aemilius paulus-第6部分

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bodies　at　last　engaged。　Aemilius；　like　a　wise　pilot；　foreseeing　by　the
present　waves　and　motion　of　the　armies　the　greatness　of　the
following　storm；　came　out　of　his　tent；　went　through　the　legions；　and
encouraged　his　soldiers。　Nasica；　in　the　meantime；　who　had　ridden　out
to　the　skirmishers；　saw　the　whole　force　of　the　enemy　on　the　point　of
engaging。　First　marched　the　Thracians；　who；　he　himself　tells　us；
inspired　him　with　most　terror；　they　were　of　great　stature；　with　bright
and　glittering　shields　and　black　frocks　under　them；　their　legs　armed
with　greaves；　and　they　brandished；　as　they　moved；　straight　and
heavily…ironed　spears　over　their　right　shoulders。　Next　the　Thracians
marched　the　mercenary　soldiers；　armed　after　different　fashions；　with
these　Paeonians　were　mingled。　These　were　succeeded　by　a　third
division；　of　picked　men；　native　Macedonians；　the　choicest　for
courage　and　strength；　in　the　prime　of　life；　gleaming　with　gilt
armour　and　scarlet　coats。　As　these　were　taking　their　places　they
were　followed　from　the　camp　by　the　troops　in　phalanx　called　the　Brazen
Shields；　so　that　the　whole　plain　seemed　alive　with　the　flashing　of
steel　and　the　glistening　of　brass；　and　the　hills　also　with　their
shouts；　as　they　cheered　each　other　on。　In　this　order　they　marched；　and
with　such　boldness　and　speed；　that　those　that　were　first　slain　died　at
but　two　furlongs　distance　from　the　Roman　camp。
　　The　battle　being　begun；　Aemilius　came　in　and　found　that　the　foremost
of　the　Macedonians　had　already　fixed　the　ends　of　their　spears　into　the
shields　of　his　Romans；　so　that　it　was　impossible　to　come　near　them
with　their　swords。　When　he　saw　this；　and　observed　that　the　rest　of　the
Macedonians　took　the　targets　that　hung　on　their　left　shoulders；　and
brought　them　round　before　them；　and　all　at　once　stooped　their　pikes
against　their　enemies'　shields；　and　considered　the　great　strength　of
this　wall　of　shields；　and　the　formidable　appearance　of　a　front　thus
bristling　with　arms；　he　was　seized　with　amazement　and　alarm；　nothing
he　had　ever　seen　before　had　been　equal　to　it；　and　in　aftertimes　he
frequently　used　to　speak　both　of　the　sight　and　of　his　own
sensations。　These；　however；　he　dissembled；　and　rode　through　his　army
without　either　breastplate　or　helmet；　with　a　serene　and　cheerful
countenance。
　　On　the　contrary；　as　Polybius　relates；　no　sooner　was　the　battle
begun；　but　the　Macedonian　king　basely　withdrew　to　the　city　Pydna；
under　a　pretence　of　sacrificing　to　Hercules；　a　god　that　is　not　wont　to
regard　the　faint　offerings　of　cowards；　or　to　fulfil　unsanctioned　vows。
For　truly　it　can　hardly　be　a　thing　that　heaven　would　sanction；　that　he
that　never　shoots　should　carry　away　the　prize；　he　triumph　that
slinks　from　the　battle；　he　that　takes　no　pains　meet　with　success；　or
the　wicked　man　prosper。　But　to　Aemilius's　petitions　the　god
listened；　he　prayed　for　victory　with　his　sword　in　his　hand；　and　fought
while　entreating　divine　assistance。
　　A　certain　Posidonius；　who　has　at　some　length　written　a　history　of
Perseus；　and　professes　to　have　lived　at　the　time；　and　to　have　been
himself　engaged　in　these　events；　denies　that　Perseus　left　the　field
either　through　fear　or　pretence　of　sacrificing；　but　that；　the　very　day
before　the　fight；　he　received　a　kick　from　a　horse　on　his　thigh；　that
though　very　much　disabled；　and　dissuaded　by　all　his　friends；　he
commanded　one　of　his　riding…horses　to　be　brought；　and　entered　the
field　unarmed；　that　amongst　an　infinite　number　of　darts　that　flew
about　on　all　sides；　one　of　iron　lighted　on　him；　and　though　not　with
