pompey-第10章

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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


took　his　journey　homewards　in　greater　pomp　and　with　more　festivity。
For　when　he　came　to　Mitylene；　he　gave　the　city　their　freedom　upon
the　intercession　of　Theophanes；　and　was　present　at　the　contest；
there　periodically　held；　of　the　poets；　who　took　at　that　time　no
other　theme　or　subject　than　the　actions　of　Pompey。　He　was　extremely
pleased　with　the　theatre　itself；　and　had　a　model　of　it　taken；
intending　to　erect　one　in　Rome　on　the　same　design；　but　larger　and　more
magnificent。　When　he　came　to　Rhodes；　he　attended　the　lectures　of　all
the　philosophers　there；　and　gave　to　every　one　of　them　a　talent。
Posidonius　has　published　the　disputation　which　he　held　before　him
against　Hermagoras　the　rhetorician；　upon　the　subject　of　invention　in
general。　At　Athens；　also；　he　showed　similar　munificence　to　the
philosophers；　and　gave　fifty　talents　towards　the　repairing　and
beautifying　the　city。　So　that　now　by　all　these　acts　he　well　hoped　to
return　into　Italy　in　the　greatest　splendour　and　glory　possible　to　man；
and　find　family　as　desirous　to　see　him　as　he　felt　himself　to　come　home
to　them。　But　that　supernatural　agency；　whose　province　and　charge　it　is
always　to　mix　some　ingredient　of　evil　with　the　greatest　and　most
glorious　goods　of　fortune；　had　for　some　time　back　been　busy　in　his
household；　preparing　him　a　sad　welcome。　For　Mucia　during　his　absence
had　dishonoured　his　bed。　Whilst　he　was　abroad　at　a　distance　he　had
refused　all　credence　to　the　report；　but　when　he　drew　nearer　to
Italy；　where　his　thoughts　were　more　at　leisure　to　give　consideration
to　the　charge；　he　sent　her　a　bill　of　divorce；　but　neither　then　in
writing；　nor　afterwards　by　word　of　mouth；　did　he　ever　give　a　reason
why　he　discharged　her；　the　cause　of　it　is　mentioned　in　Cicero's
epistles。
　　Rumours　of　every　kind　were　scattered　abroad　about　Pompey；　and　were
carried　to　Rome　before　him；　so　that　there　was　a　great　tumult　and　stir；
as　if　he　designed　forthwith　to　march　with　his　army　into　the　city　and
establish　himself　securely　as　sole　ruler。　Crassus　withdrew　himself；
together　with　his　children　and　property；　out　of　the　city；　either
that　he　was　really　afraid；　either　that　he　counterfeited　rather；　as
is　most　probable；　to　give　credit　to　the　calumny　and　exasperate　the
jealousy　of　the　people。　Pompey；　therefore；　as　soon　as　he　entered
Italy；　called　a　general　muster　of　the　army；　and　having　made　a　suitable
address　and　exchanged　a　kind　farewell　with　his　soldiers；　he
commanded　them　to　depart　every　man　to　his　country　and　place　of
habitation；　only　taking　care　that　they　should　not　fail　to　meet　again
at　his　triumph。　Thus　the　army　being　disbanded；　and　the　news　commonly
reported；　a　wonderful　result　ensued。　For　when　the　cities　saw　Pompey
the　Great　passing　through　the　country　unarmed；　and　with　a　small
train　of　familiar　friends　only；　as　if　he　was　returning　from　a
journey　of　pleasure；　not　from　his　conquests；　they　came　pouring　out
to　display　their　affection　for　him；　attending　and　conducting　him　to
Rome　with　far　greater　forces　than　he　disbanded；　insomuch　that　if　he
had　designed　any　movement　or　innovation　in　the　state；　he　might　have
done　it　without　his　army。
　　Now；　because　the　law　permitted　no　commander　to　enter　into　the　city
before　his　triumph；　he　sent　to　the　senate；　entreating　them　as　a　favour
to　him　to　prorogue　the　election　of　consuls；　that　thus　he　might　be　able
to　attend　and　give　countenance　to　Piso；　one　of　the　candidates。　The
request　was　resisted　by　Cato；　and　met　with　a　refusal。　However；
Pompey　could　not　but　admire　the　liberty　and　boldness　of　speech　which
Cato　alone　had　dared　to　use　in　the　maintenance　of　law　and　justice。
He　therefore　had　a　great　desire　to　win　him　over；　and　purchase　his
