aemilius paulus-第1部分

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　AEMILIUS　PAULUS
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　229…160　B。C。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Plutarch

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　translated　by　John　Dryden


　　ALMOST　all　agree　that　the　Aemilii　were　one　of　the　ancient　and
patrician　houses　in　Rome；　and　those　authors　who　affirm　that　King
Numa　was　pupil　to　Pythagoras　tell　us　that　the　first　who　gave　name　to
his　posterity　was　Mamercus；　the　son　of　Pythagoras；　who；　for　his
grace　and　address　in　speaking；　was　called　Aemilius。　Most　of　this
race　that　have　risen　through　their　merit　to　reputation　also　enjoyed
good　fortune：　and　even　the　misfortune　to　Lucius　Paulus　at　the　battle
of　Cannae　gave　testimony　to　his　wisdom　and　valour。　For　not　being
able　to　persuade　his　colleague　not　to　hazard　the　battle；　he；　though
against　his　judgment；　joined　with　him　in　the　contest；　but　was　no
companion　in　his　flight：　on　the　contrary；　when　he　that　was　so　resolute
to　engage　deserted　him　in　the　midst　of　danger　he　kept　the　field　and
died　fighting。　This　Aemilius　had　a　daughter　named　Aemilia；　who　was
married　to　Scipio　the　Great；　and　a　son　Paulus；　who　is　the　subject　of
my　present　history。
　　In　his　early　manhood；　which　fell　at　a　time　when　Rome　was　flourishing
with　illustrious　characters；　he　was　distinguished　for　not　attaching
himself　to　the　studies　usual　with　the　young　men　of　mark　of　that　age；
nor　treading　the　same　paths　to　fame。　For　he　did　not　practise　oratory
with　a　view　to　pleading　causes；　nor　would　he　stoop　to　salute；　embrace；
and　entertain　the　vulgar；　which　were　the　usual　insinuating　arts　by
which　many　grew　popular。　Not　that　he　was　incapable　of　either；　but　he
chose　to　purchase　a　much　more　lasting　glory　by　his　valour；　justice；
and　integrity；　and　in　these　virtues　he　soon　oustripped　all　his　equals。
　　The　first　honourable　office　he　aspired　to　was　that　of　aedile；
which　he　carried　against　twelve　competitors　of　such　merit　that　all
of　them　in　process　of　time　were　consuls。　Being　afterwards　chosen
into　the　number　of　priests　called　augurs；　appointed　amongst　the　Romans
to　observe　and　register　divinations　made　by　the　flight　of　birds　or
prodigies　in　the　air；　he　so　carefully　studied　the　ancient　customs　of
his　country；　and　so　thoroughly　understood　the　religion　of　his
ancestors；　that　this　office　which　was　before　only　esteemed　a　title
of　honour　and　merely　upon　that　account　sought　after；　by　this　means
rose　to　the　rank　of　one　of　the　highest　arts；　and　gave　a　confirmation
to　the　correctness　of　the　definition；　which　some　philosophers　have
given　of　religion；　that　it　is　the　science　of　worshipping　the　gods。
When　he　performed　any　part　of　his　duty；　he　did　it　with　great　skill　and
utmost　care；　making　it；　when　he　was　engaged　in　it；　his　only
business；　not　omitting　any　one　ceremony；　or　adding　the　least
circumstance；　but　always　insisting；　with　his　companions　of　the　same
order；　even　on　points　that　might　seem　inconsiderable；　and　urging
upon　them；　that　though　they　might　think　the　Deity　was　easily　pacified；
and　ready　to　forgive　faults　of　inadvertency；　yet　any　such　laxity　was　a
very　dangerous　thing　for　a　commonwealth　to　allow；　because　no　man
ever　began　the　disturbance　of　his　country's　peace　by　a　notorious
breach　of　its　laws；　and　those　who　are　careless　in　trifles　give　a
precedent　for　remissness　in　important　duties。　Nor　was　he　less　severe
in　requiring　and　observing　the　ancient　Roman　discipline　in　military
affairs；　not　endeavouring；　when　he　had　the　command；　to　ingratiate
himself　with　his　soldiers　by　popular　flattery；　though　this　custom
