aemilius paulus-第7节

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this　he　took　him　up；　gave　him　his　hand；　and　delivered　him　into　the
custody　of　Tubero。　Meantime；　he　himself　carried　his　sons；　his
sons…in…law；　and　others　of　chief　rank；　especially　of　the　younger　sort；
back　with　him　into　his　tent；　where　for　a　long　time　he　sat　down　without
speaking　one　word；　insomuch　that　they　all　wondered　at　him。　At　last；　he
began　to　discourse　of　fortune　and　human　affairs。　〃Is　it　meet；〃　said
he；　〃for　him　that　knows　he　is　but　man；　in　his　greatest　prosperity　to
pride　himself；　and　be　exalted　at　the　conquest　of　a　city；　nation；　or
kingdom；　and　not　rather　well　to　weigh　this　change　of　fortune；　in　which
all　warriors　may　see　an　example　of　their　common　frailty；　and　learn　a
lesson　that　there　is　nothing　durable　or　constant？　For　what　time　can
men　select　to　think　themselves　secure；　when　that　of　victory　itself
forces　us　more　than　any　to　dread　our　own　fortune？　and　a　very　little
consideration　on　the　law　of　things；　and　how　all　are　hurried　round；　and
each　man's　station　changed；　will　introduce　sadness　in　the　midst　of　the
greatest　joy。　Or　can　you；　when　you　see　before　your　eyes　the　succession
of　Alexander　himself；　who　arrived　at　the　height　of　power　and　ruled　the
greatest　empire；　in　the　short　space　of　an　hour　trodden　underfoot…　when
you　behold　a　king；　that　was　but　even　now　surrounded　with　so　numerous
an　army；　receiving　nourishment　to　support　his　life　from　the　hands　of
his　conquerors…　can　you；　I　say；　believe　there　is　any　certainty　in　what
we　now　possess　whilst　there　is　such　a　thing　as　chance？　No；　young
men；　cast　off　that　vain　pride　and　empty　boast　of　victory；　sit　down
with　humility；　looking　always　for　what　is　yet　to　come；　and　the
possible　future　reverses　which　the　divine　displeasure　may　eventually
make　the　end　of　our　present　happiness。〃　It　is　said　that　Aemilius；
having　spoken　much　more　to　the　same　purpose；　dismissed　the　young　men
properly　humbled；　and　with　their　vainglory　and　insolence　thoroughly
chastened　and　curbed　by　his　address。
　　When　this　was　done；　he　put　his　army　into　garrisons；　to　refresh
themselves；　and　went　himself　to　visit　Greece；　and　to　spend　a　short
time　in　relaxations　equally　honourable　and　humane。　For　as　he　passed；
he　eased　the　people's　grievances；　reformed　their　governments；　and
bestowed　gifts　upon　them；　to　some　corn；　to　others　oil　out　of　the
king's　storehouses；　in　which；　they　report；　there　were　such　vast
quantities　laid　up；　that　receivers　and　petitioners　were　lacking　before
they　could　be　exhausted。　In　Delphi　he　found　a　great　square　pillar　of
white　marble；　designed　for　the　pedestal　of　King　Perseus's　golden
statue；　on　which　he　commanded　his　own　to　be　placed；　alleging　that　it
was　but　just　that　the　conquered　should　give　place　to　the　conquerors。
In　Olympia　he　is　said　to　have　uttered　the　saying　everybody　has
heard；　that　Phidias　had　carved　Homer's　Jupiter。　When　the　ten
commissioners　arrived　from　Rome；　he　delivered　up　again　to　the
Macedonians　their　cities　and　country；　granting　them　to　live　at
liberty；　and　according　to　their　own　laws；　only　paying　the　Romans　the
tribute　of　a　hundred　talents；　double　which　sum　they　had　been　wont　to
pay　to　their　kings。　Then　he　celebrated　all　manner　of　shows　and
games；　and　sacrifices　to　the　gods；　and　made　great　entertainments　and
feasts；　the　charge　of　all　which　he　liberally　defrayed　out　of　the
king's　treasury；　and　showed　that　he　understood　the　ordering　and
placing　of　his　guests；　and　how　every　man　should　be　received；
answerably　to　their　rank　and　quality；　with　such　nice　exactness；　that
the　Greeks　were　full　of　wonder；　finding　the　care　of　these　matters　of
pleasure　did　not　escape　him；　and　that　though　involved　in　such
important　business；　he　could　observe　correctness　in　these　trifles。　Nor
was　it　least　gratifying　to　him；　that；　amidst　all　the　magnificent　and
splendid　preparations；　he　himself　was　always　the　most　grateful
sight；　and　greatest　pleasure　to　those　he　entertained。　And　he　told
those　that　seemed　to　wonder　at　his　diligence；　that　there　was　the
same　spirit　shown　in　marshalling；　a　banquet　as　an　army；　in　rendering
the　one　formidable　to　the　enemy；　the　other　acceptable　to　the　guests。
Nor　did　men　less　praise　his　liberality；　and　the　greatness　of　his　soul；
than　his　other　virtues；　for　he　would　not　so　much　as　see　those　great
quantities　of　silver　and　gold；　which　were　heaped　together　out　of　the
king's　palaces；　but　delivered　them　to　the　quaestors；　to　be　put　into
the　public　treasury。　He　only　permitted　his　own　sons；　who　were　great
lovers　of　learning；　to　take　the　king's　books；　and　when　he
distributed　rewards　due　to　extraordinary　valour；　he　gave　his