friendship　at　any　rate；　and　to　that　end；　Cato　having　two　nieces；
Pompey　asked　for　one　in　marriage　for　himself；　the　other　for　his　son。
But　Cato　looked　unfavourably　on　the　proposal；　regarding　it　as　a　design
for　undermining　his　honesty；　and　in　a　manner　bribing　him　by　a　family
alliance；　much　to　the　displeasure　of　his　wife　and　sister；　who　were
indignant　that　he　should　reject　a　connection　with　Pompey　the　Great。
About　that　time　Pompey　having　a　design　of　setting　up　Afranius　for
the　consulship；　gave　a　sum　of　money　among　the　tribes　for　their
votes；　and　people　came　and　received　it　in　his　own　gardens；　a
proceeding　which；　when　it　came　to　be　generally　known；　excited　great
disapprobation；　that　he　should　thus；　for　the　sake　of　men　who　could　not
obtain　the　honour　by　their　own　merits；　make　merchandise　of　an　office
which　had　been　given　to　himself　as　the　highest　reward　of　his　services。
〃Now；〃　said　Cato；　to　his　wife　and　sister；　〃had　we　contracted　an
alliance　with　Pompey；　we　had　been　allied　to　this　dishonour　too；　and
this　they　could　not　but　acknowledge；　and　allow　his　judgment　of　what
was　right　and　fitting　to　have　been　wiser　and　better　than　theirs。
　　The　splendour　and　magnificence　of　Pompey's　triumph　was　such　that
though　it　took　up　the　space　of　two　days；　yet　they　were　extremely
straitened　in　time；　so　that　of　what　was　prepared　for　that　pageantry；
there　was　as　much　withdrawn　as　would　have　set　out　and　adorned
another　triumph。　In　the　first　place；　there　were　tables　carried；
inscribed　with　the　names　and　titles　of　the　nations　over　whom　he
triumphed；　Pontus；　Armenia；　Cappadocia；　Paphlagonia；　Media；　Colchis；
the　Iberians；　the　Albanians；　Syria；　Cilicia；　and　Mesopotamia；　together
with　Phoenicia　and　Palestine；　Judaea；　Arabia；　and　all　the　power　of　the
pirates　subdued　by　sea　and　land。　And　in　these　different　countries
there　appeared　the　capture　of　no　less　than　one　thousand　fortified
places；　nor　much　less　than　nine　hundred　cities；　together　with　eight
hundred　ships　of　the　pirates；　and　the　foundation　of　thirty…nine　towns。
Besides；　there　was　set　forth　in　these　tables　an　account　of　all　the
tributes　throughout　the　empire；　and　how　that　before　these　conquests
the　revenue　amounted　but　to　fifty　millions；　whereas　from　his
acquisitions　they　had　a　revenue　of　eighty…five　millions；　and　that　in
present　payment　he　was　bringing　into　the　common　treasury　ready
money；　and　gold　and　silver　plate；　and　ornaments；　to　the　value　of
twenty　thousand　talents；　over　and　above　what　had　been　distributed
among　the　soldiers；　of　whom　he　that　had　least　had　fifteen　hundred
drachmas　for　his　share。　The　prisoners　of　war　that　were　led　in　triumph；
besides　the　chief　pirates；　were　the　son　of　Tigranes；　King　of　Armenia
with　his　wife　and　daughter；　as　also　Zosime；　wife　of　King　Tigranes
himself；　and　Aristobulus；　King　of　Judaea；　the　sister　of　King
Mithridates；　and　her　five　sons；　and　some　Scythian　women。　There　were
likewise　the　hostages　of　the　Albanians　and　Iberians；　and　of　the　King
of　Commagene；　besides　a　vast　number　of　trophies；　one　for　every
battle　in　which　he　was　conqueror；　either　himself　in　person　or　by　his
lieutenants。　But　that　which　seemed　to　be　his　greatest　glory；　being　one
which　no　other　Roman　ever　attained　to；　was　this；　that　he　made　his
third　triumph　over　the　third　division　of　the　world。　For　others　among
the　Romans　had　the　honour　of　triumphing　thrice；　but　his　first
triumph　was　over　Africa；　his　second　over　Europe；　and　this　last　over
Asia；　so　that　he　seemed　in　these　three　triumphs　to　have　led　the
whole　world　captive。
　　As　for　his　age；　those　who　affect　to　make　the　parallel　exact　in　all
things　betwixt　him　and　Alexander　the　Great；　do　not　allow　him　to　have
been　quite　thirty…four；　whereas　in　truth　at　that　time　he　was　near
forty。　And　well　had　it　been　for　him　had　he　terminated　his　life　at　this
