　being　rendered
too　taper　and　slender。　Should　any　one　who　wonders　at　the　costliness　of
the　Capitol　visit　any　one　gallery　in　Domitian's　palace；　or　hall；　or
bath；　or　the　apartments　of　his　concubines；　Epicharmus's　remark　upon
the　prodigal；　that…

　　　　　　　　　〃'Tis　not　beneficence；　but　truth　to　say；
　　　　　　　　　　A　mere　disease　of　giving　things　away；〃

would　be　in　his　mouth　in　application　to　Domitian。　It　is　neither　piety；
he　would　say；　nor　magnificence；　but；　indeed；　a　mere　disease　of
building；　and　a　desire；　like　Midas；　of　converting　everything　into　gold
or　stone。　And　thus　much　for　this　matter。
　　Tarquin；　after　the　great　battle　wherein　he　lost　his　son　in　combat
with　Brutus；　fled　to　Clusium；　and　sought　aid　from　Lars　Porsenna；
then　one　of　those　most　powerful　princes　of　Italy；　and　a　man　of　worth
and　generosity；　who　assured　him　of　assistance；　immediately　sending　his
commands　to　Rome　that　they　should　receive　Tarquin　as　their　king；
and；　upon　the　Romans'　refusal；　proclaimed　war；　and；　having　signified
the　time　and　place　where　he　intended　his　attack；　approached　with　a
great　army。　Poplicola　was；　in　his　absence；　chosen　consul　a　second
time；　and　Titus　Lucretius　his　colleague；　and；　returning　to　Rome；　to
show　a　spirit　yet　loftier　than　Porsenna's；　built　the　city　Sigliura
when　Porsenna　was　already　in　the　neighbourhood；　and　walling　it　at
great　expense；　there　placed　a　colony　of　seven　hundred　men；　as　being
little　concerned　at　the　war。　Nevertheless；　Porsenna；　making　a　sharp
assault；　obliged　the　defendants　to　retire　to　Rome；　who　had　almost　in
their　entrance　admitted　the　enemy　into　the　city　with　them；　only
Poplicola　by　sallying　out　at　the　gate　prevented　them；　and；　joining
battle　by　Tiber　side；　opposed　the　enemy；　that　pressed　on　with　their
multitude；　but　at　last；　sinking　under　desperate　wounds；　was　carried
out　of　the　fight。　The　same　fortune　fell　upon　Lucretius；　so　that　the
Romans；　being　dismayed；　retreated　into　the　city　for　their　security；
and　Rome　was　in　great　hazard　of　being　taken；　the　enemy　forcing　their
way　on　to　the　wooden　bridge；　where　Horatius　Cocles；　seconded　by　two　of
the　first　men　in　Rome；　Herminius　and　Lartius；　made　head　against
them。　Horatius　obtained　this　name　from　the　loss　of　one　of　his　eyes
in　the　war；　or；　as　others　write；　from　the　depressure　of　his　nose；
which；　leaving　nothing　in　the　middle　to　separate　them；　made　both
eyes　appear　but　as　one；　and　hence；　intending　to　say　Cyclops；　by　a
mispronunciation　they　called　him　Cocles。　This　Cocles　kept　the
bridge；　and　held　back　the　enemy；　till　his　own　party　broke　it　down
behind；　and　then　with　his　armour　dropped　into　the　river；　and　swam　to
the　hither　side；　with　a　wound　in　his　hip　from　a　Tuscan　spear。
Poplicola；　admiring　his　courage；　proposed　at　once　that　the　Romans
should　every　one　make　him　a　present　of　a　day's　provisions；　and
afterwards　give　him　as　much　land　as　he　could　plough　round　in　one
day；　and　besides　erected　a　brazen　statute　to　his　honour　in　the
temple　of　Vulcan；　as　a　requital　for　the　lameness　caused　by　his　wound。
　　But　Porsenna　laying　close　siege　to　the　city；　and　a　famine　raging
amongst　the　Romans；　also　a　new　army　of　the　Tuscans　making　incursions
into　the　country；　Poplicola；　a　third　time　chosen　consul；　designed　to
make；　without　sallying　out；　his　defence　against　Porsenna；　but；
privately　stealing　forth　against　the　new　army　of　the　Tuscans；　put　them
to　flight　and　slew　five　thousand。　The　story　of　Mucius　is　variously
given；　we；　like　others；　must　follow　the　commonly　received　statement。
He　was　a　man　endowed　with　every　virtue；　but　most　eminent　in　war；
and；　resolving　to　kill　Porsenna；　attired　himself　in　the　Tuscan
habit；　and　using　the　Tuscan　language；　came　to　the　camp；　and
approaching　the　seat　where　the　king　sat　amongst　his　nobles；　but　not
certainly　knowing　the　king；　and　fearful　to　inquire；　drew　out　his
sword；　and　stabbed　one　who　he　thought　had　most　the　appearance　of　king。
Mucius　was　taken　in　the　act；　and　whilst　he　was　under　examination；　a
pan　of　fire　was　brought　to　the　king；　who　intended　to　sacrifice；　Mucius
thrust　his　right　hand　into　the　flame；　and　whilst　it　burnt　stood
looking　at　Porsenna　with　a　steadfast　and　undaunted　countenance；
Porsenna　at　last　in　admiration　dismissed　him；　and　returned　his
