aemilius paulus-第12部分

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still　took　part　with　the　nobles；　yet　was　as　much　the　people's
favourite　as　those　who　most　sought　popularity　and　used　every　art　to
obtain　it。　This　they　made　manifest；　when；　amongst　other　dignities；
they　thought　him　worthy　of　the　office　of　censor；　a　trust　accounted
most　sacred　and　of　great　authority；　as　well　in　other　things；　as　in　the
strict　examination　into　men's　lives。　For　the　censors　had　power　to
expel　a　senator；　and　enrol　whom　they　judged　most　fit　in　his　room；
and　to　disgrace　such　young　men　as　lived　licentiously；　by　taking　away
their　horses。　Besides　this；　they　were　to　value　and　assess　each　man's
estate；　and　register　the　number　of　the　people。　There　were　numbered
by　Aemilius　347；452　men。　He　declared　Marcus　Aemilius　Lepidus　first
senator；　who　had　already　four　times　held　that　honour；　and　he　removed
from　their　office　three　of　the　senators　of　the　least　note。　The　same
moderation　he　and　his　fellow…censor；　Marcius　Philippus；　used　at　the
muster　of　the　knights。
　　Whilst　he　was　thus　busy　about　many　and　weighty　affairs　he　fell
sick　of　a　disease；　which　at　first　seemed　hazardous；　and　although　after
a　while　it　proved　without　danger；　yet　was　troublesome　and　difficult　to
be　cured：　so　that　by　the　advice　of　his　physicians　he　sailed　to
Velia；　in　south　Italy；　and　there　dwelt　a　long　time　near　the　sea；　where
he　enjoyed　all　possible　quietness。　The　Romans；　in　the　meanwhile；
longed　for　his　return；　and　oftentimes　by　their　expressions　in　the
theatres　gave　public　testimony　of　their　great　desire　and　impatience　to
see　him。　When；　therefore；　the　time　drew　nigh　that　a　solemn　sacrifice
was　of　necessity　to　be　offered；　and　he　found；　as　he　thought；　his
body　strong　enough；　he　came　back　again　to　Rome；　and　there　performed
the　holy　rites　with　the　rest　of　the　priests；　the　people　in　the
meantime　crowding　about　him　and　congratulating　his　return。　The　next
day　he　sacrificed　again　to　the　gods　for　his　recovery；　and；　having
finished　the　sacrifice；　returned　to　his　house　and　sat　down　to
dinner；　when；　all　on　a　sudden　and　when　no　change　was　expected；　he　fell
into　a　fit　of　delirium；　and；　being　quite　deprived　of　his　senses；　the
third　day　after　ended　a　life　in　which　he　had　wanted　no　manner　of　thing
which　is　thought　to　conduct　to　happiness。　Nay；　his　very　funeral　pomp
had　something　in　it　remarkable　and　to　be　admired；　and　his　virtue　was
graced　with　the　most　solemn　and　happy　rites　at　his　burial；　consisting；
not　in　gold　and　ivory；　or　in　the　usual　sumptuousness　and　splendour
of　such　preparations；　but　in　the　goodwill；　honour；　and　love；　not
only　of　his　fellow…citizens；　but　of　his　enemies　themselves。　For　as
many　Spaniards；　Ligurians；　and　Macedonians　as　happened　to　be　present
at　the　solemnity；　that　were　young　and　of　vigorous　bodies；　took　up
the　bier　and　carried　it；　whilst　the　more　aged　followed；　called
Aemilius　the　benefactor　and　preserver　of　their　countries。　For　not　only
at　the　time　of　his　conquest　had　he　acted　to　all　with　kindness　and
clemency；　but；　through　the　whole　course　of　his　life；　he　continued　to
do　them　good　and　look　after　their　concerns；　as　if　they　had　been　his
familiars　and　relations。　They　report　that　the　whole　of　his　estate
scarce　amounted　to　three　hundred　and　seventy　thousand　drachmas；　to
which　he　left　his　two　sons　co…heirs；　but　Scipio；　who　was　the　youngest；
being　adopted　into　the　more　wealthy　family　of　Africanus；　gave　it　all
to　his　brother。　Such　are　said　to　have　been　the　life　and　manners　of
Aemilius。




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