poplicola-第5节

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of　him；　of　plain　and　antique　workmanship。
　　Afterwards；　the　Sabines；　making　incursions　upon　the　Romans；　Marcus
Valerius；　brother　to　Poplicola；　was　made　consul；　and　with　him
Postumius　Tubertus。　Marcus；　through　the　management　of　affairs　by　the
conduct　and　direct　assistance　of　Poplicola；　obtained　two　great
victories；　in　the　latter　of　which　he　slew　thirteen　thousand　Sabines
without　the　loss　of　one　Roman；　and　was　honoured；　as　an　accession　to
his　triumph；　with　an　house　built　in　the　Palatium　at　the　public　charge；
and　whereas　the　doors　of　other　houses　opened　inward　into　the　house；
they　made　this　to　open　outward　into　the　street；　to　intimate　their
perpetual　public　recognition　of　his　merit　by　thus　continually　making
way　for　him。　The　same　fashion　in　their　doors　the　Greeks；　they　say；　had
of　old　universally；　which　appears　from　their　comedies；　where　those
that　are　going　out　make　a　noise　at　the　door　within；　to　give　notice
to　those　that　pass　by　or　stand　near　the　door；　that　the　opening　the
door　into　the　street　might　occasion　no　surprisal。
　　The　year　after；　Poplicola　was　made　consul　the　fourth　time；　when　a
confederacy　of　the　Sabines　and　Latins　threatened　a　war；　a
superstitious　fear　also　overran　the　city　on　the　occasion　of　general
miscarriages　of　their　women；　no　single　birth　coming　to　its　due　time。
Poplicola；　upon　consultation　of　the　Sibylline　books；　sacrificing　to
Pluto；　and　renewing　certain　games　commanded　by　Apollo；　restored　the
city　to　more　cheerful　assurance　in　the　gods；　and　then　prepared　against
the　menaces　of　men。　There　were　appearances　of　great　preparation；　and
of　a　formidable　confederacy。　Amongst　the　Sabines　there　was　one
Appius　Clausus；　a　man　of　a　great　wealth　and　strength　of　body；　but　most
eminent　for　his　high　character　and　for　his　eloquence；　yet；　as　is
usually　the　fate　of　great　men；　he　could　not　escape　the　envy　of　others；
which　was　much　occasioned　by　his　dissuading　the　war；　and　seeming　to
promote　the　Roman　interest；　with　a　view；　it　is　thought；　to　obtaining
absolute　power　in　his　own　country　for　himself。　Knowing　how　welcome
these　reports　would　be　to　the　multitude；　and　how　offensive　to　the　army
and　the　abettors　of　the　war；　he　was　afraid　to　stand　a　trial；　but；
having　a　considerable　body　of　friends　and　allies　to　assist　him；　raised
a　tumult　amongst　the　Sabines；　which　delayed　the　war。　Neither　was
Poplicola　wanting；　not　only　to　understand　the　grounds　of　the　sedition；
but　to　promote　and　increase　it；　and　he　despatched　emissaries　with
instructions　to　Clausus；　that　Poplicola　was　assured　of　his　goodness
and　justice；　and　thought　it　indeed　unworthy　in　any　man；　however
injured；　to　seek　revenge　upon　his　fellow　citizens；　yet　if　he
pleased；　for　his　own　security；　to　leave　his　enemies　and　come　to
Rome；　he　should　be　received；　both　in　public　and　private；　with　the
honour　his　merit　deserved；　and　their　own　glory　required。　Appius；
seriously　weighing　the　matter；　came　to　the　conclusion　that　it　was
the　best　resource　which　necessity　left　him；　and　advising　with　his
friends；　and　they　inviting　others　in　the　same　manner；　he　came　to　Rome；
bringing　five　thousand　families；　with　their　wives　and　children；　people
of　the　quietest　and　steadiest　temper　of　all　the　Sabines。　Poplicola；
informed　of　their　approach；　received　them　with　all　the　kind　offices　of
a　friend；　and　admitted　them　at　once　to　the　franchise　allotting　to
every　one　two　acres　of　land　by　the　river　Anio；　but　to　Clausus
twenty…five　acres；　and　gave　him　a　place　in　the　senate；　a
