sertorius-第1章

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　SERTORIUS
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　130？…72　B。C。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Plutarch

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　translated　by　John　Dryden




　　IT　is　no　great　wonder　if　in　long　process　of　time；　while　fortune
takes　her　course　hither　and　thither；　numerous　coincidences　should
spontaneously　occur。　If　the　number　and　variety　of　subjects　to　be
wrought　upon　be　infinite；　it　is　all　the　more　easy　for　fortune；　with
such　an　abundance　of　material；　to　effect　this　similarity　of　results。
Or　if；　on　the　other　hand；　events　are　limited　to　the　combinations　of
some　finite　number；　then　of　necessity　the　same　must　often　recur；　and
in　the　same　sequence。　There　are　people　who　take　a　pleasure　in　making
collections　of　all　such　fortuitous　occurrences　that　they　have　heard　or
read　of；　as　look　like　works　of　a　rational　power　and　design；　they
observe；　for　example；　that　two　eminent　persons　whose　names　were　Attis；
the　one　a　Syrian；　the　other　of　Arcadia；　were　both　slain　by　a　wild
boar；　that　of　two　whose　names　were　Actaeon；　the　one　was　torn　in　pieces
by　his　dogs；　the　other　by　his　lovers；　that　of　two　famous　Scipios；
the　one　overthrew　the　Carthaginians　in　war；　the　other　totally　ruined
and　destroyed　them；　the　city　of　Troy　was　the　first　time　taken　by
Hercules　for　the　horses　promised　him　by　Laomedon；　the　second　time　by
Agamemnon；　by　means　of　the　celebrated　great　wooden　horse；　and　the
third　time　by　Charidemus；　by　occasion　of　a　horse　falling　down　at　the
gate；　which　hindered　the　Trojans；　so　that　they　could　not　shut　them
soon　enough；　and　of　two　cities　which　take　their　names　from　the　most
agreeable　odoriferous　plants；　Ios　and　Smyrna；　the　one　from　a　violet；
the　other　from　myrrh；　the　poet　Homer　is　reported　to　have　been　born
in　the　one　and　to　have　died　in　the　other。　And　so　to　these　instances
let　us　further　add；　that　the　most　warlike　commanders；　and　most
remarkable　for　exploits　of　skilful　stratagem；　have　had　but　one　eye；　as
Philip；　Antigonus；　Hannibal；　and　Sertorius；　whose　life　and　actions
we　describe　at　present；　of　whom；　indeed；　we　might　truly　say；　that　he
was　more　continent　than　Philip；　more　faithful　to　his　friends　than
Antigonus；　and　more　merciful　to　his　enemies　than　Hannibal；　and　that
for　prudence　and　judgment　he　gave　place　to　none　of　them；　but　in
fortune　was　inferior　to　them　all。　Yet　though　he　had　continually　in　her
a　far　more　difficult　adversary　to　contend　against　than　his　open
enemies；　he　nevertheless　maintained　his　ground；　with　the　military
skill　of　Metellus；　the　boldness　of　Pompey；　the　success　of　Sylla；　and
the　power　of　the　Roman　people；　all　to　be　encountered　by　one　who　was
a　banished　man　and　a　stranger　at　the　head　of　a　body　of　barbarians。
Among　Greek　commanders；　Eumenes　of　Cardia　may　be　best　compared　with
him；　they　were　both　of　them　men　born　for　command；　for　warfare；　and　for
stratagem；　both　banished　from　their　countries；　and　holding　command
over　strangers；　both　had　fortune　for　their　adversary；　in　their　last
days　so　harshly　so；　that　they　were　both　betrayed　and　murdered　by　those
who　served　them；　and　with　whom　they　had　formerly　overcome　their
enemies。
　　Quintus　Sertorius　was　of　a　noble　family；　born　in　the　city　of　Nursia；
in　the　country　of　the　Sabines；　his　father　died　when　he　was　young；
and　he　was　carefully　and　decently　educated　by　his　mother；　whose　name
was　Rhea；　and　whom　he　appears　to　have　extremely　loved　and　honoured。　He
paid　some　attention　to　the　study　of　oratory　and　pleading　in　his　youth；
and　acquired　some　reputation　and　influence　in　Rome　by　his　eloquence；
but　the　splendour　of　his　actions　in　arms；　and　his　successful
achievements　in　the　wars；　drew　off　his　ambition　in　that　direction。
