aemilius paulus-第5部分

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eldest　son　of　Aemilius；　although　yet　very　young；　offered　himself
with　great　zeal。　Aemilius；　rejoicing；　gave　them；　not　so　many　as
Polybius　states；　but；　as　Nasica　himself　tells　us　in　a　brief　letter
which　he　wrote　to　one　of　the　kings　with　an　account　of　the
expedition；　three　thousand　Italians　that　were　not　Romans；　and　his　left
wing　consisting　of　five　thousand。　Taking　with　him；　besides　these；
one　hundred　and　twenty　horsemen；　and　two　hundred　Thracians　and　Cretans
intermixed　that　Harpalus　had　sent；　he　began　his　journey　towards　the
sea；　and　encamped　near　the　temple　of　Hercules；　as　if　he　designed　to
embark；　and　so　to　sail　round　and　environ　the　enemy。　But　when　the
soldiers　had　supped　and　it　was　dark；　he　made　the　captains　acquainted
with　his　real　intentions；　and　marching　all　night　in　the　opposite
directions　away　from　the　sea；　till　he　came　under　the　temple　of　Apollo；
there　rested　his　army。　At　this　place　Mount　Olympus　rises　in　height
more　than　ten　furlongs；　as　appears　by　the　epigram　made　by　the　man　that
measured　it：…

　　　　　　　　〃The　summit　of　Olympus；　at　the　site
　　　　　　　　　Where　stands　Apollo's　temple；　has　a　height
　　　　　　　　　Of　full　ten　furlongs　by　the　line；　and　more；
　　　　　　　　　Ten　furlongs；　and　one　hundred　feet；　less　four。
　　　　　　　　　Eumelus's　son；　Xenagoras；　reached　the　place。
　　　　　　　　　Adieu；　O　king；　and　do　thy　pilgrim　grace。〃