commencement　of　political　power　which　he　used　so　wisely；　that　he
rose　to　the　highest　reputation；　was　very　influential；　and　left　the
Claudian　house　behind　him；　inferior　to　none　in　Rome。
　　The　departure　of　these　men　rendered　things　quiet　amongst　the
Sabines；　yet　the　chief　of　the　community　would　not　suffer　them　to
settle　into　peace；　but　resented　that　Clausus　now；　by　turning　deserter；
should　disappoint　that　revenge　upon　the　Romans；　which；　while　at
home；　he　had　unsuccessfully　opposed。　Coming　with　a　great　army；　they
sat　down　before　Fidenae；　and　placed　an　ambuscade　of　two　thousand　men
near　Rome；　in　wooded　and　hollow　spots；　with　a　design　that　some　few
horsemen；　as　soon　as　it　was　day；　should　go　out　and　ravage　the　country；
commanding　them　upon　their　approach　to　the　town　so　to　retreat　as　to
draw　the　enemy　into　the　ambush。　Poplicola；　however；　soon　advertised　of
these　designs　by　deserters；　disposed　his　forces　to　their　respective
charges。　Postumius　Balbus；　his　son…in…law；　going　out　with　three
thousand　men　in　the　evening；　was　ordered　to　take　the　hills；　under
which　the　ambush　lay；　there　to　observe　their　motions；　his　colleague；
Lucretius；　attended　with　a　body　of　the　lightest　and　boldest　men；　was
appointed　to　meet　the　Sabine　horse；　whilst　he；　with　the　rest　of　the
army；　encompassed　the　enemy。　And　a　thick　mist　rising　accidentally；
Postumius；　early　in　the　morning；　with　shouts　from　the　hills；
assailed　the　ambuscade；　Lucretius　charged　the　light…horse；　and
Poplicola　besieged　the　camp；　so　that　on　all　sides　defeat　and　ruin　came
upon　the　Sabines；　and　without　any　resistance　the　Romans　killed　them　in
their　flight；　their　very　hopes　leading　them　to　their　death；　for　each
division；　presuming　that　the　other　was　safe；　gave　up　all　thought　of
fighting　or　keeping　their　ground；　and　these　quitting　the　camp　to
retire　to　the　ambuscade；　and　the　ambuscade　flying　to　the　camp；
fugitives　thus　met　fugitives；　and　found　those　from　whom　they
expected　succour　as　much　in　need　of　succour　from　themselves。　The
nearness；　however；　of　the　city　Fidenae　was　the　preservation　of　the
Sabines；　especially　those　that　fled　from　the　camp；　those　that　could
not　gain　the　city　either　perished　in　the　field；　or　were　taken
prisoners。　This　victory；　the　Romans；　though　usually　ascribing　such
success　to　some　god；　attributed　to　the　conduct　of　one　captain；　and
it　was　observed　to　be　heard　amongst　the　soldiers；　that　Poplicola　had
delivered　their　enemies　lame　and　blind；　and　only　not　in　chains；　to
be　despatched　by　their　swords。　From　the　spoil　and　prisoners　great
wealth　accrued　to　the　people。
　　Poplicola；　having　completed　his　triumph；　and　bequeathed　the　city
to　the　care　of　the　succeeding　consuls；　died；　thus　closing　a　life
which；　so　far　as　human　life　may　be；　had　been　full　of　all　that　is
good　and　honourable。　The　people；　as　though　they　had　not　duly
rewarded　his　deserts　when　alive；　but　still　were　in　his　debt；　decreed
him　a　public　interment；　every　one　contributing　his　quadrans　towards
the　charge；　the　women；　besides；　by　private　consent；　mourned　a　whole
year；　a　signal　mark　of　honour　to　his　memory。　He　was　buried；　by　the
people's　desire；　within　the　city；　in　the　part　called　Velia；　where
his　posterity　had　likewise　privilege　of　burial；　now；　however；　none
of　the　family　are　interred　there；　but　the　body　is　carried　thither
and　set　down；　and　some　one　places　a　burning　torch　under　it　and
immediately　takes　it　away；　as　an　attestation　of　the　deceased's
privilege；　and　his　receding　from　his　honour；　after　which　the　body　is
removed。




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