　　At　his　first　beginning；　he　served　under　Caepio；　when　the　Cimbri
and　Teutones　invaded　Gaul；　where　the　Romans　fighting　unsuccessfully；
and　being　put　to　flight；　he　was　wounded　in　many　parts　of　his　body；　and
lost　his　horse；　yet；　nevertheless；　swam　across　the　river　Rhone　in
his　armour；　with　his　breastplate　and　shield；　bearing　himself　up
against　the　violence　of　the　current；　so　strong　and　so　well　inured　to
hardship　was　his　body。
　　The　second　time　that　the　Cimbri　and　Teutones　came　down　with　some
hundreds　of　thousands；　threatening　death　and　destruction　to　all；
when　it　was　no　small　piece　of　service　for　a　Roman　soldier　to　keep
his　ranks　and　obey　his　commander；　Sertorius　undertook；　while　Marius
led　the　army；　to　spy　out　the　enemy's　camp。　Procuring　a　Celtic　dress；
and　acquainting　himself　with　the　ordinary　expressions　of　their
language　requisite　for　common　intercourse；　he　threw　himself　in　amongst
the　barbarians；　where　having　carefully　seen　with　his　own　eyes；　or
having　been　fully　informed　by　persons　upon　the　place　of　all　their　most
important　concerns；　he　returned　to　Marius；　from　whose　hands　he
received　the　rewards　of　valour；　and　afterwards　giving　frequent　proof
both　of　conduct　and　courage　in　all　the　following　war；　he　was
advanced　to　places　of　honour　and　trust　under　his　general。　After　the
wars　with　the　Cimbri　and　Teutones；　he　was　sent　into　Spain；　having
the　command　of　a　thousand　men　under　Didius；　the　Roman　general；　and
wintered　in　the　country　of　the　Celtiberians；　in　the　city　of　Castulo；
where　the　soldiers　enjoying　great　plenty；　and　growing　insolent　and
continually　drinking；　the　inhabitants　despised　them　and　sent　for　aid
by　night　to　the　Gyrisoenians；　their　near　neighbours；　who　fell　upon　the
Romans　in　their　lodgings　and　slew　a　great　number　of　them。　Sertorius；
with　a　few　of　his　soldiers；　made　his　way　out；　and　rallying　together
the　rest　who　escaped；　he　marched　round　about　the　walls；　and　finding
the　gate　open；　by　which　the　Gyrisoenians　had　made　their　secret
entrance；　he　gave　not　them　the　same　opportunity；　but　placing　a　guard
at　the　gate；　and　seizing　upon　all　quarters　of　the　city；　he　slew　all
who　were　of　age　to　bear　arms；　and　then　ordering　his　soldiers　to　lay
aside　their　weapons　and　put　off　their　own　clothes；　and　put　on　the
accoutrements　of　the　barbarians；　he　commanded　them　to　follow　him　to
the　city　from　whence　the　men　came　who　had　made　this　night　attack
upon　the　Romans。　And　thus　deceiving　the　Gyrisoenians　with　the　sight　of
their　own　armour；　he　found　the　gates　of　their　city　open；　and　took　a
great　number　prisoners；　who　came　out　thinking　to　meet　their　friends
and　fellow…citizens　come　home　from　a　successful　expedition。　Most　of
them　were　thus　slain　by　the　Romans　at　their　own　gates；　and　the　rest
within　yielded　up　themselves　and　were　sold　for　slaves。
　　This　action　made　Sertorius　highly　renowned　throughout　all　Spain；　and
as　soon　as　be　returned　to　Rome　he　was　appointed　quaestor　of
Cisalpine　Gaul；　at　a　very　seasonable　moment　for　his　country；　the
Marsian　war　being　on　the　point　of　breaking　out。　Sertorius　was
ordered　to　raise　soldiers　and　provide　arms；　which　he　performed　with
a　diligence　and　alacrity；　so　contrasting　with　the　feebleness　and
slothfulness　of　other　officers　of　his　age；　that　he　got　the　repute　of　a
man　whose　life　would　be　one　of　action。　Nor　did　he　relinquish　the
part　of　a　soldier；　now　that　he　had　arrived　at　the　dignity　of　a
commander；　but　performed　wonders　with　his　own　hands；　and　never　sparing
himself；　but　exposing　his　body　freely　in　all　conflicts；　he　lost　one　of
his　eyes。　This　he　always　esteemed　an　honour　to　him；　observing　that
others　do　not　continually　carry　about　with　them　the　marks　and
testimonies　of　their　valour；　but　must　often　lay　aside　their　chains
of　gold；　their　spears　and　crowns；　whereas　his　ensigns　of　honour；　and
