aemilius paulus-第2章

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discipline　of　the　Macedonian　army。　To　make　which　appear；　I　shall
briefly　recount　the　story　from　the　beginning。
　　Antigonus；　the　most　powerful　amongst　the　captains　and　successors
of　Alexander；　having　obtained　for　himself　and　his　posterity　the
title　of　king；　had　a　son　named　Demetrius；　father　to　Antigonus；
called　Gonatas；　and　he　had　a　son　Demetrius；　who；　reigning　some　short
time；　died　and　left　a　young　son　called　Philip。　The　chief　men　of
Macedon；　fearing　great　confusion　might　arise　in　his　minority；　called
in　Antigonus；　cousin…german　to　the　late　king；　and　married　him　to　the
widow；　the　mother　of　Philip。　At　first　they　only　styled　him　regent
and　general；　but　when　they　found　by　experience　that　he　governed　the
kingdom　with　moderation　and　to　general　advantage；　gave　him　the　title
of　king。　This　was　he　that　was　surnamed　Doson；　as　if　he　was　a　great
promiser　and　a　bad　performer。　To　him　succeeded　Philip；　who　in　his
youth　gave　great　hopes　of　equalling　the　best　of　kings；　and　that　he　one
day　would　restore　Macedon　to　its　former　state　and　dignity；　and　prove
himself　the　one　man　able　to　check　the　power　of　the　Romans；　now
rising　and　extending　over　the　whole　world。　But；　being　vanquished　in
a　pitched　battle　by　Titus　Flaminius　near　Scotussa；　his　resolution
failed；　and　he　yielded　himself　and　all　that　he　had　to　the　mercy　of　the
Romans；　well　contented　that　he　could　escape　with　paying　a　small
tribute。　Yet　afterwards；　recollecting　himself；　he　bore　it　with　great
impatience；　and　though　he　lived　rather　like　a　slave　that　was　pleased
with　ease；　than　a　man　of　sense　and　courage；　whilst　he　held　his　kingdom
at　the　pleasure　of　his　conquerors；　which　made　him　turn　his　whole
mind　to　war；　and　prepare　himself　with　as　much　cunning　and　privacy　as
possible。　To　this　end；　he　left　his　cities　on　the　high　roads　and
sea…coast　ungarrisoned；　and　almost　desolate；　that　they　might　seem
inconsiderable；　in　the　meantime；　collecting　large　forces　up　the
country；　and　furnishing　his　inland　posts；　strongholds；　and　towns；　with
arms；　money；　and　men　fit　for　service；　he　thus　provided　himself　for
war；　and　yet　kept　his　preparations　close。　He　had　in　his　armoury　arms
for　thirty　thousand　men；　in　granaries；　in　places　of　strength；　eight
millions　of　bushels　of　corn；　and　as　much　ready　money　as　would　defray
the　charge　of　maintaining　ten　thousand　mercenary　soldiers　for　ten
years　in　defence　of　the　country。　But　before　he　could　put　these
things　into　motion；　and　carry　his　designs　into　effect；　he　died　for
griefs　and　anguish　of　mind；　being　sensible　he　had　put　his　innocent　son
Demetrius　to　death；　upon　the　calumnies　of　one　that　was　far　more
guilty。　Perseus；　his　son　that　survived；　inherited　his　hatred　to　the
Romans　as　well　as　his　kingdom；　but　was　incompetent　to　carry　out　his
designs；　through　want　of　courage　and　the　viciousness　of　a　character　in
which；　among　faults　and　diseases　of　various　sorts；　covetousness　bore
the　chief　place。　There　is　a　statement　also　of　his　not　being　true…born；
that　the　wife　of　King　Philip　took　him　from　his　mother；　Gnathaenion
（a　woman　of　Argos；　that　earned　her　living　as　a　seamstress）；　as　soon　as
he　was　born；　and　passed　him　upon　her　husband　as　her　own。　And　this
might　be　the　chief　cause　of　his　contriving　the　death　of　Demetrius；
as　he　might　well　fear　that；　so　long　as　there　was　a　lawful　successor　in
the　family；　there　was　no　security　that　his　spurious　birth　might　not　be
revealed。
　　Notwithstanding　all　this；　and　though　his　spirit　was　so　mean　and
temper　so　sordid；　yet　trusting　to　the　strength　of　his　resources；　he
engaged　in　a　war　with　the　Romans；　and　for　a　long　time　maintained　it；
repulsing　and　even　vanquishing　some　generals　of　consular　dignity；
and　some　great　armies　and　fleets。　He　routed　Publius　Licinius；　who