prevailed　at　that　time　amongst　many；　who；　by　favour　and　gentleness
to　those　that　were　under　them　in　their　first　employment；　sought　to
be　promoted　to　a　second；　but；　by　instructing　them　in　the　laws　of
military　discipline　with　the　same　care　and　exactness　a　priest　would
use　in　teaching　ceremonies　and　dreadful　mysteries；　and　by　severity
to　such　as　transgressed　and　contemned　those　laws；　he　maintained　his
country　in　its　former　greatness；　esteeming　victory　over　enemies　itself
but　as　an　accessory　to　the　proper　training　and　disciplining　of　the
citizens。
　　Whilst　the　Romans　were　engaged　in　war　with　Antiochus　the　Great；
against　whom　their　most　experienced　commanders　were　employed；　there
arose　another　war　in　the　west；　and　they　were　all　up　in　arms　in
Spain。　Thither　they　sent　Aemilius；　in　the　quality　of　praetor；　not　with
six　axes；　which　number　other　praetors　were　accustomed　to　have
carried　before　them；　but　with　twelve；　so　that　in　his　praetorship　he
was　honoured　with　the　dignity　of　a　consul。　He　twice　overcame　the
barbarians　in　battle；　thirty　thousand　of　whom　were　slain：　successes
chiefly　to　be　ascribed　to　the　wisdom　and　conduct　of　the　commander；　who
by　his　great　skill　in　choosing　the　advantage　of　the　ground；　and　making
the　onset　at　the　passage　of　a　river；　gave　his　soldiers　an　easy
victory。　Having　made　himself　master　of　two　hundred　and　fifty　cities；
whose　inhabitants　voluntarily　yielded；　and　bound　themselves　by　oath　to
fidelity；　he　left　the　province　in　peace；　and　returned　to　Rome；　not
enriching　himself　a　drachma　by　the　war。　And；　indeed；　in　general；　he
was　but　remiss　in　making　money；　though　he　always　lived　freely　and
generously　on　what　he　had；　which　was　so　far　from　being　excessive；　that
after　his　death　there　was　barely　enough　left　to　answer　his　wife's
dowry。
　　His　first　wife　was　Papiria；　the　daughter　of　Maso；　who　had　formerly
been　consul。　With　her　he　lived　a　considerable　time　in　wedlock；　and
then　divorced　her；　though　she　had　made　him　the　father　of　noble
children；　being　mother　of　the　renowned　Scipio　and　Fabius　Maximus。
The　reason　of　this　separation　has　not　come　to　our　knowledge；　but　there
seems　to　be　a　truth　conveyed　in　the　account　of　another　Roman's　being
divorced　from　his　wife；　which　may　be　applicable　here。　This　person
being　highly　blamed　by　his　friends；　who　demanded；　Was　she　not
chaste？　was　she　not　fair？　was　she　not　fruitful？　holding　out　his
shoe；　asked　them；　Whether　it　was　not　new？　and　well　made？　Yet；　added
he；　none　of　you　can　tell　where　it　pinches　me。　Certain　it　is；　that
great　and　open　faults　have　often　led　to　no　separation；　while　mere
petty　repeated　annoyances；　arising　from　unpleasantness　or
incongruity　of　character；　have　been　the　occasion　of　such
estrangement　as　to　make　it　impossible　for　man　and　wife　to　live
together　with　any　content。
　　Aemilius；　having　thus　put　away　Papiria；　married　a　second　wife；　by
whom　he　had　two　sons；　whom　he　brought　up　in　his　own　house；
transferring　the　two　former　into　the　greatest　and　the　most　noble
families　of　Rome。　The　elder　was　adopted　into　the　house　of　Fabius
Maximus；　who　was　five　times　consul；　the　younger　by　the　son　of　Scipio
Africanus；　his　cousin…german；　and　was　by　him　named　Scipio。
　　Of　the　daughters　of　Aemilius；　one　was　married　to　the　son　of　Cato；
the　other　to　Aelius　Tubero；　a　most　worthy　man；　and　the　one　Roman　who
best　succeeded　in　combining　liberal　habits　with　poverty。　For　there
were　sixteen　near　relations；　all　of　them　of　the　family　of　the　Aelii；
possessed　of　but　one　farm；　which　sufficed　them　all；　whilst　one　small
house；　or　rather　cottage；　contained　them；　their　numerous　offspring；
and　their　wives；　amongst　whom　was　the　daughter　of　our　Aemilius；　who；
altho