第 2 节
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开了 更新:2021-02-19 00:13 字数:9322
were in; could only doubtfully construe the sight according to their
desires。 But as it grew thicker and thicker; blackening the air; and
mounting to a greater height; they no longer doubted but it was the
fire…signal of their companions; and; raising a triumphant shout;
forcing their way onwards; they drove the enemy back into the roughest
ground; while the other party echoed back their acclamations from
the top of the mountain。
The Macedonians fled with all the speed they could make; there fell;
indeed; not more than two thousand of them; for the difficulties of
the place rescued them from pursuit。 But the Romans pillaged their
camp; seized upon their money and slaves; and; becoming absolute
masters of the pass; traversed all Epirus; but with such order and
discipline; with such temperance and moderation; that; though they
were far from the sea; at a great distance from their vessels; and
stinted of their monthly allowance of corn; and though they had much
difficulty in buying; they nevertheless abstained altogether from
plundering the country; which had provisions enough of all sorts in
it。 For intelligence being received that Philip; making a flight;
rather than a march; through Thessaly; forced the inhabitants from the
towns to take shelter in the mountains; burnt down the towns
themselves; and gave up as spoil to his soldiers all the property
which it had been found impossible to remove; abandoning; as it
would seem; the whole country to the Romans; Titus was; therefore;
very desirous; and entreated his soldiers that they would pass through
it as if it were their own; or as if a place trusted into their hands;
and; indeed; they quickly perceived; by the event; what benefit they
derived from this moderate and orderly conduct。 For they no sooner set
foot in Thessaly; but the cities opened their gates; and the Greeks;
within Thermopylae; were all eagerness and excitement to ally
themselves with them。 The Achaeans abandoned their alliance with
Philip; and voted to join with the Romans in actual arms against
him; and the Opuntians; though the Aetolians; who were zealous
allies of the Romans; were willing and desirous to undertake the
protection of the city; would not listen to proposals from them; but
sending for Titus; intrusted and committed themselves to his charge。
It is told of Pyrrhus; that when first; from an adjacent hill or
watchtower which gave him a prospect of the Roman army; he descried
them drawn up in order; he observed; that he saw nothing
barbarian…like in this barbarian line of battle; And all who came near
Titus could not choose but say as much of him; at their first view。
For they who had been told by the Macedonians of an invader; at the
head of a barbarian army; carrying everywhere slavery and
destruction on his sword's point; when; in lieu of such an one; they
met a man; in the flower of his age; of a gentle and humane aspect;
a Greek in his voice and language; and a lover of honour; were
wonderfully pleased and attracted; and when they left him; they filled
the cities; wherever they went; with favourable feelings for him;
and with the belief that in him they might find the protector and
assertor of their liberties。 And when afterwards; on Philip's
professing a desire for peace; Titus made a tender to him of peace and
friendship; upon the condition that the Greeks he left to their own
laws; and that he should withdraw his garrisons; which he refused to
comply with; now after these proposals the universal belief even of
the favourers and partisans of Philip was; that the Romans came not to
fight against the Greeks; but for the Greeks against the Macedonians。
Accordingly; all the rest of Greece came to peaceable terms with
him。 But as he marched into Boeotia; without committing the least
act of hostility; the nobility and chief men of Thebes came out of
their city to meet him; devoted under the influence of Brachylles to
the Macedonian alliance; but desirous at the same time to show
honour and deference to Titus; as they were; they conceived; in
amity with both parties。 Titus received them in the most obliging
and courteous manner; but kept going gently on; questioning and
inquiring of them; and sometimes entertaining them with narratives
of his own; till his soldiers might a little recover from the
weariness of their journey。 Thus passing on; he and the Thebans came
together into their city; not much to their satisfaction; but yet they
could not well deny him entrance; as a good number of his men attended
him in。 Titus; however; now he was within; as if he had not had the
city at his mercy; came forward and addressed them; urging them to
join the Roman interest。 King Attalus followed to the same effect。 And
he; indeed; trying to play the advocate; beyond what it seems his
age could bear; was seized; in the midst of his speech; with a
sudden flux or dizziness; and swooned away; and; not long after; was
conveyed by ship into Asia; and died there。 The Boeotians joined the
Roman alliance。
But now; when Philip sent an embassy to Rome; Titus despatched
away agents on his part; too; to solicit the senate; if they should
continue the war; to continue him in his command; or if they
determined an end to that; that he might have the honour of concluding
the peace。 Having a great passion for distinction; his fear was;
that if another general were commissioned to carry on the war; the
honour even of what was passed would be lost to him; and his friends
transacted matters so well on his behalf; that Philip was unsuccessful
in his proposals; and the management of the war was confirmed in his
hands。 He no sooner received the senate's determination; but; big with
hopes; he marched directly into Thessaly; to engage Philip; his army
consisting of twenty…six thousand men; out of which the Aetolians
furnished six thousand foot and four hundred horse。 The forces of
Philip were much about the same number。 In this eagerness to
encounter; they advanced against each other; till both were near
Scotussa; where they resolved to hazard a battle。 Nor had the approach
of these two formidable armies the effect that might have been
supposed; to strike into the generals a mutual terror of each other;
it rather inspired them with ardour and ambition; on the Romans' part;
to be the conquerors of Macedon; a name which Alexander had made
famous amongst them for strength and valour; whilst the Macedonians;
on the other hand; esteeming of the Romans as an enemy very
different from the Persians; hoped; if victory stood on their side; to
make the name of Philip more glorious than that of Alexander。 Titus;
therefore; called upon his soldiers to play the part of valiant men;
because they were now to act their parts upon the most illustrious
theatre of the world; Greece; and to contend with the bravest
antagonists。 And Philip; on the other side; commenced a harangue to
his men; as usual before an engagement; and to be the better heard
(whether it were merely a mischance; or the result of unseasonable
haste; not observing what he did); mounted an eminence outside their
camp; which proved to be a burying…place; and much disturbed by the
despondency that seized his army at the unluckiness of the omen; all
that day kept in his camp; and declined fighting。
But on the morrow; as day came on; after a soft and rainy night; the
clouds changing into a mist filled all the plain with thick
darkness; and a dense foggy air descending; by the time it was full
day; from the adjacent mountains into the ground betwixt the two
camps; concealed them from each other's view。 The parties sent out
on either side; some for ambuscade; some for discovery; falling in
upon one another quickly after they were thus detached; began the
fight at what are called the Cynos Cephalae; a number of sharp tops of
hills that stand close to one another; and have the name from some
resemblance in their shape。 Now many vicissitudes and changes
happening; as may well be expected; in such an uneven field of battle;
sometimes hot pursuit; and sometimes as rapid a flight; the generals
on both sides kept sending in succours from the main bodies; as they
saw their men pressed or giving ground; till at length the heavens
clearing up; let them see what was going on; upon which the whole
armies engaged。 Philip; who was in the right wing; from the
advantage of the higher ground which he had; threw on the Romans the
whole weight of his phalanx; with a force which they were unable to
sustain; the dense array of spears; and the pressure of the compact
mass overpowering them。 But the king's left wing being broken up by
the hilliness of the place; Titus observing it; and cherishing
little or no hopes on that side where his own gave ground; makes in
all haste to the other; and there charges in upon the Macedonians;
who; in consequence of the inequality and roughness of the ground;
could not keep their phalanx entire; nor line their ranks to any great
depth (which is the great point of their strength); but were forced to
fight man for man under heavy and unwieldy armour。 For the
Macedonian phalanx is like some single powerful animal; irresistible
so long as it is embodied int