son…in…law；　Aelius　Tubero；　a　bowl　that　weighed　five　pounds。　This　is
that　Tubero　we　have　already　mentioned；　who　was　one　of　sixteen
relations　that　lived　together；　and　were　all　maintained　out　of　one
little　farm；　and　it　is　said　that　this　was　the　first　plate　that　ever
entered　the　house　of　the　Aelii；　brought　thither　as　an　honour　and
reward　of　virtue；　before　this　time；　neither　they　nor　their　wives
ever　made　use　either　of　silver　or　gold。
　　Having　thus　settled　everything　well；　taking　his　leave　of　the　Greeks；
and　exhorting　the　Macedonians；　that；　mindful　of　the　liberty　they　had
received　from　the　Romans；　they　should　endeavour　to　maintain　it　by
their　obedience　to　the　laws；　and　concord　amongst　themselves；　he
departed　for　Epirus；　having　orders　from　the　senate　to　give　the
soldiers　that　followed　him　in　the　war　against　Perseus　the　pillage　of
the　cities　of　that　country。　That　he　might　set　upon　them　all　at　once　by
surprise　and　unawares；　he　summoned　ten　of　the　principal　men　out　of
each；　whom　he　commanded；　on　such　an　appointed　day；　to　bring　all　the
gold　and　silver　they　had　either　in　their　private　houses　or　temples；
and；　with　every　one　of　these；　as　if　it　were　for　this　very　purpose；　and
under　a　pretence　of　searching　for　and　receiving　the　gold；　he　sent　a
centurion　and　a　guard　of　soldiers；　who；　the　set　day　being　come；　rose
all　at　once；　and　at　the　very　self…same　time　fell　upon　them；　and
proceeded　to　ransack　the　cities；　so　that　in　one　hour　a　hundred　and
fifty　thousand　persons　were　made　slaves；　and　threescore　and　ten　cities
sacked。　Yet　what　was　given　to　each　soldier；　out　of　so　vast　a
destruction　and　utter　ruin；　amounted　to　no　more　than　eleven
drachmas；　so　that　men　could　only　shudder　at　the　issue　of　a　war；
where　the　wealth　of　a　whole　nation　thus　divided　turned　to　so　little
advantage　and　profit　to　each　particular　man。
　　When　Aemilius　had　done　this…　an　action　perfectly　contrary　to　his
gentle　and　mild　nature…　he　went　down　to　Oricus；　where　he　embarked
his　army　for　Italy。　He　sailed　up　the　river　Tiber　in　the　king's　galley；
that　had　sixteen　banks　of　oars；　and　was　richly　adorned　with　captured
arms　and　with　cloths　of　purple　and　scarlet；　so　that；　the　vessel　rowing
slowly　against　the　stream；　the　Romans　that　crowded　on　the　shore　to
meet　him　had　a　foretaste　of　his　following　triumph。　But　the　soldiers；
who　had　cast　a　covetous　eye　on　the　treasures　of　Perseus；　when　they　did
not　obtain　as　much　as　they　thought　they　deserved；　were　secretly
enraged　and　angry　with　Aemilius　for　this；　but　openly　complained　that
he　had　been　a　severe　and　tyrannical　commander　over　them；　nor　were　they
ready　to　show　their　desire　of　his　triumph。　When　Servius　Galba；　who　was
Aemilius's　enemy；　though　he　commanded　as　tribune　under　him；　understood
this；　he　had　the　boldness　plainly　to　affirm　that　a　triumph　was　not
to　be　allowed　him；　and　sowed　various　calumnies　amongst　the　soldiers；
which　yet　further　increased　their　ill…will。　Nay　more；　he　desired　the
tribunes　of　the　people；　because　the　four　hours　that　were　remaining
of　the　day　could　not　suffice　for　the　accusation；　to　let　him　put　it　off
till　another。　But　when　the　tribunes　commanded　him　to　speak　then；　if　he
had　anything　to　say；　he　began　a　long　oration；　filled　with　all　manner
of　reproaches；　in　which　he　spent　the　remaining　part　of　the　time；　and
the　tribunes；　when　it　was　dark；　dismissed　the　assembly。　The　soldiers
growing　more　vehement　on　this；　thronged　all　to　Galba；　and　entering
into　a　conspiracy；　early　in　the　morning　beset　the　capitol；　where　the
tribunes　had　appointed　the　following　assembly　to　be　held。
　　As　soon　as　it　was　day　it　was　put　to　the　vote；　and　the　first　tribe
was　proceeding　to　refuse　the　triumph；　and　the　news　spread　amongst
the　people　and　to　the　senate。　The　people　were　indeed　much　grieved　that
Aemilius　should　meet　with　such　ignominy；　but　this　was　only　in　words；
which　had　no　effect。　The　chief　of　the　senate　exclaimed　against　it　as　a
base　action；　and　excited　one　another　to　repress　the　boldness　and
insolence　of　the　soldiers；　which　would　ere　long　become　altogether
ungovernable　and　violent；　were　they　now　permitted　to　deprive
Aemilius　of　his　triumph。　Forcing　a　passage　through　the　crowd；　they
came　up　in　great　numbers；　and　desired　the　tribunes　to　defer　polling
till　they　had　spoken　what　they　had　to　say　to　the　people。　All　things
thus　suspended；　and　silence　being　made；　Marcus　Servilius　stood　up；　a
man　of　consular　dignity；　and　who　had　killed　twenty…three　of　his
enemies　that　had　challenged　him　in　single　combat。　〃It　is　now　more　than
ever；〃　said　he；　〃clear　to　my　mind　how　great　a　commander　our　Aemilius
Paulus　is；　when　I　see　he　was　able　to　perform　such　famous　and　great
exploits　with　an　army　so　ful