sertorius-第3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！


made　general　with　absolute　authority；　he　put　all　in　order　amongst
them；　and　brought　the　neighbouring　parts　of　Spain　under　subjection。
Most　of　the　tribes　voluntarily　submitted　themselves；　won　by　the　fame
of　his　clemency　and　of　his　courage；　and；　to　some　extent；　also；　he
availed　himself　of　cunning　artifices　of　his　own　devising　to　impose
upon　them　and　gain　influence　over　them。　Amongst　which；　certainly；　that
of　the　hind　was　not　the　least。　Spanus；　a　countryman　who　lived　in　those
parts；　meeting　by　chance　a　hind　that　had　recently　calved；　flying
from　the　hunters；　let　the　dam　go；　and　pursuing　the　fawn；　took　it；
being　wonderfully　pleased　with　the　rarity　of　the　colour；　which　was　all
milk…white。　As　at　that　time　Sertorius　was　living　in　the　neighbourhood；
and　accepted　gladly　any　presents　of　fruit；　fowl；　or　venison　that　the
country　afforded；　and　rewarded　liberally　those　who　presented　them；　the
countryman　brought　him　his　young　hind；　which　he　took　and　was　well
pleased　with　at　the　first　sight；　but　when　in　time　he　had　made　it　so
tame　and　gentle　that　it　would　come　when　he　called；　and　follow　him
wheresoever　he　went；　and　could　endure　the　noise　and　tumult　of　the
camp；　knowing　well　that　uncivilized　people　are　naturally　prone　to
superstition；　by　little　and　little　he　raised　it　into　something
preternatural；　saying　that　it　was　given　him　by　the　goddess　Diana；
and　that　it　revealed　to　him　many　secrets。　He　added；　also；　further
contrivances。　If　he　had　received　at　any　time　private　intelligence　that
the　enemies　had　made　an　incursion　into　any　part　of　the　districts　under
his　command；　or　had　solicited　any　city　to　revolt；　he　pretended　that
the　hind　had　informed　him　of　it　in　his　sleep；　and　charged　him　to
keep　his　forces　in　readiness。　Or　if　again　he　had　noticed　that　any　of
the　commanders　under　him　had　got　a　victory；　he　would　hide　the
messengers　and　bring　forth　the　hind　crowned　with　flowers；　for　joy　of
the　good　news　that　was　to　come；　and　would　encourage　them　to　rejoice
and　sacrifice　to　the　gods　for　the　good　account　they　should　soon
receive　of　their　prosperous　success。
　　By　such　practices；　he　brought　them　to　be　more　tractable　and　obedient
in　all　things；　for　now　they　thought　themselves　no　longer　to　be　led
by　a　stranger；　but　rather　conducted　by　a　god；　and　the　more　so；　as
the　facts　themselves　seemed　to　bear　witness　to　it；　his　power；　contrary
to　all　expectation　or　probability；　continually　increasing。　For　with
two　thousand　six　hundred　men；　whom　for　honour's　sake　he　called　Romans；
combined　with　seven　hundred　Africans；　who　landed　with　him　when　he
first　entered　Lusitania；　together　with　four　thousand　targeteers　and
seven　hundred　horse　of　the　Lusitanians　themselves；　he　made　war　against
four　Roman　generals；　who　commanded　a　hundred　and　twenty　thousand　foot；
six　thousand　horse；　two　thousand　archers　and　slingers；　and　had
cities　innumerable　in　their　power；　whereas　at　the　first　he　had　not
above　twenty　cities　in　all。　From　this　weak　and　slender　beginning；　he
raised　himself　to　the　command　of　large　nations　of　men；　and　the
possession　of　numerous　cities；　and　of　the　Roman　commanders　who　were
sent　against　him；　he　overthrew　Cotta　in　a　sea…fight；　in　the　channel
near　the　town　of　Mellaria；　he　routed　Fufidius；　the　governor　of
Baetica；　with　the　loss　of　two　thousand　Romans；　near　the　banks　of　the
river　Baetis；　Lucius　Domitius；　proconsul　of　the　other　province　of
Spain；　was　overthrown　by　one　of　his　lieutenants；　Thoranius；　another
commander　sent　against　him　by　Metellus　with　a　great　force；　was
slain；　and　Metellus；　one　of　the　greatest　and　most　approved　Roman
generals　then　living；　by　a　series　of　defeats；　was　reduced　to　such
extremities；　that　Lucius　Manlius　came　to　his　assistance　out　of
