camillus-第7部分

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dreaming　that　the　Romans　were　in　so　desperate　a　condition。　But　when　he
found　it　to　be　so　indeed；　he　entered　at　the　Colline　gate；　and　took
Rome；　in　the　three　hundred　and　sixtieth　year；　or　a　little　more；
after　it　was　built；　if；　indeed；　it　can　be　supposed　probable　that　an
exact　chronological　statement　has　been　preserved　of　events　which
were　themselves　the　cause　of　chronological　difficulties　about　things
of　later　date；　of　the　calamity　itself；　however；　and　of　the　fact　of　the
capture；　some　faint　rumours　seem　to　have　passed　at　the　time　into
Greece。　Heraclides　Ponticus；　who　lived　not　long　after　these　times；
in　his　hook　upon　the　Soul；　relates　that　a　certain　report　came　from　the
west；　that　an　army；　proceeding　from　the　Hyperboreans；　had　taken　a
Greek　city　called　Rome；　seated　somewhere　upon　the　great　sea。　But　I
do　not　wonder　that　so　fabulous　and　high…flown　an　author　as
Heraclides　should　embellish　the　truth　of　the　story　with　expressions
about　Hyperboreans　and　the　great　sea。　Aristotle　the　philosopher
appears　to　have　heard　a　correct　statement　of　the　taking　of　the　city　by
the　Gauls；　but　he　calls　its　deliverer　Lucius；　whereas　Camillus's
surname　was　not　Lucius；　but　Marcus。　But　this　is　a　matter　of
conjecture。
　　Brennus；　having　taken　possession　of　Rome；　set　a　strong　guard　about
the　Capitol　and；　going　himself　down　into　the　forum；　was　there　struck
with　amazement　at　the　sight　of　so　many　men　sitting　in　that　order　and
silence　observing　that　they　neither　rose　at　his　coming；　nor　so　much　as
changed　colour　or　countenance；　but　remained　without　fear　or　concern
leaning　upon　their　staves；　and　sitting　quietly；　looking　at　each　other。
The　Gauls；　for　a　great　while；　stood　wondering　at　the　strangeness　of
the　sight；　not　daring　to　approach　or　touch　them；　taking　them　for　an
assembly　of　superior　beings。　But　when　one；　bolder　than　the　rest；
drew　near　to　Marcus　Papirius；　and；　putting　forth　his　hand；　gently
touched　his　chin　and　stroked　his　long　beard；　Papirius　with　his　staff
struck　him　a　severe　blow　on　the　head；　upon　which　the　barbarian　drew
his　sword　and　slew　him。　This　was　the　introduction　to　the　slaughter；
for　the　rest；　following　his　example；　set　upon　them　all　and　killed
them；　and　despatched　all　others　that　came　in　their　way；　and　so　went　on
to　the　sacking　and　pillaging　the　houses；　which　they　continued　for　many
days　ensuing。　Afterwards；　they　burnt　them　down　to　the　ground　and
demolished　them；　being　incensed　at　those　who　kept　the　Capitol；　because
they　would　not　yield　to　summons；　but；　on　the　contrary；　when
assailed；　had　repelled　them；　with　some　loss；　from　their　defences。　This
provoked　them　to　ruin　the　whole　city；　and　to　put　to　the　sword　all　that
came　to　their　hands；　young　and　old；　men；　women；　and　children。
　　And　now；　the　siege　of　the　Capitol　having　lasted　a　good　while；　the
Gauls　began　to　be　in　want　of　provision；　and　dividing　their　forces；
part　of　them　stayed　with　their　king　at　the　siege；　the　rest　went　to
forage　the　country；　ravaging　the　towns　and　villages　where　they　came；
but　not　all　together　in　a　body；　but　in　different　squadrons　and
parties；　and　to　such　a　confidence　had　success　raised　them；　that　they
carelessly　rambled　about　without　the　least　fear　or　apprehension　of
danger。　But　the　greatest　and　best　ordered　body　of　their　forces　went　to
the　city　of　Ardea；　where　Camillus　then　sojourned；　having；　ever　since
his　leaving　Rome；　sequestered　himself　from　all　business；　and　taken
to　a　private　life；　but　now　he　began　to　rouse　up　himself；　and
consider　not　how　to　avoid　or　escape　the　enemy；　but　to　find　out　an
opportunity　to　be　revenged　upon　them。　And　perceiving　that　the