　　It　is　allowed；　say　the　geometricians；　that　no　mountain　in　height
or　sea　in　depth　exceeds　ten　furlongs；　and　yet　it　seems　probable　that
Xenagoras　did　not　take　his　admeasurement　carelessly；　but　according
to　the　rules　of　art；　and　with　instruments　for　the　purpose。　Here　it　was
that　Nasica　passed　the　night。
　　A　Cretan　deserted；　who　fled　to　the　enemy　during　the　march；
discovered　to　Perseus　the　design　which　the　Romans　had　to　encompass
him：　for　he；　seeing　that　Aemilius　lay　still；　had　not　suspected　any
such　attempt。　He　was　startled　at　the　news；　yet　did　not　put　his　army　in
motion；　but　sent　ten　thousand　mercenary　soldiers；　and　two　thousand
Macedonians；　under　command　of　Milo；　with　order　to　hasten　and　possess
themselves　of　the　passes。　Polybius　relates　that　the　Romans　found　these
men　asleep　when　they　attacked　them；　but　Nasica　says　there　was　a
sharp　and　severe　conflict　on　the　top　of　the　mountain；　that　he
himself　encountered　a　mercenary　Thracian；　pierced　him　through　with　his
javelin；　and　slew　him；　and　that　the　enemy　being　forced　to　retreat；
Milo　stripped　to　his　coat　and　fled　shamefully　without　his　armour；
while　he　followed　without　danger；　and　conveyed　the　whole　army　down
into　the　country。
　　After　this　event；　Perseus；　now　grown　fearful；　and　fallen　from　his
hopes；　removed　his　camp　in　all　haste；　he　was　under　the　necessity
either　to　stop　before　Pydna；　and　there　run　the　hazard　of　a　battle；
or　disperse　his　army　into　cities；　and　there　expect　the　event　of　the
war；　which；　having　once　made　its　way　into　his　country；　could　not　be
driven　out　without　great　slaughter　and　bloodshed。　But　Perseus；　being
told　by　his　friends　that　he　was　much　superior　in　number；　and　that
men　fighting　in　the　defence　of　their　wives　and　children　must　needs
feel　all　the　more　courage；　especially　when　all　was　done　in　the　sight
of　their　king；　who　himself　was　engaged　in　equal　danger；　was　thus　again
encouraged；　and；　pitching　his　camp；　prepared　himself　to　fight；
viewed　the　country；　and　gave　out　the　commands；　as　if　he　designed　to
set　upon　the　Romans　as　soon　as　they　approached。　The　place　was　a
field　fit　for　the　action　of　a　phalanx；　which　requires　smooth
standing　and　even　ground；　and　also　had　divers　little　hills；　one
joining　another；　fit　for　the　motions　whether　in　retreat　or　advance
of　light　troops　and　skirmishers。　Through　the　middle　ran　the　rivers
Aeson　and　Leucus；　which　though　not　very　deep；　it　being　the　latter
end　of　summer；　yet　were　likely　enough　to　give　the　Romans　some　trouble。
　　As　soon　as　Aemilius　had　rejoined　Nasica；　he　advanced　in　battle　array
against　the　enemy；　but　when　he　found　how　they　were　drawn　up；　and　the
number　of　their　forces；　he　regarded　them　with　admiration　and　surprise；
and　halted；　considering　within　himself。　The　young　commanders；　eager　to
fight；　riding　along　by　his　side；　pressed　him　not　to　delay；　and　most　of
all　Nasica；　flushed　with　his　late　success　on　Olympus。　To　whom　Aemilius
answered　with　a　smile：　〃So　would　I　do　were　I　of　your　age；　but　many
victories　have　taught　me　the　ways　in　which　men　are　defeated；　and
forbid　me　to　engage　soldiers　weary　with　a　long　march　against　an　army
drawn　up　and　prepared　for　battle。〃
　　Then　he　gave　command　that　the　front　of　his　army；　and　such　as　were　in
sight　of　the　enemy；　should　form　as　if　ready　to　engage；　and　those　in
the　rear　should　cast　up　the　trenches　and　fortify　the　camp；　so　that　the
hindmost　in　succession　wheeling　off　by　degrees　and　withdrawing；
their　whole　order　was　insensibly　broken　up；　and　the　army　encamped
without　noise　or　trouble。
　　When　it　was　night；　and；　supper　being　over；　all　were　turning　to　sleep
and　rest；　on　a　sudden　the　moon；　which　was　then　at　full　and　high　in　the
heavens；　grew　dark；　and　by　degrees　losing　her　light；　passed　through
various　colours；　and　at　length　was　totally　eclipsed。　The　Romans；
according　to　their　custom；　clattering　brass　pans　and　lifting　up
fire…brands　and　torches　into　the　air；　invoked　the　return　of　her　light；
the　Macedonians　behaved　far　otherwise：　terror　and　amazement　seized
their　whole　army；　and　a　rumour　crept　by　degrees　into　their　camp　that
this　eclipse　portended　even　that　of　their　king。　Aemilius　was　no　novice
in　these　things；　nor　was　ignorant　of　the　nature　of　the　seeming
irregularities　of　eclipses…　that　in　a　certain　revolution　of　time；
the　moon　in　her　course　enters　the　shadow　of　the　earth　and　is　there
obscured；　till；　passing　the　region　of　darkness；　she　is　again
enlightened　by　the　sun。　Yet　being　a　devout　man；　a　religious　observer
of　sacrifices　and　the　art　of　divination；　as　soon　as　he　perceived　the
moon　beginning　to　regain　her　former　lustre；　he　offered　up　to　her
eleven　heifers。　At　the　break　of　day　he　sacrificed　as　many　as　twenty　in
succession　to　Hercules；　without　any　token　that　his　offering　was
accepted；　but　at　the　one…and…twentieth；　the　signs　promised　victory
to　defenders。　He　then　vowed　a　hecatomb　and　solemn　sports　to
Hercules；　and　commanded　his　captains　to　make　ready　for　battle；　staying
only　till　the　sun　should　decline　and　come　round　to　the　west；　lest；
being　in　their　faces　in　the　morning；　it　should　dazzle　the　eyes　of
his　soldiers。　Thus　he　whiled　away　the　time　in　his　tent；　which　was　open
towards　the　plain　where　his　enemies　were　encamped。
　　When　it　grew　towards　evening；　some　tell　us；　Aemilius　himself　used
a　stratagem　to　induce　the　enemy　to　begin　the　fight；　that　he　turned
loose　a　horse　without　a　bridle；　and　sent　some　of　the　Romans　to　catch
him；　upon　whose　following　the　beast　the　battle　began。　Others　relate
that　the　Thracians；　under　the　command　of　one　Alexander；　set　upon　the
Roman　beasts　of　burden　that　were　bringing　forage　to　the　camp；　that
to　oppose　these；　a　party　of　seven　hundred　Ligurians　were　immediately
detached；　and　that；　relief　coming　still　from　both　armies；　the　main
bodies　at　last　engaged。　Aemilius；　like　a　wise　pilot；　foreseeing　by　the
present　waves　and　motion　of　the　armies　the　greatness　of　t