sertorius-第7部分

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might　be　reported　amongst　the　Spaniards；　that　though　he　had　been　so
close　to　the　fire　which　burnt　down　the　city　of　his　confederates　as
actually　to　feel　the　heat　of　it；　he　still　had　not　dared　to　make　any
opposition。
　　Sertorius；　however；　sustained　many　losses；　but　he　always
maintained　himself　and　those　immediately　with　him　undefeated；　and　it
was　by　other　commanders　under　him　that　he　suffered；　and　he　was　more
admired　for　being　able　to　repair　his　losses；　and　for　recovering　the
victory；　than　the　Roman　generals　against　him　for　gaining　these
advantages；　as　at　the　battle　of　Sucro　against　Pompey；　and　at　the
battle　near　Tuttia；　against　him　and　Metellus　together。　The　battle　near
the　Sucro　was　fought；　it　is　said；　through　the　impatience　of　Pompey；
lest　Metellus　should　share　with　him　in　the　victory；　Sertorius　being
also　willing　to　engage　Pompey　before　the　arrival　of　Metellus；
Sertorius　delayed　the　time　till　the　evening；　considering　that　the
darkness　of　the　night　would　be　a　disadvantage　to　his　enemies；
whether　flying　or　pursuing；　being　strangers；　and　having　no　knowledge
of　the　country。
　　When　the　fight　began；　it　happened　that　Sertorius　was　not　placed
directly　against　Pompey；　but　against　Afranius；　who　had　command　of
the　left　wing　of　the　Roman　army；　as　he　commanded　the　right　wing　of　his
own；　but　when　he　understood　that　his　left　wing　began　to　give　way；
and　yield　to　the　assault　of　Pompey；　he　committed　the　care　of　his　right
wing　to　other　commanders；　and　made　haste　to　relieve　those　in　distress；
and　rallying　some　that　were　flying；　and　encouraging　others　that
still　kept　their　ranks；　he　renewed　the　fight；　and　attacked　the　enemy
in　their　pursuit　so　effectively　as　to　cause　a　considerable　rout；　and
brought　Pompey　into　great　danger　of　his　life。　For　after　being
wounded　and　losing　his　horse；　he　escaped　unexpectedly。　For　the
Africans　with　Sertorius；　who　took　Pompey's　horse；　set　out　with　gold；
and　covered　with　rich　trappings；　fell　out　with　one　another；　and　upon
the　dividing　of　the　spoil；　gave　over　the　pursuit。　Afranius；　in　the
meantime；　as　soon　as　Sertorius　had　left　his　right　wing；　to　assist
the　other　part　of　his　army；　overthrew　all　that　opposed　him；　and
pursuing　them　to　their　camp；　fell　in　together　with　them；　and　plundered
them　till　it　was　dark　night；　knowing　nothing　of　Pompey's　overthrow；
nor　being　able　to　restrain　his　soldiers　from　pillaging；　when
Sertorius；　returning　with　victory；　fell　upon　him　and　upon　his　men；　who
were　all　in　disorder；　and　slew　many　of　them。　And　the　next　morning　he
came　into　the　field　again　well　armed；　and　offered　battle；　but
perceiving　that　Metellus　was　near；　he　drew　off；　and　returned　to　his
camp；　saying；　〃If　this　old　woman　had　not　come　up；　I　would　have　whipped
that　boy　soundly；　and　sent　him　to　Rome。〃
　　He　was　much　concerned　that　his　white　hind　could　nowhere　be　found；　as
he　was　thus　destitute　of　an　admirable　contrivance　to　encourage　the
barbarous　people　at　a　time　when　he　most　stood　in　need　of　it。　Some　men；
however；　wandering　in　the　night；　chanced　to　meet　her；　and　knowing
her　by　her　colour；　took　her；　to　whom　Sertorius　promised　a　good　reward；
if　they　would　tell　no　one　of　it；　and　immediately　shut　her　up。　A　few
days　after；　he　appeared　in　public　with　a　very　cheerful　look；　and
declared　to　the　chief　men　of　the　country　that　the　gods　had　foretold
him　in　a　dream　that　some　great　good　fortune　should　shortly　attend　him；
and；　taking　his　seat；　proceeded　to　answer　the　petitions　of　those　who
applied　themselves　to　him。　The　keepers　of　the　hind；　who　were　not　far
off；　now　let　her　loose；　and　she　no　sooner　espied　Sertorius；　but　she