Gallia　Narbonensis；　and　Pompey　the　Great　was　sent　from　Rome　itself
in　all　haste　with　considerable　forces。　Nor　did　Metellus　know　which　way
to　turn　himself；　in　a　war　with　such　a　bold　and　ready　commander；　who
was　continually　molesting　him；　and　yet　could　not　be　brought　to　a　set
battle；　but　by　the　swiftness　and　dexterity　of　his　Spanish　soldiery　was
enabled　to　shift　and　adapt　himself　to　any　change　of　circumstances。
Metellus　had　had　experience　in　battles　fought　by　regular　legions　of
soldiers；　fully　armed　and　drawn　up　in　due　order　into　a　heavy
standing　phalanx；　admirably　trained　for　encountering　and
overpowering　an　enemy　who　came　to　close　combat；　hand　to　hand；　but
entirely　unfit　for　climbing　among　the　hills；　and　competing　incessantly
with　the　swift　attacks　and　retreats　of　a　set　of　fleet　mountaineers；　or
to　endure　hunger　and　thirst　and　live　exposed　like　them　to　the　wind　and
weather；　without　fire　or　covering。
　　Besides；　being　now　in　years；　and　having　been　formerly　engaged　in
many　fights　and　dangerous　conflicts；　he　had　grown　inclined　to　a　more
remiss；　easy；　and　luxurious　life；　and　was　the　less　able　to　contend
with　Sertorius　who　was　in　the　prime　of　his　strength　and　vigour；　and
had　a　body　wonderfully　fitted　for　war；　being　strong；　active；　and
temperate；　continually　accustomed　to　endure　hard　labour；　to　take　long；
tedious　journeys；　to　pass　many　nights　together　without　sleep；　to　eat
little；　and　to　be　satisfied　with　very　coarse　fare；　and　who　was　never
stained　with　the　least　excess　in　wine；　even　when　he　was　most　at
leisure。　What　leisure　time　he　allowed　himself　he　spent　in　hunting
and　riding　about；　and　so　made　himself　thoroughly　acquainted　with　every
passage　for　escape　when　he　would　fly；　and　for　overtaking　and
intercepting　a　pursuit；　and　gained　a　perfect　knowledge　of　where　he
could　and　where　he　could　not　go。　Insomuch　that　Metellus　suffered　all
the　inconveniences　of　defeat；　although　he　earnestly　desired　to
fight；　and　Sertorius；　though　he　refused　the　field；　reaped　all　the
advantages　of　a　conqueror。　For　he　hindered　them　from　foraging；　and　cut
them　off　from　water；　if　they　advanced；　he　was　nowhere　to　be　found；
if　they　stayed　in　any　place　and　encamped；　he　continually　molested
and　alarmed　them；　if　they　besieged　any　town；　he　presently　appeared　and
besieged　them　again；　and　put　them　to　extremities　for　want　of
necessaries。　Thus　he　so　wearied　out　the　Roman　army　that　when　Sertorius
challenged　Metellus　to　fight　singly　with　him；　they　commended　it；　and
cried　out　it　was　a　fair　offer；　a　Roman　to　fight　against　a　Roman；　and　a
general　against　a　general；　and　when　Metellus　refused　the　challenge；
they　reproached　him。　Metellus　derided　and　contemned　this；　and
rightly　so；　for；　as　Theophrastus　observes；　a　general　should　die　like　a
general；　and　not　like　a　skirmisher。　But　perceiving　that　the　town　of
the　Langobritae；　which　gave　great　assistance　to　Sertorius；　might
easily　be　taken　for　want　of　water；　as　there　was　but　one　well　within
the　walls；　and　the　besieger　would　be　master　of　the　springs　and
fountains　in　the　suburbs；　he　advanced　against　the　place；　expecting
to　carry　it　in　two　days'　time；　there　being　no　more　water；　and　gave
command　to　his　soldiers　to　take　five　days'　provision　only。
Sertorius；　however；　resolving　to　send　speedy　relief；　ordered　two
thousand　skins　to　be　filled　with　water；　naming　a　considerable　sum　of
money　for　the　carriage　of　every　skin；　and　many　Spaniards　and　Moors
undertaking　the　work；　he　chose　out　those　who　were　the　strongest　and
swiftest　of　foot；　and　sent　them　through　the　mountains；　with　order　that
when　they　had　delivered　the　water；　they　should　convey　away　privately
all　those　who　would　be　least　serviceable　in　the　siege；　that　there
might　be　water　sufficient　for　the　defendants。　As　soon　as　Metellus
understood　this；　he　was　disturbed；　as　he　had　already　consumed　most
