antony-第2章

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　the　people。　Antony　was　not　long　in　getting　the　hearts　of　the　soldiers；　joining　with　them　in　their　exercises；　and　for　the　most　part　living　amongst　them　and　making　them　presents　to　the　utmost　of　his　abilities；　but　with　all　others　he　was　unpopular　enough。　He　was　too　lazy　to　pay　attention　to　the　complaints　of　persons　who　were　injured；　he　listened　impatiently　to　petitions；　and　he　had　an　ill　name　for　familiarity　with　other　people's　wives。　In　short；　the　government　of　Caesar　（which；　so　far　as　he　was　concerned　himself；　had　the　appearance　of　anything　rather　than　a　tyranny）　got　a　bad　repute　through　his　friends。　And　of　these　friends；　Antony；　as　he　had　the　largest　trust；　and　committed　the　greatest　errors；　was　thought　the　most　deeply　in　fault。　　　Caesar；　however；　at　his　return　from　Spain；　overlooked　the　charges　against　him；　and　had　no　reason　ever　to　complain；　in　the　employments　he　gave　him　in　the　war；　of　any　want　of　courage；　energy；　or　military　skill。　He　himself；　going　aboard　at　Brundusium；　sailed　over　the　Ionian　Sea　with　a　few　troops　and　sent　back　the　vessels　with　orders　to　Antony　and　Gabinius　to　embark　the　army；　and　come　over　with　all　speed　to　Macedonia。　Gabinius；　having　no　mind　to　put　to　sea　in　the　rough；　dangerous　weather　of　the　winter　season；　was　for　marching　the　army　round　by　the　long　land　route；　but　Antony；　being　more　afraid　lest　Caesar　might　suffer　from　the　number　of　his　enemies；　who　pressed　him　hard；　beat　back　Libo；　who　was　watching　with　a　fleet　at　the　mouth　of　the　haven　of　Brundusium；　by　attacking　his　galleys　with　a　number　of　small　boats；　and　gaining　thus　an　opportunity；　put　on　board　twenty　thousand　foot　and　eight　hundred　horse；　and　so　set　out　to　sea。　And；　being　espied　by　the　enemy　and　pursued；　from　this　danger　he　was　rescued　by　a　strong　south　wind；　which　sprang　up　and　raised　so　high　a　sea　that　the　enemy's　galleys　could　make　little　way。　But　his　own　ships　were　driving　before　it　upon　a　lee　shore　of　cliffs　and　rocks　running　sheer　to　the　water；　where　there　was　no　hope　of　escape；　when　all　of　a　sudden　the　wind　turned　about　to　south…west；　and　blew　from　land　to　the　main　sea；　where　Antony；　now　sailing　in　security；　saw　the　coast　all　covered　with　the　wreck　of　the　enemy's　fleet。　For　hither　the　galleys　in　pursuit　had　been　carried　by　the　gale；　and　not　a　few　of　them　dashed　to　pieces。　Many　men　and　much　property　fell　into　Antony's　hands；　he　took　also　the　town　of　Lissus；　and；　by　the　seasonable　arrival　of　so　large　a　reinforcement；　gave　Caesar　great　encouragement。　　　There　was　not　one　of　the　many　engagements　that　now　took　place　one　after　another　in　which　he　did　not　signalize　himself；　twice　he　stopped　the　army　in　its　full　flight；　led　them　back　to　a　charge；　and　gained　the　victory。　So　that　now　without　reason　his　reputation；　next　to　Caesar's；　was　greatest　in　the　army。　And　what　opinion　Caesar　himself　had　of　him　well　appeared　when；　for　the　final　battle　in　Pharsalia；　which　was　to　determine　everything；　he　himself　chose　to　lead　the　right　wing；　committing　the　charge　of　the　left　to　Antony；　as　to　the　best　officer　of　all　that　served　under　him。　After　the　battle；　Caesar；　being　created　dictator；　went　in　pursuit　of　Pompey；　and　sent　Antony　to　Rome；　with　the　character　of　Master　of　the　Horse；　who　is　in　office　and　power　next　to　the　dictator；　when　present；　and　in　his　absence　the　first；　and　pretty　nearly　indeed　the　sole　magistrate。　For　on　the　appointment　of　a　dictator；　with　the　one　exception　of　the　tribunes；　all　other　magistrates　cease　to　exercise　any　authority　in　Rome。　　　Dolabella；　however；　who　was　tribune；　being　a　young　man　and　eager　for　change；　was　now　for　bringing　in　a　general　measure　for　cancelling　debts；　and　wanted　Antony；　who　was　his　friend；　and　forward　enough　to　promote　any　popular　project；　to　take　part　with　him　in　this　step。　Asinius　and　Trebellius　were　of　the　contrary　opinion；　and　it　so　happened；　at　the　same　time；　Antony　was　crossed　by　a　terrible　suspicion　that　Dolabella　was　too　familiar　with　his　wife；　and　in　great　trouble　at　this；　he　parted　with　her　（she　being　his　cousin；　and　daughter　to　Caius　Antonius；　colleague　of　Cicero）；　and；　taking　part　with　Asinius；　came　to　open　hostilities　with　Dolabella；　who　had　seized　on　the　forum；　intending　to　pass　his　law　by　force。　