antony-第11章

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e　Pharsalian　fields；　where　Caesar　and　Pompey　had　fought　before。　But　whilst　Antony　lay　with　his　fleet　near　Actium；　where　now　stands　Nicopolis；　Caesar　seized　his　opportunity　and　crossed　the　Ionian　sea；　securing　himself　at　a　place　in　Epirus　called　the　Ladle。　And　when　those　about　Antony　were　much　disturbed；　their　land…forces　being　a　good　way　off；　〃Indeed；〃　said　Cleopatra；　in　mockery；　〃we　may　well　be　frightened　if　Caesar　has　got　hold　of　the　Ladle！〃　　　On　the　morrow；　Antony；　seeing　the　enemy　sailing　up；　and　fearing　lest　his　ships　might　be　taken　for　want　of　the　soldiers　to　go　on　board　of　them；　armed　all　the　rowers；　and　made　a　show　upon　the　decks　of　being　in　readiness　to　fight；　the　oars　were　mounted　as　if　waiting　to　be　put　in　motion；　and　the　vessels　themselves　drawn　up　to　face　the　enemy　on　either　side　of　the　channel　of　Actium；　as　though　they　were　properly　manned　and　ready　for　an　engagement。　And　Caesar；　deceived　by　this　stratagem；　retired。　He　was　also　thought　to　have　shown　considerable　skill　in　cutting　off　the　water　from　the　enemy　by　some　lines　of　trenches　and　forts；　water　not　being　plentiful　anywhere　else；　nor　very　good。　And　again；　his　conduct　to　Domitius　was　generous；　much　against　the　will　of　Cleopatra。　For　when　he　had　made　his　escape　in　a　little　boat　to　Caesar；　having　then　a　fever　upon　him；　although　Antony　could　not　but　resent　it　highly；　yet　he　sent　after　him　his　whole　equipage　with　his　friends　and　servants；　and　Domitius；　as　if　he　would　give　a　testimony　to　the　world　how　repentant　he　had　become　on　his　desertion　and　treachery　being　thus　manifest；　died　soon　after。　Among　the　kings；　also；　Amyntas　and　Deiotarus　went　over　to　Caesar。　And　the　fleet　was　so　unfortunate　in　everything　that　was　undertaken；　and　so　unready　on　every　occasion；　that　Antony　was　driven　again　to　put　his　confidence　in　the　land…forces。　Canidius；　too；　who　commanded　the　legions；　when　he　saw　how　things　stood；　changed　his　opinion；　and　now　was　of　advice　that　Cleopatra　should　be　sent　back；　and　that；　retiring　into　Thrace　or　Macedonia；　the　quarrel　should　be　decided　in　a　land　fight。　For　Dicomes；　also；　the　King　of　the　Getae；　promised　to　come　and　join　him　with　a　great　army；　and　it　would　not　be　any　kind　of　disparagement　to　him　to　yield　the　sea　to　Caesar；　who；　in　the　Sicilian　wars；　had　had　such　long　practice　in　ship…fighting；　on　the　contrary；　it　would　be　simply　ridiculous　for　Antony；　who　was　by　land　the　most　experienced　commander　living；　to　make　no　use　of　his　well…disciplined　and　numerous　infantry；　scattering　and　wasting　his　forces　by　parcelling　them　out　in　the　ships。　But　for　all　this；　Cleopatra　prevailed　that　a　sea…fight　should　determine　all；　having　already　an　eye　to　flight；　and　ordering　all　her　affairs；　not　so　as　to　assist　in　gaining　a　victory；　but　to　escape　with　the　greatest　safety　from　the　first　commencement　of　a　defeat。　　　There　were　two　long　walls；　extending　from　the　camp　to　the　station　of　the　ships；　between　which　Antony　used　to　pass　to　and　fro　without　suspecting　any　danger。　But　Caesar；　upon　the　suggestion　of　a　servant　that　it　would　not　be　difficult　to　surprise　him；　laid　an　ambush；　which；　rising　up　somewhat　too　hastily；　seized　the　man　that　came　just　before　him；　he　himself　escaping　narrowly　by　flight。　　　When　it　was　resolved　to　stand　to　a　fight　at　sea；　they　set　fire　to　all　the　Egyptian　ships　except　sixty；　and　of　these　the　best　and　largest；　from　ten　banks　down　to　three；　he　manned　with　twenty　thousand　full…armed　men　and　two　thousand　archers。　Here　it　is　related　that　a　foot　captain；　one　that　had　fought　often　under　Antony；　and　had　his　body　all　mangled　with　wounds；　exclaimed；　〃O　my　general；　what　have　our　wounds　and　swords　done　to　displease　you；　that　you　should　give　your　confidence　to　rotten　timbers？　