camillus-第13部分

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blows。　Besides；　he　taught　his　soldiers　to　use　their　long　javelins　in
close　encounter；　and；　by　bringing　them　under　their　enemy's　swords；
to　receive　their　strokes　upon　them。
　　When　the　Gauls　drew　near；　about　the　river　Anio；　dragging　a　heavy
camp　after　them；　and　loaded　with　infinite　spoil；　Camillus　drew　forth
his　forces；　and　planted　himself　upon　a　hill　of　easy　ascent；　and
which　had　many　dips　in　it；　with　the　object　that　the　greatest　of　his
army　might　lie　concealed；　and　those　who　appeared　might　be　thought　to
have　betaken　themselves；　through　fear；　to　those　upper　grounds。　And　the
more　to　increase　this　opinion　in　them；　he　suffered　them；　without　any
disturbance；　to　spoil　and　pillage　even　to　his　very　trenches；　keeping
himself　quiet　within　his　works；　which　were　well　fortified；　till；　at
last；　perceiving　that　part　of　the　enemy　were　scattered　about　the
country　foraging；　and　that　those　that　were　in　the　camp　did　nothing　day
and　night　but　drink　and　revel；　in　the　night…time　he　drew　up　his
lightest…armed　men；　and　sent　them　out　before　to　impede　the　enemy　while
forming　into　order；　and　to　harass　them　when　they　should　first　issue
out　of　their　camp；　and　early　in　the　morning　brought　down　his　main
body；　and　set　them　in　battle　array　in　the　lower　grounds；　a　numerous
and　courageous　army；　not；　as　the　barbarians　had　supposed；　an
inconsiderable　and　fearful　division。　The　first　thing　that　shook　the
courage　of　the　Gauls　was；　that　their　enemies　had；　contrary　to　their
expectation；　the　honour　of　being　aggressors。　In　the　next　place；　the
light…armed　men；　falling　upon　them　before　they　could　get　into　their
usual　order　or　range　themselves　in　their　proper　squadrons；　so
disturbed　and　pressed　upon　them；　that　they　were　obliged　to　fight　at
random；　without　any　order　at　all。　But　at　last；　when　Camillus　brought
on　his　heavy…armed　legions；　the　barbarians；　with　their　swords　drawn；
went　vigorously　to　engage　them；　the　Romans；　however；　opposing　their
javelins　and　receiving　the　force　of　their　blows　on　those　parts　of
their　defences　which　were　well　guarded　with　steel；　turned　the　edge
of　their　weapons；　being　made　of　soft　and　ill…tempered　metal；　so　that
their　swords　bent　and　doubled　up　in　their　hands；　and　their　shields
were　pierced　through　and　through；　and　grew　heavy　with　the　javelins
that　struck　upon　them。　And　thus　forced　to　quit　their　own　weapons；　they
endeavoured　to　take　advantage　of　those　of　their　enemies；　laid　hold
of　the　javelins　with　their　hands；　and　tried　to　pluck　them　away。　But
the　Romans；　perceiving　them　now　naked　and　defenceless；　betook
themselves　to　their　swords；　which　they　so　well　used；　that　in　a
little　time　great　slaughter　was　made　in　the　foremost　ranks；　while
the　rest　fled　over　all　parts　of　the　level　country；　the　hills　and　upper
grounds　Camillus　had　secured　beforehand；　and　their　camp　they　knew　it
would　not　be　difficult　for　the　enemy　to　take；　as；　through　confidence
of　victory；　they　had　left　it　unguarded。　This　fight；　it　is　stated；
was　thirteen　years　after　the　sacking　of　Rome；　and　from　henceforward
the　Romans　took　courage；　and　surmounted　the　apprehensions　they　had
hitherto　entertained　of　the　barbarians；　whose　previous　defeat　they　had
attributed　rather　to　pestilence　and　a　concurrence　of　mischances　than
to　their　own　superior　valour。　And；　indeed；　this　fear　had　been　formerly
so　great　that　they　made　a　law；　that　priests　should　be　excused　from
service　in　war；　unless　in　an　invasion　from　the　Gaul。
　　This　was　the　last　military　action　that　ever　Camillus　performed；
for　the　voluntary　surrender　of　the　city　of　the　Velitrani　was　but　a
mere　accessory　to　it。　But　the　greatest　of　all　civil　contests；　and
the　hardest　to　be　managed；　was　still　to　be　fought　out　against　the
people；　who；　returning　home　full　of　victory　and　success；　insisted；
contrary　to　established　law；　to　have　one　of　the　consuls　chosen　out
of　their　own　body。　The　senate　strongly　opposed　it；　and　would　not
suffer　Camillus　to　lay　down　his　dictatorship；　thinking　that；　under　the
shelter　of　his　great　name　and　authority；　they　should　be　better　able　to
contend　for　the　power　of　his　aristocracy。　But　when　Camillus　was
sitting　upon　the　tribunal；　despatching　public　affairs；　an　officer；
sent　by　the　tribunes　of　the　people；　commanded　him　to　rise　and　follow
him；　laying　his　hand　upon　him；　as　ready　to　seize　and　carry　him　away；
upon　which；　such　a　noise　and　tumult　as　was　never　heard　before　filled
the　whole　forum；　some　that　were　about　Camillus　thrusting　the　officer
from　the　bench；　and　the　multitude　below　calling　out　to　him　to　bring
Camillus　down。　Being　at　a　loss　what　to　do　in　these　difficulties；　he
yet　laid　not　down　his　authority；　but；　taking　the　senators　along　with
him；　he　went　to　the　senate…house；　but　before　he　entered；　besought
the　gods　that　they　would　bring　these　troubles　to　a　happy　conclusion；
solemnly　vowing；　when　the　tumult　was　ended；　to　build　a　temple　to
Concord。　A　great　conflict　of　opposite　opinions　arose　in　the　senate；
but；　at　last；　the　most　moderate　and　most　acceptable　to　the　people
prevailed；　and　consent　was　given；　that　of　two　consuls；　one　should　be
chosen　from　the　commonalty。　When　the　dictator　proclaimed　this
determination　of　the　senate　to　the　people；　at　the　moment　pleased　and
reconciled　with　the　senate；　as　indeed　could　not　otherwise　be；　they
accompanied　Camillus　home；　with　all　expressions　and　acclamations　of
joy；　and　the　next　day；　assembling　together；　they　voted　a　temple　of
Concord　to　be　built；　according　to　Camillus's　vow；　facing　the
assembly　and　the　forum；　and　to　the　feasts；　called　the　Latin
holidays；　they　added　one　day　more；　making　four　in　all；　and　ordained
that；　on　the　present　occasion；　the　whole　people　of　Rome　should
sacrifice　with　garlands　on　their　heads。
　　In　the　election　of　consuls　held　by　Camillus；　Marcus　Aemilius　was
chosen　of　the　patricians；　and　Lucius　Sextius　the　first　of　the
commonalty；　and　this　was　the　last　of　all　Camillus's　actions。　In　the
year　following；　a　pestilential　sickness　infected　Rome；　which；
besides　an　infinite　number　of　the　common　people；　swept　away　most　of
the　magistrates；　among　whom　was　Camillus；　whose　death　cannot　be　called
immature；　if　we　consider　his　great　age；　or　greater　actions；　yet　was　he
more　lamented　than　all　the　rest　put　together　that　then　died　of　that
distemper。




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