was　the　first　that　invaded　Macedonia；　in　a　cavalry　battle；　slew
twenty…five　hundred　practiced　soldiers；　and　took　six　hundred
prisoners；　and　surprising　their　fleet　as　they　rode　at　anchor　before
Orens　he　took　twenty　ships　of　burden　with　all　their　lading；　sunk　the
rest　that　were　freighted　with　corn；　and；　besides　this；　made　himself
master　of　four　galleys　with　five　banks　of　oars。　He　fought　a　second
battle　with　Hostilius；　a　consular　officer；　as　he　was　making　his　way
into　the　country　at　Elimiae；　and　forced　him　to　retreat；　and；　when　he
afterwards　by　stealth　designed　an　invasion　through　Thessaly　challenged
him　to　fight；　which　the　other　feared　to　accept。　Nay　more；　to　show
his　contempt　to　the　Romans；　and　that　he　wanted　employment；　as　a　war　by
the　by；　he　made　an　expedition　against　the　Dardanians；　in　which　he　slew
ten　thousand　of　those　barbarian　people；　and　brought　a　great　spoil
away。　He　privately；　moreover；　solicited　the　Gauls　（also　called
Basternae）；　a　warlike　nation　and　famous　for　horsemen；　dwelling　near
the　Danube；　and　incited　the　Illyrians；　by　the　means　of　Genthius
their　king；　to　join　with　him　in　the　war。　It　was　also　reported　that　the
barbarians；　allured　by　promise　of　rewards；　were　to　make　an　irruption
into　Italy；　through　the　lower　Gaul　by　the　shore　of　the　Adriatic　Sea。
　　The　Romans；　being　advertised　of　these　things；　thought　it　necessary
no　longer　to　choose　their　commanders　by　favour　or　solicitation；　but　of
their　own　motion　to　select　a　general　of　wisdom　and　capacity　for　the
management　of　great　affairs。　And　such　was　Paulus　Aemilius；　advanced　in
years；　being　nearly　threescore；　yet　vigorous　in　his　own　person；　and
rich　in　valiant　sons　and　sons…in…law；　besides　a　great　number　of
influential　relations　and　friends；　all　of　whom　joined　in　urging　him　to
yield　to　the　desires　of　the　people；　who　called　him　to　the
consulship。　He　at　first　manifested　some　shyness　of　the　people　and
withdrew　himself　from　their　importunity；　professing　reluctance　to　hold
office；　but；　when　they　daily　came　to　his　doors；　urging　him　to　come
forth　to　the　place　of　election；　and　pressing　him　with　noise　and
clamour；　he　acceded　to　their　request。　When　he　appeared　amongst　the
candidates；　it　did　not　look　as　if　it　were　to　sue　for　the　consulship；
but　to　bring　victory　and　success；　that　he　came　down　into　the　Campus；
they　all　received　him　there　with　such　hopes　and　such　gladness；
unanimously　choosing　him　a　second　time　consul；　nor　would　they　suffer
the　lots　to　be　cast；　as　was　usual；　to　determine　which　province
should　fall　to　his　share；　but　immediately　decreed　him　the　command　of
the　Macedonian　war。　It　is　told；　that　when　he　had　been　proclaimed
general　against　Perseus；　and　was　honourably　accompanied　home　by
great　numbers　of　people；　he　found　his　daughter　Tertia；　a　very　little
girl；　weeping；　and　taking　her　to　him　asked　her　why　she　was　crying。
She；　catching　him　about　the　neck　and　kissing　him；　said；　〃O　father；
do　you　not　know　that　Perseus　is　dead？〃　meaning　a　little　dog　of　that
name　that　was　brought　up　in　the　house　with　her；　to　which　Aemilius
replied；　〃Good　fortune；　my　daughter；　I　embrace　the　omen。〃　This　Cicero；
the　orator；　relates　in　his　book　on　divination。
　　It　was　the　custom　for　such　as　were　chosen　consuls；　from　a　stage
designed　for　such　purposes；　to　address　the　people；　and　return　them
thanks　for　their　favour。　Aemilius；　therefore；　having　gathered　an
assembly；　spoke　and　said　that　he　sued　for　the　first　consulship；
because　he　himself　stood　in　need　of　such　honour；　but　for　the　second；
because　they　wanted　a　general；　upon　which　account　he　thought　there　was
no　thanks　due：　if　they　judged　they　could　manage　the　war　by　any　other
to　more　advantage；　he　would　willingly　yield　up　his　charge；　but；　if
they　confided　in　him；　they　were　not　to　make　themselves　his