came　leaping　with　great　joy　to　his　feet；　laid　her　head　upon　his　knees；
and　licked　his　hands；　as　she　formerly　used　to　do。　And　Sertorius
stroking　her；　and　making　much　of　her　again；　with　that　tenderness
that　the　tears　stood　in　his　eyes；　all　that　were　present　were
immediately　filled　with　wonder　and　astonishment；　and　accompanying
him　to　his　house　with　loud　shouts　for　joy；　looked　upon　him　as　a　person
above　the　rank　of　mortal　men；　and　highly　beloved　by　the　gods；　and　were
great　courage　and　hope　for　the　future。
　　When　he　had　reduced　his　enemies　to　the　last　extremity　for　want　of
provision；　he　was　forced　to　give　them　battle；　in　the　plains　near
Saguntum；　to　hinder　them　from　foraging　and　plundering　the　country。
Both　parties　fought　gloriously。　Memmius；　the　best　commander　in
Pompey's　army；　was　slain　in　the　heat　of　the　battle。　Sertorius
overthrew　all　before　him；　and　with　great　slaughter　of　his　enemies
pressed　forward　towards　Metellus。　This　old　commander；　making　a
resistance　beyond　what　could　be　expected　from　one　of　his　years；　was
wounded　with　a　lance　an　occurrence　which　filled　all　who　either　saw
it　or　heard　of　it　with　shame；　to　be　thought　to　have　left　their　general
in　distress；　but　at　the　same　time　to　provoke　them　to　revenge　and
fury　against　their　enemies；　they　covered　Metellus　with　their
shields；　and　brought　him　off　in　safety；　and　then　valiantly　repulsed
the　Spaniards；　and　so　victory　changed　sides；　and　Sertorius；　that　he
might　afford　a　more　secure　retreat　to　his　army；　and　that　fresh
forces　might　more　easily　be　raised；　retired　into　a　strong　city　in
the　mountains。　And　though　it　was　the　least　of　his　intention　to　sustain
a　long　siege；　yet　he　began　to　repair　the　walls；　and　to　fortify　the
gates；　thus　deluding　his　enemies；　who　came　and　sat　down　before　the
town；　hoping　to　take　it　without　much　resistance；　and　meantime　gave
over　the　pursuit　of　the　Spaniards；　and　allowed　opportunity　for　raising
new　forces　for　Sertorius；　to　which　purpose　he　had　sent　commanders　to
all　their　cities；　with　orders；　when　they　had　sufficiently　increased
their　numbers；　to　send　him　word　of　it。　This　news　he　no　sooner
received；　but　he　sallied　out　and　forced　his　way　through　his　enemies；
and　easily　joined　them　with　the　rest　of　his　army。　Having　received　this
considerable　reinforcement；　he　set　upon　the　Romans　again；　and　by
rapidly　assaulting　them；　by　alarming　them　on　all　sides；　by
ensnaring；　circumventing；　and　laying　ambushes　for　them；　he　cut　off　all
provisions　by　land；　while　with　his　piratical　vessels　he　kept　all　the
coast　in　awe；　and　hindered　their　supplies　by　sea。　He　thus　forced　the
Roman　generals　to　dislodge　and　to　separate　from　one　another：
Metellus　departed　into　Gaul；　and　Pompey　wintered　among　the
Vaccaeans；　in　a　wretched　condition；　where；　being　in　extreme　want　of
money；　he　wrote　a　letter　to　the　senate；　to　let　them　know　that　if
they　did　not　speedily　support　him；　he　must　draw　off　his　army；　for　he
had　already　spent　his　own　money　in　the　defence　of　Italy。　To　these
extremities；　the　chiefest　and　the　most　powerful　commanders　of　the
age　were　reduced　by　the　skill　of　Sertorius；　and　it　was　the　common
opinion　in　Rome　that　he　would　be　in　Italy　before　Pompey。
　　How　far　Metellus　was　terrified　and　at　what　rate　he　esteemed　him；
he　plainly　declared；　when　he　offered　by　proclamation　an　hundred
talents　and　twenty　thousand　acres　of　land　to　any　Roman　that　should
kill　him；　and　leave；　if　he　were　banished；　to　return；　attempting
villainously　to　buy　his　life　by　treachery；　when　he　despaired　of　ever
being　able　to　overcome　him　in　open　war。　When　once　he　gained　the
advantage　in　a　battle　against　Sertorius；　he　w