sword；　reaching　it　from　his　seat；　Mucius　received　it　in　his　left　hand；
which　occasioned　the　name　of　Scaevola；　left…handed；　and　said；　〃I
have　overcome　the　terrors　of　Porsenna；　yet　am　vanquished　by　his
generosity；　and　gratitude　obliges　me　to　disclose　what　no　punishment
could　extort；　and　assured　him　then；　that　three　hundred　Romans；　all
of　the　same　resolution；　lurked　about　his　camp；　only　waiting　for　an
opportunity；　he；　by　lot　appointed　to　the　enterprise；　was　not　sorry
that　he　had　miscarried　in　it；　because　so　brave　and　good　a　man　deserved
rather　to　be　a　friend　to　the　Romans　than　an　enemy。　To　this　Porsenna
gave　credit；　and　thereupon　expressed　an　inclination　to　a　truce；　not；　I
presume；　so　much　out　of　fear　of　the　three　hundred　Romans；　as　in
admiration　of　the　Roman　courage。　All　other　writers　call　this　man
Mucius　Scaevola；　yet　Athendrous；　son　of　Sandon；　in　a　book　addressed　to
Octavia；　Caesar's　sister；　avers　he　was　also　called　Postumus。
　　Poplicola；　not　so　much　esteeming　Porsenna's　enmity　dangerous　to　Rome
as　his　friendship　and　alliance　serviceable；　was　induced　to　refer　the
controversy　with　Tarquin　to　his　arbitration；　and　several　times
undertook　to　prove　Tarquin　the　worst　of　men；　and　justly　deprived　of
his　kingdom。　But　Tarquin　proudly　replied　he　would　admit　no　judge；　much
less　Porsenna；　that　had　fallen　away　from　his　engagements；　and
Porsenna；　resenting　this　answer；　and　mistrusting　the　equity　of　his
cause；　moved　also　by　the　solicitations　of　his　son　Aruns；　who　was
earnest　for　the　Roman　interest；　made　a　peace　on　these　conditions；　that
they　should　resign　the　land　they　had　taken　from　the　Tuscans；　and
restore　all　prisoners　and　receive　back　their　deserters。　To　confirm　the
peace；　the　Romans　gave　as　hostages　ten　sons　of　patrician　parents；
and　as　many　daughters；　amongst　whom　was　Valeria；　the　daughter　of
Poplicola。
　　Upon　these　assurances；　Porsenna　ceased　from　all　acts　of　hostility；
and　the　young　girls　went　down　to　the　river　to　bathe　at　that　part　where
the　winding　of　the　bank　formed　a　bay　and　made　the　waters　stiller　and
quieter；　and；　seeing　no　guard；　nor　any　one　coming　or　going　over；
they　were　encouraged　to　swim　over；　notwithstanding　the　depth　and
violence　of　the　stream。　Some　affirm　that　one　of　them；　by　name　Cloelia；
passing　over　on　horseback；　persuaded　the　rest　to　swim　after；　but；　upon
their　safe　arrival；　presenting　themselves　to　Poplicola；　he　neither
praised　nor　approved　their　return；　but　was　concerned　lest　he　should
appear　less　faithful　than　Porsenna；　and　this　boldness　in　the　maidens
should　argue　treachery　in　the　Romans；　so　that；　apprehending　them；　he
sent　them　back　to　Porsenna。　But　Tarquin's　men；　having　intelligence
of　this；　laid　a　strong　ambuscade　on　the　other　side　for　those　that
conducted　them；　and　while　these　were　skirmishing　together；　Valeria；
the　daughter　of　Poplicola；　rushed　through　the　enemy；　and　fled；　and
with　the　assistance　of　three　of　her　attendants　made　good　her　escape；
whilst　the　rest　were　dangerously　hedged　in　by　the　soldiers；　but　Aruns；
Porsenna's　son；　upon　tidings　of　it；　hastened　to　their　rescue；　and；
putting　the　enemy　to　flight；　delivered　the　Romans。　When　Porsenna　saw
the　maiden　returned；　demanding　who　was　the　author　and　adviser　of　the
act；　and　understanding　Cloelia　to　be　the　person；　he　looked　on　her　with
a　cheerful　and　benignant　countenance；　and；　commanding　one　of　his
horses　to　be　brought；　sumptuously　adorned；　made　her　a　present　of　it。
This　is　produced　as　evidence　by　those　who　affirm　that　only　Cloelia
passed　the　river　on　horseback；　those　who　deny　it　call　it　only　the
honour　the　Tuscan　did　to　her　courage；　a　figure；　however；　on　horseback；
stands　in　the　Via　Sacra；　as　you　go　to　the　Palatium；　which　some　say
is　the　statue　of　Cloelia；　others　of　Valeria。　Porsenna；　thus　reconciled
to　the　Romans；　gave　them　a　fresh　instance　of　his　generosity；　and
commanded　his　soldiers　to　quit　the　camp　merely　with　their　arms；
leaving　their　tents；　full　of　corn　and　other　stores；　as　a　gift　to　the
Romans。　Hence；　even　down　to　our　time；　when　there　is　a　public　sale　of
goods；　they　cry　Porsenna's　first；　by　way　of　perpetual　commemoration　of
his　kindness。　There　stood　also；　by　the　senate…house；　a　brazen　statue
of　him；　of　plain　and　antique　workmanship。
　　Afterwards；　the　Sabines；　making　incursions　upon　the　Romans；　Marc