the　point；　yet　by　a　glance　struck　him　with　such　force　on　his　left　side
that　it　tore　his　clothes　and　so　bruised　his　flesh　that　the　mark
remained　a　long　time　after。　This　is　what　Posidonius　says　in　defence　of
Perseus。
　　The　Romans　not　being　able　to　make　a　breach　in　the　phalanx；　one
Salius；　a　commander　of　the　Pelignians；　snatched　the　ensign　of　his
company　and　threw　it　amongst　the　enemies；　on　seeing　which；　the
Pelignians　（as　amongst　the　Italians　it　is　always　thought　the
greatest　breach　of　honour　to　abandon　a　standard）　rushed　with　great
violence　towards　the　place；　where　the　conflict　grew　very　fierce　and
the　slaughter　terrible　on　both　sides。　For　these　endeavoured　to　cut　the
spears　asunder　with　their　swords；　or　to　beat　them　back　with　their
shields；　or　put　them　by　with　their　hands；　and；　on　the　other　side；
the　Macedonians　held　their　long　sarissas　in　both　hands；　and　pierced
those　that　came　in　their　way　quite　through　their　armour；　no　shield
or　corslet　being　able　to　resist　the　force　of　that　weapon。　The
Pelignians　and　Marrucinians　were　thrown　headlong　to　the　ground；　having
without　consideration；　with　mere　animal　fury；　rushed　upon　a　certain
death。　Their　first　ranks　being　slain；　those　that　were　behind　were
forced　to　give　back；　it　cannot　be　said　they　fled；　but　they　retreated
towards　Mount　Olocrus。　When；　Aemilius　saw　this；　Posidonius　relates；　he
rent　his　clothes；　some　of　his　men　being　ready　to　fly；　and　the　rest　not
willing　to　engage　with　a　phalanx　into　which　they　could　not　hope　to
make　any　entrance…　a　sort　of　palisade；　as　it　were；　impregnable　and
unapproachable；　with　its　close　array　of　long　spears　everywhere　meeting
the　assailant。　Nevertheless；　the　unequalness　of　the　ground　would　not
permit　a　widely　extended　front　to　be　so　exactly　drawn　up　as　to　have
their　shields　everywhere　joined；　and　Aemilius　perceived　that　there
were　a　great　many　interstices　and　breaches　in　the　Macedonian
phalanx；　as　it　usually　happens　in　all　great　armies；　according　to　the
different　efforts　of　the　combatants；　who　in　one　part　press　forward
with　eagerness；　and　in　another　are　forced　to　fall　back。　Taking；
therefore；　this　occasion；　with　all　speed　he　broke　up　his　men　into
their　cohorts；　and　gave　them　order　to　fall　into　the　intervals　and
openings　of　the　enemy's　body；　and　not　to　make　one　general　attack
upon　them　all；　but　to　engage；　as　they　were　divided；　in　several　partial
battles。　These　commands　Aemilius　gave　to　his　captains；　and　they　to
their　soldiers；　and　no　sooner　had　they　entered　the　spaces　and
separated　their　enemies；　but　they　charged　them；　some　on　their　sides
where　they　were　naked　and　exposed；　and　others；　making　a　circuit；
behind；　and　thus　destroyed　the　force　of　the　phalanx；　which　consists　in
common　action　and　close　union。　And　now；　come　to　fight　man　to　man；　or
in　small　parties；　the　Macedonians　smote　in　vain　upon　firm　and　long
shields　with　their　little　swords；　whilst　their　slight　bucklers　were
not　able　to　sustain　the　weight　and　force　of　the　Roman　swords；　which
pierced　through　all　their　armour　to　their　bodies；　they　turned；　in
fine；　and　fled。
　　The　conflict　was　obstinate。　And　here　Marcus；　the　son　of　Cato；　and
son…in…law　of　Aemilius；　whilst　he　showed　all　possible　courage；　let
fall　his　sword。　Being　a　young　man　carefully　brought　up　and
disciplined；　and；　son　of　so　renowned　a　father；　bound　to　give　proof
of　more　than　ordinary　virtue；　he　thought　his　life　but　a　burden；　should
he　live　and　permit　his　enemies　to　enjoy　this　spoil。　He　hurried
hither　and　thither；　and　wherever　he　espied　a　friend　or　companion；
declared　his　misfortune；　and　begged　their　assistance；　a　considerable
number　of　brave　men　being　thus　collected；　with　one