Let　Egyptians　and　Phoenicians　contend　at　sea；　give　us　the　land；　where　we　know　well　how　to　die　upon　the　spot　or　gain　the　victory。〃　To　which　he　answered　nothing；　but；　by　his　look　and　motion　of　his　hand　seeming　to　bid　him　be　of　good　courage；　passed　forwards；　having　already；　it　would　seem；　no　very　sure　hopes；　since　when　the　masters　proposed　leaving　the　sails　behind　them；　he　commanded　they　should　be　put　aboard；　〃For　we　must　not；〃　said　he；　〃let　one　enemy　escape。〃　　　That　day　and　the　three　following　the　sea　was　so　rough　they　could　not　engage。　But　on　the　fifth　there　was　a　calm；　and　they　fought；　Antony　commanding　with　Publicola　the　right；　and　Coelius　the　left　squadron；　Marcus　Octavius　and　Marcus　Insteius　the　centre。　Caesar　gave　the　charge　of　the　left　to　Agrippa；　commanding　in　person　on　the　right。　As　for　the　land…forces；　Canidius　was　general　for　Antony；　Taurus　for　Caesar；　both　armies　remaining　drawn　up　in　order　along　the　shore。　Antony　in　a　small　boat　went　from　one　ship　to　another；　encouraging　his　soldiers；　and　bidding　them　stand　firm　and　fight　as　steadily　on　their　large　ships　as　if　they　were　on　land。　The　masters　he　ordered　that　they　should　receive　the　enemy　lying　still　as　if　they　were　at　anchor；　and　maintain　the　entrance　of　the　port；　which　was　a　narrow　and　difficult　passage。　Of　Caesar　they　relate　that；　leaving　his　tent　and　going　round；　while　it　was　yet　dark；　to　visit　the　ships；　he　met　a　man　driving　an　ass；　and　asked　him　his　name。　He　answered　him　that　his　own　name　was　〃Fortunate；　and　my　ass；〃　says　he；　〃is　called　Conqueror。〃　And　afterwards；　when　he　disposed　the　beaks　of　the　ships　in　that　place　in　token　of　his　victory；　the　statue　of　this　man　and　his　ass　in　bronze　were　placed　amongst　them。　After　examining　the　rest　of　his　fleet；　he　went　in　a　boat　to　the　right　wing；　and　looked　with　much　admiration　at　the　enemy　lying　perfectly　still　in　the　straits；　in　all　appearance　as　if　they　had　been　at　anchor。　For　some　considerable　length　of　time　he　actually　thought　they　were　so；　and　kept　his　own　ships　at　rest；　at　a　distance　of　about　eight　furlongs　from　them。　But　about　noon　a　breeze　sprang　up　from　the　sea；　and　Antony's　men；　weary　of　expecting　the　enemy　so　long；　and　trusting　to　their　large　tall　vessels；　as　if　they　had　been　invincible；　began　to　advance　the　left　squadron。　Caesar　was　overjoyed　to　see　them　move；　and　ordered　his　own　right　squadron　to　retire；　that　he　might　entice　them　out　to　sea　as　far　as　he　could；　his　design　being　to　sail　round　and　round；　and　so　with　his　light　and　well…manned　galleys　to　attack　these　huge　vessels；　which　their　size　and　their　want　of　men　made　slow　to　move　and　difficult　to　manage。　　　When　they　engaged；　there　was　no　charging　or　striking　of　one　ship　by　another；　because　Antony's；　by　reason　of　their　great　bulk；　were　incapable　of　the　rapidity　required　to　make　the　stroke　effectual；　and　on　the　other　side；　Caesar's　durst　not　charge　head　to　head　on　Antony's；　which　were　all　armed　with　solid　masses　and　spikes　of　brass；　nor　did　they　like　even　to　run　in　on　their　sides；　which　were　so　strongly　built　with　great　squared　pieces　of　timber；　fastened　together　with　iron　bolts；　that　their　vessels'　beaks　would　easily　have　been　shattered　upon　them。　So　that　the　engagement　resembled　a　land　fight；　or；　to　speak　yet　more　properly；　the　attack　and　defence　of　a　fortified　place；　for　there　were　always　three　or　four　vessels　of　Caesar's　about　one　of　Antony's；　pressing　them　with　spears；　javelins；　poles；　and　several　inventions　of　fire；　which　they　flung　among　them；　Antony's　men　using　catapults　also；　to　pour　down　missiles　from　wooden　towers。　Agrippa　drawing　out　the　squadron　under　his　command　to　outflank　the　enemy；　Publicola　was　obliged　to　observe　his　motions；　and　gradually　to　break　off　from　the　middle　squadron；　where　some　confusion　and　alarm　ensued；　while　Arruntius　engaged　them。　