sertorius-第6部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


weak；　pitiful　fellow　in　a　short　time　and　with　little　pains　had　left
not　a　hair　on　the　great　horse's　tail；　Sertorius　rose　up　and　spoke　to
his　army。　〃You　see；　fellow…soldiers；　that　perseverance　is　more
prevailing　than　violence；　and　that　many　things　which　cannot　be
overcome　when　they　are　together；　yield　themselves　up　when　taken　little
by　little。　Assiduity　and　persistence　are　irresistible；　and　in　time
overthrow　and　destroy　the　greatest　powers　whatever。　Time　being　the
favourable　friend　and　assistant　of　those　who　use　their　judgment　to
await　his　occasions；　and　the　destructive　enemy　of　those　who　are
unreasonably　urging　and　pressing　forward。〃　With　a　frequent　use　of　such
words　and　such　devices；　he　soothed　the　fierceness　of　the　barbarous
people；　and　taught　them　to　attend　and　watch　for　their　opportunities。
　　Of　all　his　remarkable　exploits；　none　raised　greater　admiration
than　that　which　he　put　in　practice　against　the　Characitanians。　These
are　a　people　beyond　the　river　Tagus；　who　inhabit　neither　cities　nor
towns；　but　live　in　a　vast　high　hill；　within　the　deep　dens　and　caves　of
the　rocks；　the　mouths　of　which　open　all　towards　the　north。　The　country
below　is　of　a　soil　resembling　a　light　clay；　so　loose　as　easily　to
break　into　powder；　and　is　not　firm　enough　to　bear　any　one　that
treads　upon　it；　and　if　you　touch　it　in　the　least　it　flies　about　like
ashes　or　unslacked　lime。　In　any　danger　of　war；　these　people
descended　into　their　caves；　and　carrying　in　their　booty　and　prey　along
with　them；　stayed　quietly　within；　secure　from　every　attack。　And　when
Sertorius；　leaving　Metellus　some　distance　off；　had　placed　his　camp
near　this　hill；　they　slighted　and　despised　him；　imagining　that　he
retired　into　these　parts；　being　overthrown　by　the　Romans。　And
whether　out　of　anger　or　resentment；　or　out　of　his　unwillingness　to
be　thought　to　fly　from　his　enemies；　early　in　the　morning　he　rode　up　to
view　the　situation　of　the　place。　But　finding　there　was　no　way　to
come　at　it；　as　he　rode　about；　threatening　them　in　vain　and
disconcerted；　he　took　notice　that　the　wind　raised　the　dust　and　carried
it　up　towards　the　caves　of　the　Characitanians；　the　mouths　of　which；　as
I　said　before；　opened　towards　the　north；　and　the　northern　wind；
which　some　call　Caecias；　prevailing　most　in　those　parts；　coming　up　out
of　moist　plains　or　mountains　covered　with　snow；　at　this　particular
time；　in　the　heat　of　summer；　being　further　supplied　and　increased　by
the　melting　of　the　ice　in　the　northern　regions；　blew　a　delightful
fresh　gale；　cooling　and　refreshing　the　Characitanians　and　their　cattle
all　the　day　long。　Sertorius；　considering　well　all　circumstances　in
which　either　the　information　of　the　inhabitants　or　his　own
experience　had　instructed　him；　commanded　his　soldiers　to　shovel　up　a
great　quantity　of　this　light；　dusty　earth；　to　heap　it　up　together；　and
make　a　mount　of　it　over　against　the　hill　in　which　those　barbarous
people　resided；　who；　imagining　that　all　this　preparation　was　for
raising　a　mound　to　get　at　them；　only　mocked　and　laughed　at　it。
However；　he　continued　the　work　till　the　evening；　and　brought　his
soldiers　back　into　their　camp。
　　The　next　morning　a　gentle　breeze　at　first　arose；　and　moved　the
lightest　parts　of　the　earth　and　dispersed　it　about　as　the　chaff　before
the　wind；　but　when　the　sun　coming　to　be　higher；　the　strong　northerly
wind　had　covered　the　hills　with　the　dust；　the　soldiers　came　and　turned
this　mound　of　earth　over　and　over；　and　broke　the　hard　clods　in　pieces；
whilst　others　on　horseback　rode　through　it　backward　and　forward；　and
