第 5 节
作者:小秋      更新:2021-02-17 23:16      字数:9322
  with all the terrors of trumpets and cornets sounding; with the
  triumphant shout and cry of an army let loose to spoil and
  slaughter; and scouring through the streets with swords drawn。 There
  was no numbering the slain; the amount is to this day conjectured only
  from the space of ground overflowed with blood。 For without mentioning
  the execution done in other quarters of the city; the blood that was
  shed about the market…place spread over the whole Ceramicus within the
  Double…gate; and; according to most writers; passed through the gate
  and overflowed the suburb。 Nor did the multitudes which fell thus
  exceed the number of those who; out of pity and love for their country
  which they believed was now finally to perish; slew themselves; the
  best of them; through despair of their country's surviving; dreading
  themselves to survive; expecting neither humanity nor moderation in
  Sylla。 At length; partly at the instance of Midias and Calliphon;
  two exiled men; beseeching and casting themselves at his feet;
  partly by the intercession of those senators who followed the camp;
  having had his fill of revenge; and making some honourable mention
  of the ancient Athenians; 〃I forgive;〃 said he; 〃the many for the sake
  of the few; the living for the dead。〃 He took Athens; according to his
  own Memoirs; on the calends of March; coinciding pretty nearly with
  the new moon of Anthesterion; on which day it is the Athenian usage to
  perform various acts in commemoration of the ruins and devastations
  occasioned by the deluge; that being supposed to be the time of its
  occurrence。
  At the taking of the town; the tyrant fled into the citadel; and was
  there besieged by Curio; who had that charge given him。 He held out
  a considerable time; but at last yielded himself up for want of water;
  and divine power immediately intimated its agency in the matter。 For
  on the same day and hour that Curio conducted him down; the clouds
  gathered in a clear sky; and there came down a great quantity of
  rain and filled the citadel with water。
  Not long after; Sylla won the Piraeus; and burnt most of it; amongst
  the rest; Philo's arsenal; a work very greatly admired。
  In the meantime Taxiles; Mithridates's general; coming down from
  Thrace and Macedon; with an army of one hundred thousand foot; ten
  thousand horse; and ninety chariots; armed with scythes at the wheels;
  would have joined Archelaus; who lay with a navy on the coast near
  Munychia; reluctant to quit the sea; and yet unwilling to engage the
  Romans in battle; but desiring to protract the war and cut off the
  enemy's supplies。 Which Sylla perceiving much better than himself;
  passed with his forces into Boeotia; quitting a barren district
  which was inadequate to maintain an army even in time of peace。 He was
  thought by some to have taken false measures in thus leaving Attica; a
  rugged country; and ill suited for cavalry to move in; and entering
  the plain and open fields of Boeotia; knowing as he did the
  barbarian strength to consist most in horses and chariots。 But as
  was said before; to avoid famine and scarcity; he was forced to run
  the risk of a battle。 Moreover he was in anxiety for Hortensius; a
  bold and active officer; whom on his way to Sylla with forces from
  Thessaly; the barbarians awaited in the straits。 For these reasons
  Sylla drew off into Boeotia。 Hortensius; meantime; was conducted by
  Caphis; our countryman; another way unknown to the barbarians; by
  Parnassus; just under Tithora; which was then not so large a town as
  it is now; but a mere fort; surrounded by steep precipices whither the
  Phocians also; in old times; when flying from the invasion of
  Xerxes; carried themselves and their goods and were saved。 Hortensius;
  encamping here; kept off the enemy by day; and at night descending
  by difficult passages to Patronis; joined the forces of Sylla who came
  to meet him。 Thus united they posted themselves on a fertile hill in
  the middle of the plain of Elatea; shaded with trees and watered at
  the foot。 It is called Philoboeotus; and its situation and natural
  advantages are spoken of with great admiration by Sylla。
  As they lay thus encamped; they seemed to the enemy a contemptible
  number; for there were not above fifteen hundred horse; and less
  than fifteen thousand foot。 Therefore the rest of the commanders;
  over…persuading Archelaus and drawing up the army; covered the plain
  with horses; chariots; bucklers; targets。 The clamour and cries of
  so many nations forming for battle rent the air; nor was the pomp
  and ostentation of their costly array altogether idle and
