第 15 节
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想聊 更新:2021-09-05 09:19 字数:9322
d with horse and foot and money; and relying on those all who desired political change of any sortI contrived that he should leave the kingdom: and that the king; without civil war or an appeal to arms; with the full authority of the court thoroughly secured; should hold the kingdom with proper dignity。
Meanwhile。 I was informed by despatches and messengers from many sides; that the Parthians and Arabs had approached the town of Antioch in great force; and that a large body of their horsemen; which had crossed into Cilicia; had been cut to pieces by some squadrons of my cavalry and the prntorian cohort then on garrison duty at Epiphanea… Wherefore; seeing that the forces of the Parthians had turned their backs upon Cappadocia; and were not far from the frontiers of Cilicia; I led my army to Anianus with the longest forced marches I could。 Arrived there; I learnt that the enemy had retired from Antioch; and that Bibulus was at Antioch。 I thereupon informed Deiotarus; who was hurrying to join me with a large and strong body of horse and foot; and with all the forces he could muster; that I saw no reason for his leaving his own do…minions; and that in case of any new event; I would immediately write and send to him。 And as my intention in coming had been to relieve both provinces; should occasion arise; so now I proceeded to do what I had all along made up my mind was greatly to the interest of both provinces; namely; to reduce Amanus; and to remove from that mountain an eternal enemy。 So I made a feint of retiring from the mountain and making for other parts of Cilicia: and having gone a day's march from Amanus and pitched a camp; on the 12th of October; towards evening; at Epiphanea; with my army in light marching order I effected such a night march; that by dawn on the 13th I was already ascending Amanus。 Having formed the cohorts and auxiliaries into several columns of attackI and my legate Quintus (my brother) commanding one; my legate C。 Pomptinus another; and my legates M。 Anneius and L。 Tullius the restwe surprised most of the inhabitants; who; being cut off from all retreat; were killed or taken prisoners。 But Erana; which was more like a town than a village; and was the capital of Amanus; as also Sepyra and Commons; which offered a determined and protracted resistance from before daybreak till four in the afternoonPomptinus being in command in that part of Amanuswe took; after killing a great number of the enemy; and stormed and set fire to several fortresses。 After these operations we lay encamped for four days on the spurs of Amanus; near the Arce Alezandri; and all that time we devoted to the destruction of the remaining inhabitants of Amanus; and devastating their lands on that side of the mountain which belongs to my province。 Having accomplished this; I led the army away to Pindenissus; a town of the Eleutherocilices。 And since this town was situated on a very lofty and strongly fortified spot; and was inhabited by men who have never submitted even to the kings; and since they were offering harbourage to deserters; and were eagerly expecting the arrival of the Parthians; I thought it of importance to the prestige of the empire to suppress their audacity; in order that there might be less difficulty in breaking the spirits of all such as were anywhere disaffected to our rule。 I encircled them with a stockade and trench: I beleaguered them with six forts and huge camps: I assaulted them by the aid of earth…works; pent…houses; and towers: and having employed numerous catapults and bowmen; with great personal labour; and without troubling the allies or costing them anything; I reduced them to such extremities that; after every region of their town had been battered down or fired; they surrendered to me on the fifty…seventh day。 Their next neighbours were the people of Tebra; no less predatory and audacious: from them after the capture of Pindenissus I received hostages。 I then dismissed the army to winter quarters; and I put my brother in command; with orders to station the men in villages that had either been captured or were disaffected。
Well now; I would have you feel convinced that; should a motion be brought before the senate on these matters; I shall consider that the highest possible compliment has been paid me; if you give your vote in favour of a mark of honour being bestowed upon me。 And as to this; though I am aware that in such matters men of the most respectable character are accustomed to ask and to be asked; yet I think in your case that it is rather a reminder than a request which is called for from me。 For it is you who have on very many occasions complimented me in votes which you delivered; who have praised me to the skies in conversation; in panegyric; in the most laudatory speeches in senate and public meeting: you are the man to whose words I ever attached such weight as to hold myself in possession of my utmost ambition; if your lips joined the chorus of my praise。 It was you finally; as I recollect; who said; when voting against a supplicatlo in honour of a certain illustrious and noble person; that you would have voted for it; if the motion had related to what he had done in the city as consul。 It was you; too; who voted for granting me a supplicatio; though only a civilian; not as had been done in many instances; 〃for good services to the state;〃 but; as I remember; 〃for having saved the state。〃 I pass over your having shared the hatred I excited; the dangers I ran; all the storms' that I have encountered; and your having been entirely ready to have shared them much more fully if I had allowed it; and finally your having regarded my enemy as your own; of whose death eventhus shewing me clearly how much you valued meyou manifested your approval by supporting the cause of Milo in the senate。 On the other hand; I have borne a testimony to you; which I do not regard as constituting any claim on your gratitude; but as a frank expression of genuine opinion: for I did not confine myself to a silent admiration of your eminent virtueswho does not admire them? But in all forms of speech; whether in the senate or at the bar; in all kinds of writing; Greek or Latin; in fine; in all the various branches of my literary activity; I proclaimed your superiority not only to contemporaries; but also to those of whom we have heard in history。
Yon will ask; perhaps; why I place such value on this or that modicum of congratulation or compliment from the senate。 I will be frank with you; as our common tastes' and mutual good services; our close friendship; nay; the intimacy of our fathers demand。 If there ever was anyone by natural inclination; and still more; I think; by reason and reflexion; averse from the empty praise and comments of the vulgar; I am certainly the man。 Witness my consulship; in which; as in the rest of my life; I confess that I eagerly pursued the objects capable of producing true glory: mere glory for its own sake I never thought a subject for ambition。 Accordingly; I not only passed over a province after the votes for its outfit had been taken; but also with it an almost certain hope of a triumph; and finally the priesthood; though; as I think you will agree with me; I could have obtained it without much difficulty; I did not try to get。 Yet after my unjust disgracealways stigmatized by you as a disaster to the Republic; and rather an honour than a disaster to myselfI was anxious that some very signal marks of the approbation of the senate and Roman people should be put on record。 Accordingly; in the first place; I did subsequently wish for the augurship; about which I had not troubled myself before; and the compliment usually paid by the senate in the case of success in war; though passed over by me in old times; I now think an object to be desired。 That you should approve and support this wish of mine; in which you may trace a strong desire to heal the wounds inflicted upon me by my disgrace; though I a little while ago declared that I would not ask it; I now do earnestly ask of you: but only on condition that you shall not think my humble services paltry and insignificant; but of such a nature and importance; that many for far less signal successes have obtained the highest honours from the senate。 I have; too; I think; noticed thisfor you know how attentively I ever listen to youthat in granting or withholding honours you are accustomed to look not so much to the particular achievements as to the character; the principles' and conduct of commanders。 Well; if you apply this test to my case; you will find that; with a weak army; my strongest support against the threat of a very formidable war has been my equity and purity of conduct。 With these as my aids I accomplished what I never could have accomplished by any amount of legions: among the allies I have created the warmest devotion in place of the most extreme alienation; the most complete loyalty in place of the most dangerous disaffection; and their spirits fluttered by the prospect of change I have brought back to feelings of affection for the old rule。
But I have said too much of myself; especially to you; in whom singly the grievances of all our allies alike find a listener。 You will learn the truth from those who think themselves re