raised　a　cloud　of　dust　into　the　air：　there　with　the　wind　the　whole
of　it　was　carried　away　and　blown　into　the　dwellings　of　the
Characitanians；　all　lying　open　to　the　north。　And　there　being　no
other　vent　or　breathing…place　than　that　through　which　the　Caecias
rushed　in　upon　them；　it　quickly　blinded　their　eyes　and　filled　their
lungs；　and　all　but　choked　them；　whilst　they　strove　to　draw　in　the
rough　air　mingled　with　dust　and　powdered　earth。　Nor　were　they　able；
with　all　they　could　do；　to　hold　out　above　two　days；　but　yielding　up
themselves　on　the　third；　adding；　by　their　defeat；　not　so　much　of　the
power　of　Sertorius；　as　to　his　renown；　in　proving　that　he　was　able　to
conquer　places　by　art；　which　were　impregnable　by　the　force　of　arms。
　　So　long　as　he　had　to　do　with　Metellus；　he　was　thought　to　owe　his
successes　to　his　opponent's　age　and　slow　temper；　which　were　ill　suited
for　coping　with　the　daring　and　activity　of　one　who　commanded　a　light
army　more　like　a　band　of　robbers　than　regular　soldiers。　But　when
Pompey　also　passed　over　the　Pyrenees；　and　Sertorius　pitched　his　camp
near　him；　and　offered　and　himself　accepted　every　occasion　by　which
military　skill　could　be　put　to　the　proof；　and　in　this　contest　of
dexterity　was　found　to　have　the　better；　both　in　baffling　his　enemy's
designs　and　in　counter…scheming　himself；　the　fame　of　him　now　spread
even　to　Rome　itself；　as　the　most　expert　commander　of　his　time。　For　the
renown　of　Pompey　was　not　small；　who　had　already　won　much　honour　by　his
achievements　in　the　wars　of　Sylla；　from　whom　he　received　the　title
of　Magnus；　and　was　called　Pompey　the　Great；　and　who　had　risen　to　the
honour　of　a　triumph　before　the　beard　had　grown　on　his　face。　And　many
cities　which　were　under　Sertorius　were　on　the　very　eve　of　revolting
and　going　over　to　Pompey；　when　they　were　deterred　from　it　by　that
great　action；　amongst　others；　which　he　performed　near　the　city　of
Lauron；　contrary　to　the　expectation　of　all。
　　For　Sertorius　had　laid　siege　to　Lauron；　and　Pompey　came　with　his
whole　army　to　relieve　it；　and　there　being　a　hill　near　this　city　very
advantageously　situated；　they　both　made　haste　to　take　it。　Sertorius
was　beforehand；　and　took　possession　of　it　first；　and　Pompey；　having
drawn　down　his　forces；　was　not　sorry　that　it　had　thus　happened；
imagining　that　he　had　hereby　enclosed　his　enemy　between　his　own　army
and　the　city；　and　sent　in　a　messenger　to　the　citizens　of　Lauron；　to
bid　them　be　of　good　courage；　and　to　come　upon　their　walls；　where
they　might　see　their　besieger　besieged。　Sertorius；　perceiving　their
intentions；　smiled；　and　said　he　would　now　teach　Sylla's　scholar；　for
so　he　called　Pompey　in　derision；　that　it　was　the　part　of　a　general
to　look　as　well　behind　him　as　before　him；　and　at　the　same　time
showed　them　six　thousand　soldiers；　whom　he　had　left　in　his　former
camp；　from　whence　he　marched　out　to　take　the　hill；　where；　if　Pompey
should　assault　him；　they　might　fall　upon　his　rear。　Pompey　discovered
this　too　late　and　not　daring　to　give　battle；　for　fear　of　being
encompassed；　and　yet　being　ashamed　to　desert　his　friends　and
confederates　in　their　extreme　danger；　was　thus　forced　to　sit　still；
and　see　them　ruined　before　his　face。　For　the　besieged　despaired　of
relief；　and　delivered　up　themselves　to　Sertorius；　who　spared　their
lives　and　granted　them　their　liberty；　but　burnt　their　city；　not　out　of
anger　or　cruelty；　for　of　all　commanders　that　ever　were　Sertorius
seemed　least　of　all　to　have　indulged　these　passions；　but　only　for
the　greater　shame　and　confusion　of　the　admirers　of　Pompey；　and　that　it
might　be　reported　amongst　the　Spaniards；　that　though　he　had　been　so
close　to　the　fire　which　bu