colleagues　in　his　office；　or　raise　reports；　and　criticize　his　actions；
but；　without　talking；　supply　him　with　means　and　assistance　necessary
to　the　carrying　on　of　the　war；　for　if　they　proposed　to　command　their
own　commander　they　would　render　this　expedition　more　ridiculous　than
the　former。　By　this　speech　he　inspired　great　reverence　for　him　amongst
the　citizens　and　great　expectations　of　future　success；　all　were　well
pleased　that　they　had　passed　by　such　as　sought　to　be　preferred　by
flattery；　and　fixed　upon　a　commander　endued　with　wisdom　and　courage　to
tell　them　the　truth。　So　entirely　did　the　people　of　Rome；　that　they
might　rule；　and　become　masters　of　the　world；　yield　obedience　and
service　to　reason　and　superior　virtue。
　　That　Aemilius；　setting　forward　to　the　war；　by　a　prosperous　voyage
and　successful　journey；　arrived　with　speed　and　safety　at　his　camp　I
attribute　to　good　fortune；　but；　when　I　see　how　the　war　under　his
command　was　brought　to　a　happy　issue；　partly　by　his　own　daring
boldness；　partly　by　his　good　counsel；　partly　by　the　ready
administration　of　his　friends；　partly　by　his　presence　of　mind　and
skill　to　embrace　the　most　proper　advice　in　the　extremity　of　danger；
I　cannot　ascribe　any　of　his　remarkable　and　famous　actions　（as　I　can
those　of　other　commanders）　to　his　so　much　celebrated　good　fortune；
unless　you　will　say　that　the　covetousness　of　Perseus　was　the　good
fortune　of　Aemilius。　The　truth　is；　Perseus'　fear　of　spending　his　money
was　the　destruction　and　utter　ruin　of　all　those　splendid　and　great
preparations　with　which　the　Macedonians　were　in　high　hopes　to　carry　on
the　war　with　success。　For　there　came　at　his　request　ten　thousand
horsemen　of　the　Basternae；　and　as　many　foot；　who　were　to　keep　pace
with　them；　and　supply　their　places　in　case　of　failure；　all　of　them
professed　soldiers；　men　skilled　neither　in　tilling　of　land；　nor　in
navigation　of　ships；　nor　able　to　get　their　living　by　grazing；　but
whose　only　business　and　single　art　and　trade　it　was　to　fight　and
conquer　all　that　resisted　them。　When　these　came　into　the　district　of
Maedica；　and　encamped　and　mixed　with　the　king's　soldiers；　being　men　of
great　stature；　admirable　at　their　exercises；　great　boasters；　and
loud　in　their　threats　against　their　enemies；　they　gave　new　courage
to　the　Macedonians；　who　were　ready　to　think　the　Romans　would　not　be
able　to　confront　them；　but　would　be　struck　with　terror　at　their
looks　and　motions；　they　were　so　strange　and　so　formidable　to　behold。
When　Perseus　had　thus　encouraged　his　men；　and　elevated　them　with　these
great　hopes；　as　soon　as　a　thousand　gold　pieces　were　demanded　for
each　captain；　he　was　so　amazed　and　beside　himself　at　the　vastness　of
the　amount；　that　out　of　mere　stinginess　he　drew　back　and　let　himself
lose　their　assistance；　as　if　he　had　been　some　steward；　not　the　enemy
of　the　Romans；　and　would　have　to　give　an　exact　account　of　the　expenses
of　the　war　to　those　with　whom　he　waged　it。　Nay；　when　he　had　his　foes
as　tutors；　to　instruct　him　what　he　had　to　do；　who；　besides　their　other
preparations；　had　a　hundred　thousand　men　drawn　together　and　in
readiness　for　their　service；　yet　he　that　was　to　engage　against　so
considerable　a　force；　and　in　a　war　that　was　maintaining　such　numbers
as　this；　nevertheless　doled　out　his　money；　and　put　seals　on　his
bags；　and　was　as　fearful　of　touching　it；　as　if　it　had　belonged　to　some
one　else。　And　all　this　was　done　by　one；　not　descended　from　Lydians
or　Phoenicians；　but　who　could　pretend　to　some　share　of　the　virtues
of　Alexander　and　Philip；　whom　he　was　allied　to　by　birth；　men　who
conquered　the　world　by　judging　that　empire　was　to　be　purchased　by
money；　not　money　by　empire。　Certainly　it　became　a　proverb；　that　not
Philip；　but　his　gold；　took　the　cities　of　Greece。　And　Alexander；　when
he