But　the　fortune　of　the　day　was　still　undecided；　and　the　battle　equal；　when　on　a　sudden　Cleopatra's　sixty　ships　were　seen　hoisting　sail　and　making　out　to　sea　in　full　flight；　right　through　the　ships　that　were　engaged。　For　they　were　placed　behind　the　great　ships；　which；　in　breaking　through；　they　put　into　disorder。　The　enemy　was　astonished　to　see　them　sailing　off　with　a　fair　wind　towards　Peloponnesus。　Here　it　was　that　Antony　showed　to　all　the　world　that　he　was　no　longer　actuated　by　the　thoughts　and　motives　of　a　commander　or　a　man；　or　indeed　by　his　own　judgment　at　all；　and　what　was　once　said　as　a　jest；　that　the　soul　of　a　lover　lives　in　some　one　else's　body；　he　proved　to　be　a　serious　truth。　For；　as　if　he　had　been　born　part　of　her；　and　must　move　with　her　wheresoever　she　went；　as　soon　as　he　saw　her　ship　sailing　away；　he　abandoned　all　that　were　fighting　and　spending　their　lives　for　him；　and　put　himself　aboard　a　galley　of　five　banks　of　oars；　taking　with　him　only　Alexander　of　Syria　and　Scellias；　to　follow　her　that　had　so　well　begun　his　ruin　and　would　hereafter　accomplish　it。　　　She；　perceiving　him　to　follow；　gave　the　signal　to　come　aboard。　So；　as　soon　as　he　came　up　with　them；　he　was　taken　into　the　ship。　But　without　seeing　her　or　letting　himself　be　seen　by　her；　he　went　forward　by　himself；　and　sat　alone；　without　a　word；　in　the　ship's　prow；　covering　his　face　with　his　two　hands。　In　the　meanwhile；　some　of　Caesar's　light　Liburnian　ships；　that　were　in　pursuit；　came　in　sight。　But　on　Antony's　commanding　to　face　about；　they　all　gave　back　except　Eurycles　the　Laconian；　who　pressed　on；　shaking　a　lance　from　the　deck；　as　if　he　meant　to　hurl　it　at　him。　Antony；　standing　at　the　prow；　demanded　of　him；　〃Who　is　this　that　pursues　Antony？〃　〃I　am。〃　said　he；　〃Eurycles；　the　son　of　Lachares　armed　with　Caesar's　fortune　to　revenge　my　father's　death。〃　Lachares　had　been　condemned　for　a　robbery；　and　beheaded　by　Antony's　orders。　However；　Eurycles　did　not　attack　Antony；　but　ran　with　his　full　force　upon　the　other　admiral…galley　（for　there　were　two　of　them）；　and　with　the　blow　turned　her　round；　and　took　both　her　and　another　ship；　in　which　was　a　quantity　of　rich　plate　and　furniture。　So　soon　as　Eurycles　was　gone；　Antony　returned　to　his　posture　and　sate　silent；　and　thus　he　remained　for　three　days；　either　in　anger　with　Cleopatra；　or　wishing　not　to　upbraid　her；　at　the　end　of　which　they　touched　at　Taenarus。　Here　the　women　of　their　company　succeeded　first　in　bringing　them　to　speak；　and　afterwards　to　eat　and　sleep　together。　And；　by　this　time；　several　of　the　ships　of　burden　and　some　of　his　friends　began　to　come　in　to　him　from　the　rout；　bringing　news　of　his　fleet's　being　quite　destroyed；　but　that　the　land…forces；　they　thought；　still　stood　firm。　So　that　he　sent　messengers　to　Canidius　to　march　the　army　with　all　speed　through　Macedonion　into　Asia。　And；　designing　himself　to　go　from　Taenarus　into　Africa；　he　gave　one　of　the　merchant　ships；　laden　with　a　large　sum　of　money；　and　vessels　of　silver　and　gold　of　great　value；　belonging　to　the　royal　collections；　to　his　friends；　desiring　them　to　share　it　amongst　them；　and　provide　for　their　own　safety。　They　refusing　his　kindness　with　tears　in　their　eyes；　he　comforted　them　with　all　the　goodness　and　humanity　imaginable；　entreating　them　to　leave　him；　and　wrote　letters　in　their　behalf　to　Theophilus；　his　steward；　at　Corinth；　that　he　would　provide　for　their　security；　and　keep　them　concealed　till　such　time　as　they　could　make　their　peace　with　Caesar。　This　Theophilus　was　the　father　of　Hipparchus；　who　had　such　interest　with　Antony；　who　was　the　first　of　all　his　freedmen　that　went　over　to　Caesar；　and　who　settled　afterwards　at　Corinth。　In　this　posture　were　affairs　with　Antony。　　　But　at　Actium；　his　fleet；　after　a　long　resistance　to　Caesar；　and　suffering　the　most　damage　from　a　heavy　sea　that　set　in　right　ahead；　scarcely　at　four