第 3 节
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风格1 更新:2021-02-18 23:33 字数:9322
immediately forsook him and sailed away into Africa to assist Ascalis;
the son of Iphtha; and to help to restore him to his kingdom of
Mauritania。 Their sudden departure noways discouraged Sertorius; he
presently resolved to assist the enemies of Ascalis; and by this new
adventure trusted to keep his soldiers together。 who from this might
conceive new hopes; and a prospect of a new scene of action。 His
arrival in Mauritania being very acceptable to the Moors; he lost no
time; but immediately giving battle to Ascalis; beat him out of the
field and besieged him; and Paccianus being sent by Sylla; with a
powerful supply; to raise the siege; Sertorius slew him in the
field; gained over all his forces; and took the city of Tingis; into
which Ascalis and his brothers were fled for refuge。 The Africans tell
that Antaeus was buried in this city; and Sertorius had the grave
opened; doubting the story because of the prodigious size; and finding
there his body; in effect; it is said; full sixty cubits long; he
was infinitely astonished; offered sacrifice; and heaped up the tomb
again; gave his confirmation to the story; and added new honours to
the memory of Antaeus。 The Africans tell that after the death of
Antaeus; his wife Tinga lived with Hercules; and had a son by him
called Sophax; who was king of these countries; and gave his
mother's name to this city; whose son; also; was Diodorus; a great
conqueror; who brought the greatest part of the Libyan tribes under
his subjection; with an army of Greeks; raised out of the colonies
of the Olbians and Myceneans placed here by Hercules。 Thus much I
may mention for the sake of King Juba; of all monarchs the greatest
student of history whose ancestors are said to have sprung from
Diodorus and Sophax。
When Sertorius had made himself absolute master of the whole
country; he acted with great fairness to those who had confided in
him; and who yielded to his mercy; he restored to them their property;
cities; and government; accepting only of such acknowledgments as they
themselves freely offered。 And whilst he considered which way next
to turn his arms; the Lusitanians sent ambassadors to desire him to be
their general; for being terrified with the Roman power; and finding
the necessity of having a commander of great authority and
experience in war; being also sufficiently assured of his worth and
valour by those who had formerly known him; they were desirous to
commit themselves especially to his care。 And in fact Sertorius is
said to have been of a temper unassailable either by fear or pleasure;
in adversity and dangers undaunted; and noways puffed up with
prosperity。 In straightforward fighting; no commander in his time
was more bold and daring; and in whatever was to be performed in war
by stratagem; secrecy; or surprise; if any strong place was to be
secured; any pass to be gained speedily; for deceiving and
overreaching an enemy; there was no man equal to him in subtlety and
skill。 In bestowing rewards and conferring honours upon those who
had performed good service in the wars; he was bountiful and
magnificent; and was no less sparing and moderate in inflicting
punishment。 It is true that that piece of harshness and cruelty
which he executed in the latter part of his days upon the Spanish
hostages seems to argue that his clemency was not natural to him;
but only worn as a dress; and employed upon calculation; as his
occasion or necessity required。 As to my own opinion; I am persuaded
that pure virtue; established by reason and judgment; can never be
totally perverted or changed into its opposite; by any misfortune
whatever。 Yet I think it at the same time possible that virtuous
inclinations and natural good qualities may; when unworthily oppressed
by calamities; show; with change of fortune; some change and
alteration of their temper; and thus I conceive it happened to
Sertorius; who; when prosperity failed him; became exasperated by
his disasters against those who had done him wrong。
The Lusitanians having sent for Sertorius; he left Africa; and being
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 far