part　of　the　necessary　provisions　for　his　army；　but　he　sent　out　Aquinus
with　six　thousand　soldiers　to　fetch　in　fresh　supplies。　But　Sertorius
having　notice　of　it；　laid　an　ambush　for　him；　and　having　sent　out
beforehand　three　thousand　men　to　take　post　in　a　thickly　wooded
water…course；　with　these　he　attacked　the　rear　of　Aquinus　in　his
return；　while　he　himself；　charging　him　in　the　front；　destroyed　part　of
his　army；　and　took　the　rest　prisoners；　Aquinus　only　escaping；　after
the　loss　of　both　his　horse　and　his　armour。　And　Metellus；　being
forced　shamefully　to　raise　the　siege；　withdrew　amidst　the　laughter　and
contempt　of　the　Spaniards；　while　Sertorius　became　yet　more　the
object　of　their　esteem　and　admiration。
　　He　was　also　highly　honoured　for　his　introducing　discipline　and
good　order　amongst　them；　for　he　altered　their　furious　savage　manner　of
fighting；　and　brought　them　to　make　use　of　the　Roman　armour；　taught
them　to　keep　their　ranks；　and　observe　signals　and　watchwards；　and
out　of　a　confused　number　of　thieves　and　robbers　he　constituted　a
regular；　well…disciplined　army。　He　bestowed　silver　and　gold　upon
them　liberally　to　gild　and　adorn　their　helmets；　he　had　their　shields
worked　with　various　figures　and　designs；　he　brought　them　into　the　mode
of　wearing　flowered　and　embroidered　cloaks　and　coats；　and　by　supplying
money　for　these　purposes；　and　joining　with　them　in　all　improvements；
he　won　the　hearts　of　all。　That；　however；　which　delighted　them　most　was
the　care　that　he　took　of　their　children。　He　sent　for　all　the　boys　of
noblest　parentage　out　of　all　their　tribes；　and　placed　them　in　the
great　city　of　Osca；　where　he　appointed　masters　to　instruct　them　in　the
Grecian　and　Roman　learning。　that　when　they　came　to　be　men；　they　might；
as　he　professed；　be　fitted　to　share　with　him　in　authority；　and　in
conducting　the　government；　although　under　this　pretext　he　really
made　them　hostages。　However；　their　fathers　were　wonderfully　pleased　to
see　their　children　going　daily　to　the　schools　in　good　order；
handsomely　dressed　in　gowns　edged　with　purple；　and　that　Sertorius　paid
for　their　lessons；　examined　them　often；　distributed　rewards　to　the
most　deserving；　and　gave　them　the　golden　bosses　to　hang　about　their
necks；　which　the　Romans　called　bullae。
　　There　being　a　custom　in　Spain　that　when　a　commander　was　slain　in
battle；　those　who　attended　his　person　fought　it　out　till　they　all　died
with　him；　which　the　inhabitants　of　those　countries　called　an　offering；
or　libation；　there　were　few　commanders　that　had　any　considerable　guard
or　number　of　attendants；　but　Sertorius　was　followed　by　many
thousands　who　offered　themselves；　and　vowed　to　spend　their　blood
with　his。　And　it　is　told　that　when　his　army　was　defeated　near　a　city
in　Spain；　and　the　enemy　pressed　hard　upon　them；　the　Spaniards；　with　no
care　for　themselves；　but　being　totally　solicitous　to　save　Sertorius；
took　him　upon　their　shoulders　and　passed　him　from　one　to　another；　till
they　carried　him　into　the　city；　and　only　when　they　had　thus　placed
their　general　in　safety；　provided　afterwards　each　man　for　his　own
security。
　　Nor　were　the　Spaniards　alone　ambitious　to　serve　him；　but　the　Roman
soldiers；　also；　that　came　out　of　Italy；　were　impatient　to　be　under　his
command；　and　when　Perpenna　Vento；　who　was　of　the　same　faction　with
Sertorius；　came　into　Spain　with　a　quantity　of　money　and　a　large　number
of　troops；　and　designed　to　make　war　against　Metellus　on　his　own
account；　his　own　soldiers　opposed　it；　and　talked　continually　of
Sertorius；　much　to　the　mortification　of　Perpenna；　who　was　puffed　up
with　the　grandeur　of　his　family　and　his　riches。　And　when　they
afterwards　received　tidings　that　Pompey　was　passing　the　Pyrenees；　they
took　up　their　arms　laid　hold　on　their　ensigns；　c