  unserviceable for terror; for the brightness of their armour;
  embellished magnificently with gold and silver; and the rich colours
  of their Median and Scythian coats; intermixed with brass and
  shining steel; presented a flaming and terrible sight as they swayed
  about and moved in their ranks; so much so that the Romans shrunk
  within their trenches; and Sylla; unable by any arguments to remove
  their fear; and unwilling to force them to fight against their
  wills; was fain to sit down in quiet; ill…brooking to become the
  subject of barbarian insolence and laughter。 This; however; above
  all advantaged him; for the enemy; from contemning of him; fell into
  disorder amongst themselves; being already less thoroughly under
  command; on account of the number of their leaders。 Some few of them
  remained within the encampment; but others; the major part; lured
  out with hopes of prey and rapine; strayed about the country many
  days' journey from the camp; and are related to have destroyed the
  city of Panope; to have plundered Lebadea; and robbed the oracle
  without any orders from their commanders。
  Sylla; all this while; chafing and fretting to see the cities all
  around destroyed; suffered not the soldiery to remain idle; but
  leading them out; compelled them to divert the Cephisus from its
  ancient channel by casting up ditches; and giving respite to none;
  showed himself rigorous in punishing the remiss; that growing weary of
  labour; they might be induced by hardship to embrace danger。 Which
  fell out accordingly; for on the third day; being hard at work as
  Sylla passed by; they begged and clamoured to be led against the
  enemy。 Sylla replied; that this demand of war proceeded rather from
  a backwardness to labour than any forwardness to fight; but if they
  were in good earnest martially inclined; he bade them take their
  arms and get up thither; pointing to the ancient citadel of the
  Parapotamians; of which at present; the city being laid waste; there
  remained only the rocky hill itself; steep and craggy on all sides;
  and severed from Mount Hedylium by the breadth of the river Assus;
  which; running between; and at the bottom of the same hill falling
  into the Cephisus with an impetuous confluence; makes this eminence
  a strong position for soldiers to occupy。 Observing that the enemy's
  division; called the Brazen Shields; were making their way up thither;
  Sylla was willing to take first possession; and by the vigorous
  efforts of the soldiers; succeeded。 Archelaus; driven from hence; bent
  his forces upon Chaeronea。 The Chaeroneans who bore arms in the
  Roman camp beseeching Sylla not to abandon the city; he despatched
  Gabinius; a tribune; with one legion; and sent out also the
  Chaeroneans; who endeavoured; but were not able to get in before
  Gabinius; so active was he; and more zealous to bring relief than
  those who had entreated it。 Juba writes that Ericius was the man sent;
  not Gabinius。 Thus narrowly did our native city escape。
  From Lebadea and the cave of Trophonius there came favourable
  rumours and prophecies of victory to the Romans; of which the
  inhabitants of those places gave a fuller account; but as Sylla
  himself affirms in the tenth book of his Memoirs; Quintus Titius; a
  man of some repute among the Romans who were engaged in mercantile
  business in Greece; came to him after the battle won at Chaeronea; and
  declared that Trophonius had foretold another fight and victory on the
  place; within a short time。 After him a soldier; by name Salvenius;
  brought an account from the god of the future issue of affairs in
  Italy。 As to the vision; they both agreed in this; that they had
  seen one who in stature and in majesty was similar to Jupiter
  Olympius。
  Sylla; when he had passed over the Assus; marching under the Mount
  Hedylium; encamped close to Archelaus; who had intrenched himself
  strongly between the mountains Acontium and Hedylium; close to what
  are called the Assia。 The place of his intrenchment is to this day
  named from him; Archelaus。 Sylla; after one day's respite; having left
  Murena behind him with one legion and two cohorts to amuse the enemy
  with continual alarms; himself went and sacrificed on the banks of
  Cephisus; and the holy rites ended; held on towards Chaeronea to
  receive the forces there and view Mount Thurium; where a party of
  the enemy had posted themselves。 This is a craggy height running up in
  a conical form to a point called by us Orthopagus; at the foot of it
  is the river Morius and the temple of Apollo Thurius。 The god had
  his surname from Thuro; mother of Chaeron; whom ancient record makes
  founder of Chaeronea。 Others a