the　manifestations　of　his　courage；　always　remained　with　him；　and　those
who　beheld　his　misfortune　must　at　the　same　time　recognize　his
merits。　The　people　also　paid　him　the　respect　he　deserved；　and　when
he　came　into　the　theatre；　received　him　with　plaudits　and　joyful
acclamations；　an　honour　rarely　bestowed　even　on　persons　of　advanced
standing　and　established　reputation。　Yet；　notwithstanding　this
popularity；　when　he　stood　to　be　tribune　of　the　people；　he　was
disappointed；　and　lost　the　place；　being　opposed　by　the　party　of　Sylla；
which　seems　to　have　been　the　principal　cause　of　his　subsequent
enmity　to　Sylla。
　　After　that　Marius　was　overcome　by　Sylla　and　fled　into　Africa；　and
Sylla　had　left　Italy　to　go　to　the　wars　against　Mithridates；　and　of　the
two　consuls　Octavius　and　Cinna；　Octavius　remained　steadfast　to　the
policy　of　Sylla；　but　Cinna；　desirous　of　a　new　revolution；　attempted　to
recall　the　lost　interest　of　Marius；　Sertorius　joined　Cinna's　party；
more　particularly　as　he　saw　that　Octavius　was　not　very　capable；　and
was　also　suspicious　of　any　one　that　was　a　friend　to　Marius。　When　a
great　battle　was　fought　between　the　two　consuls　in　the　forum；　Octavius
overcame；　and　Cinna　and　Sertorius；　having　lost　not　less　than　ten
thousand　men；　left　the　city；　and　gaining　over　most　part　of　the
troops　who　were　dispersed　about　and　remained　still　in　many　parts　of
Italy；　they　in　a　short　time　mustered　up　a　force　against　Octavius
sufficient　to　give　him　battle　again；　and　Marius；　also；　now　coming　by
sea　out　of　Africa；　proffered　himself　to　serve　under　Cinna；　as　a
private　soldier　under　his　consul　and　commander。
　　Most　were　for　the　immediate　reception　of　Marius；　but　Sertorius
openly　declared　against　it；　whether　he　thought　that　Cinna　would　not
now　pay　as　much　attention　to　himself；　when　a　man　of　higher　military
repute　was　present；　or　feared　that　the　violence　of　Marius　would
bring　all　things　to　confusion；　by　his　boundless　wrath　and　vengeance
after　victory。　He　insisted　upon　it　with　Cinna　that　they　were　already
victorious；　that　there　remained　little　to　be　done；　and　that　if　they
admitted　Marius；　he　would　deprive　them　of　the　glory　and　advantage　of
the　war；　as　there　was　no　man　less　easy　to　deal　with；　or　less　to　be
trusted　in；　as　a　partner　in　power。　Cinna　answered；　that　Sertorius
rightly　judged　the　affair；　but　that　he　himself　was　at　a　loss；　and
ashamed；　and　knew　not　how　to　reject　him；　after　he　had　sent　for　him
to　share　in　his　fortunes。　To　which　Sertorius　immediately　replied；　that
he　had　thought　that　Marius　came　into　Italy　of　his　own　accord；　and
therefore　had　deliberated　as　to　what　might　be　most　expedient；　but　that
Cinna　ought　not　so　much　as　to　have　questioned　whether　he　should　accept
him　whom　he　had　already　invited；　but　should　have　honourably　received
and　employed　him；　for　his　word　once　passed　left　no　room　for　debate。
Thus　Marius　being　sent　for　by　Cinna；　and　their　forces　being　divided
into　three　parts；　under　Cinna；　Marius；　and　Sertorius；　the　war　was
brought　to　a　successful　conclusion；　but　those　about　Cinna　and　Marius
committing　all　manner　of　insolence　and　cruelty；　made　the　Romans
think　the　evils　of　war　a　golden　time　in　comparison。　On　the　contrary；
it　is　reported　of　Sertorius　that　he　never　slew　any　man　in　his　anger　to
satisfy　his　own　private　revenge；　nor　ever　insulted　over　any　one　whom
he　had　overcome；　but　was　much　offended　with　Marius；　and　often
privately　entreated　Cinna　to　use　his　power　more　moderately。　And　in　the
end；　when　the　slaves　whom　Marius　had　freed　at　his　landing　to
increase　his　army；　being　made　not　only　his　fellow…soldiers　in　the　war；
but　also　now　his　guard　in　his　usurpation；　enriched　and　powerful　by　his
favour；　either　by　the　command　or　permission　of　Marius；　or　by　their　own
lawless　violence；　committed　all　sorts　of　crimes；　kill