date；　while　he　still　enjoyed　Alexander's　fortune；　since　all　his
after…time　served　only　either　to　bring　him　prosperity　that　made　him
odious；　or　calamities　too　great　to　be　retrieved。　For　that　great
authority　which　he　had　gained　in　the　city　by　his　merits　he　made　use　of
only　in　patronizing　the　iniquities　of　others；　so　that　by　advancing
their　fortunes　he　detracted　from　his　own　glory；　till　at　last　he　was
overthrown　even　by　the　force　and　greatness　of　his　own　power。　And　as
the　strongest　citadel　or　fort　in　a　town；　when　it　is　taken　by　an　enemy；
does　then　afford　the　same　strength　to　the　foe　as　it　had　done　to
friends　before；　so　Caesar；　after　Pompey's　aid　had　made　him　strong
enough　to　defy　his　country；　ruined　and　overthrew　at　last　the　power
which　had　availed　him　against　the　rest。　The　course　of　things　was　as
follows。　Lucullus；　when　he　returned　out　of　Asia；　where　he　had　been
treated　with　insult　by　Pompey；　was　received　by　the　senate　with　great
honour；　which　was　yet　increased　when　Pompey　came　home；　to　check
whose　ambition　they　encourage　him　to　assume　the　administration　of
the　government；　whereas　he　was　now　grown　cold　and　disinclined　to
business；　having　given　himself　over　to　the　pleasures　of　ease　and　the
enjoyment　of　a　splendid　fortune。　However；　he　began　for　the　time　to
exert　himself　against　Pompey；　attacked　him　sharply；　and　succeeded　in
having　his　own　acts　and　decrees；　which　were　repealed　by　Pompey；
re…established；　and；　with　the　assistance　of　Cato；　gained　the
superiority　in　the　senate。
　　Pompey　having　fallen　from　his　hopes　in　such　an　unworthy　repulse；　was
forced　to　fly　to　the　tribunes　of　the　people　for　refuge；　and　to
attach　himself　to　the　young　men；　among　whom　was　Clodius；　the　vilest
and　most　impudent　wretch　alive；　who　took　him　about；　and　exposed　him　as
a　tool　to　the　people；　carrying　him　up　and　down　among　the　throngs　in
the　market…place；　to　countenance　those　laws　and　speeches　which　he　made
to　cajole　the　people　and　ingratiate　himself。　And　at　last；　for　his
reward；　he　demanded　Pompey；　as　if　he　had　not　disgraced；　but　done　him　a
great　kindness；　that　he　should　forsake　（as　in　the　end　he　did
forsake）　Cicero；　his　friend；　who　on　many　public　occasions　had　done　him
the　greatest　service。　And　so　when　Cicero　was　in　danger；　and　implored
his　aid；　he　would　not　admit　him　into　his　presence；　but　shutting　up　his
gates　against　those　that　came　to　mediate　for　him；　slipt　out　at　a
back　door；　whereupon　Cicero；　fearing　the　result　of　his　trial；　departed
privately　from　Rome。
　　About　that　time　Caesar；　returning　from　military　service；　started　a
course　of　policy　which　brought　him　great　present　favour；　and　much
increased　his　power　for　the　future；　and　proved　extremely　destructive
both　to　Pompey　and　the　commonwealth。　For　now　he　stood　candidate　for
his　first　consulship；　and　well　observing　the　enmity　betwixt　Pompey　and
Crassus；　and　finding　that　by　joining　with　one　he　should　make　the　other
his　enemy；　he　endeavoured　by　all　means　to　reconcile　them；　an　object　in
itself　honourable　and　tending　to　the　public　good；　but；　as　he　undertook
it；　a　mischievous　and　subtle　intrigue。　For　he　well　knew　that
opposite　parties　or　factions　in　a　commonwealth；　like　passengers　in　a
boat；　serve　to　trim　and　balance　the　unsteady　motions　of　power　there；
whereas　if　they　combine　and　come　all　over　to　one　side；　they　cause　a
shock　which　will　be　sure　to　overset　the　vessel　and　carry　down
everything。　And　therefore　Cato　wisely　told　those　who　charged　all　the
calamities　of　Rome　upon　the　disagreement　betwixt　Pompey　and　Caesar
that　they　were　in　error　in　charging　all　the　crime　upon　the　last　cause；
for　it　was　not　their　discord　and　enmity；　but　their　unanimity　and
friendship；　that　gave　the　first　and　greatest　blow　to　the　commonwealth。
　　Caesar　being　thus　elected　consul；　began　at　once　to　make　an
intere