Ardeatians　wanted　not　men；　but　rather　enterprise；　through　the
inexperience　and　timidity　of　their　officers；　he　began　to　speak　with
the　young　men；　first　to　the　effect　that　they　ought　not　to　ascribe
the　misfortune　of　the　Romans　to　the　courage　of　their　enemy；　nor
attribute　the　losses　they　sustained　by　rash　counsel　to　the　conduct
of　men　who　had　no　title　to　victory；　the　event　had　been　only　an
evidence　of　the　power　of　fortune；　that　it　was　a　brave　thing　even
with　danger　to　repel　a　foreign　and　barbarous　invader　whose　end　in
conquering　was；　like　fire；　to　lay　waste　and　destroy；　but　if　they　would
be　courageous　and　resolute　he　was　ready　to　put　an　opportunity　into
their　hands　to　gain　a　victory；　without　hazard　at　all。　When　he　found
the　young　men　embraced　the　thing；　he　went　to　the　magistrates　and
council　of　the　city；　and；　having　persuaded　them　also；　he　mustered
all　that　could　bear　arms；　and　drew　them　up　within　the　walls；　that　they
might　not　be　perceived　by　the　enemy；　who　was　near；　who；　having　scoured
the　country；　and　returned　heavy…laden　with　booty；　lay　encamped　in
the　plains　in　a　careless　and　negligent　posture；　so　that；　with　the
night　ensuing　upon　debauch　and　drunkenness；　silence　prevailed
through　all　the　camp。　When　Camillus　learned　this　from　his　scouts；　he
drew　out　the　Ardeatians；　and　in　the　dead　of　the　night；　passing　in
silence　over　the　ground　that　lay　between；　came　up　to　their　works；　and；
commanding　his　trumpets　to　sound　and　his　men　to　shout　and　halloo；　he
struck　terror　into　them　from　all；　quarters；　while　drunkenness
impeded　and　sleep　retarded　their　movements。　A　few；　whom　fear　had
sobered；　getting　into　some　order；　for　a　while　resisted；　and　so　died
with　their　weapons　in　their　hands。　But　the　greatest　part　of　them；
buried　in　wine　and　sleep；　were　surprised　without　their　arms；　and
despatched；　and　as　many　of　them　as　by　the　advantage　of　the　night　got
out　of　the　camp　were　the　next　day　found　scattered　abroad　and　wandering
in　the　fields；　and　were　picked　up　by　the　horse　that　pursued　them。
　　The　fame　of　this　action　soon　fled　through　the　neighbouring　cities；
and　stirred　up　the　young　men　from　various　quarters　to　come　and　join
themselves　with　him。　But　none　were　so　much　concerned　as　those　Romans
who　escaped　in　the　battle　of　Allia；　and　were　now　at　Veii；　thus
lamenting　with　themselves；　〃O　heavens；　what　a　commander　has　Providence
bereaved　Rome　of；　to　honour　Ardea　with　his　actions！　And　that　city；
which　brought　forth　and　nursed　so　great　a　man；　is　lost　and　gone；　and
we；　destitute　of　a　leader　and　shut　up　within　strange　walls；　sit
idle；　and　see　Italy　ruined　before　our　eyes。　Come；　let　us　send　to　the
Ardeatians　to　have　back　our　general；　or　else；　with　weapons　in　our
hands；　let　us　go　thither　to　him；　for　he　is　no　longer　a　banished　man；
nor　we　citizens；　having　no　country　but　what　is　in　the　possession　of
the　enemy。〃　To　this　they　all　agreed；　and　sent　to　Camillus　to　desire
him　to　take　the　command；　but　he　answered；　that　he　would　not；　until
they　that　were　in　the　Capitol　should　legally　appoint　him；　for　he
esteemed　them；　so　long　as　they　were　in　being；　to　be　his　country；
that　if　they　should　command　him　he　would　readily　obey；　but　against
their　consent　he　would　intermeddle　with　nothing。　When　this　answer
was　returned；　they　admired　the　modesty　and　temper　of　Camillus；　but
they　could　not　tell　how　to　find　a　messenger　to　carry　the
intelligence　to　the　Capitol；　or　rather；　indeed；　it　seemed　altogether
impossible　for　any　one　to　get　to　the　citadel　whilst　the　enemy　was　in
full　possession　of　the　city。　But　among　the　young　men　there　was　one
Pontius　Cominius；　of　ordinary　birth；　but　ambitio