Antony；　backed　by　a　vote　of　the　senate　that　Dolabella　should　be　put　down　by　force　of　arms；　went　down　and　attacked　him；　killing　some　of　his；　and　losing　some　of　his　own　men；　and　by　this　action　lost　his　favour　with　the　commonalty；　while　with　the　better　class　and　with　all　well…conducted　people　his　general　course　of　life　made　him；　as　Cicero　says　absolutely　odious；　utter　disgust　being　excited　by　his　drinking　bouts　at　all　hours；　his　wild　expenses；　his　gross　amours；　the　day　spent　in　sleeping　or　walking　off　his　debauches；　and　the　night　in　banquets　and　at　theatres；　and　in　celebrating　the　nuptials　of　some　comedian　or　buffoon。　It　is　related　that；　drinking　all　night　at　the　wedding　of　Hippias；　the　comedian；　on　the　morning；　having　to　harangue　the　people；　he　came　forward；　overcharged　as　he　was；　and　vomited　before　them　all；　one　of　his　friends　holding　his　gown　for　him。　Sergius；　the　player；　was　one　of　the　friends　who　could　do　most　with　him；　also　Cytheris；　a　woman　of　the　same　trade；　whom　he　made　much　of；　and　who；　when　he　went　his　progress；　accompanied　him　in　a　litter；　and　had　her　equipage　not　in　anything　inferior　to　his　mother's；　while　every　one；　moreover；　was　scandalized　at　the　sight　of　the　golden　cups　that　he　took　with　him；　fitter　for　the　ornaments　of　a　procession　than　the　uses　of　a　journey；　at　his　having　pavilions　set　up；　and　sumptuous　morning　repasts　laid　out　by　river　sides　and　in　groves；　at　his　having　chariots　drawn　by　lions；　and　common　women　and　singing　girls　quartered　upon　the　houses　of　serious　fathers　and　mothers　of　families。　And　it　seemed　very　unreasonable　that　Caesar；　out　of　Italy；　should　lodge　in　the　open　field；　and　with　great　fatigue　and　danger；　pursue　the　remainder　of　a　hazardous　war；　whilst　others；　by　favour　of　his　authority；　should　insult　the　citizens　with　their　impudent　luxury。　　　All　this　appears　to　have　aggravated　party　quarrels　in　Rome；　and　to　have　encouraged　the　soldiers　in　acts　of　licence　and　rapacity。　And；　accordingly；　when　Caesar　came　home；　he　acquitted　Dolabella；　and；　being　created　the　third　time　consul；　took　not　Antony；　but　Lepidus；　for　his　colleague。　Pompey's　house　being　offered　for　sale；　Antony　bought　it；　and　when　the　price　was　demanded　of　him；　loudly　complained。　This；　he　tells　us　himself　and　because　he　thought　his　former　services　had　not　been　recompensed　as　they　deserved；　made　him　not　follow　Caesar　with　the　army　into　Libya。　However；　Caesar；　by　dealing　gently　with　his　errors；　seems　to　have　succeeded　in　curing　him　of　a　good　deal　of　his　folly　and　extravagance。　He　gave　up　his　former　courses；　and　took　a　wife；　Fulvia；　the　widow　of　Clodius　the　demagogue；　a　woman　not　born　for　spinning　or　housewifery；　nor　one　that　could　be　content　with　ruling　a　private　husband；　but　prepared　to　govern　a　first　magistrate；　or　give　orders　to　a　commander…in…chief。　So　that　Cleopatra　had　great　obligations　to　her　for　having　taught　Antony　to　be　so　good　a　servant；　he　coming　to　her　hands　tame　and　broken　into　entire　obedience　to　the　commands　of　a　mistress。　He　used　to　play　all　sorts　of　sportive；　boyish　tricks；　to　keep　Fulvia　in　good…humour。　As；　for　example；　when　Caesar；　after　his　victory　in　Spain；　was　on　his　return；　Antony；　among　the　rest；　went　out　to　meet　him；　and；　a　rumour　being　spread　that　Caesar　was　killed　and　the　enemy　marching　into　Italy；　he　returned　to　Rome；　and；　disguising　himself；　came　to　her　by　night　muffled　up　as　a　servant　that　brought　letters　from　Antony。　She；　with　great　impatience；　before　received　the　letter；　asks　if　Antony　were　well；　and　instead　of　an　answer　he　gives　her　the　letter；　and；　as　she　was　opening　it；　took　her　about　the　neck　and　kissed　her。　This　little　story；　of　many　of　the　same　nature；　I　give　as　a　specimen。　　　There　was　nobody　of　any　rank　in　Rome　that　did　not　go　some　days'　journey　to　meet　Caesar　on　his　return　from　Spain；　but　Antony　was　the　best　received　of　any；　admitted　to　ride　the　whole　journey　with　him　in　his　carriage；　while　behind　came　Brutus　Albinus　and　Octavian；　his　niece's　son；　who　afterwards　bore　his　name　and　reigned　so　long　over　the　Romans。　Caesar　being　created；　the　fifth　time；　consul；　without　delay　chose　Antony　for　his　colleague；　but　designing　himself　to　give　up　his　own　consulate　to　Dolabella；　he　acquainted　the　senate　with　his　resolution。　But　Antony　opposed　it　with　all　his　might；　saying　much　that　was　bad　against　Dolabella；　and　receiving　the　like　language　in　return；　till　Caesar　could　bear　with　the　indecency　no　longer；　and　deferred　the　matter　to　another　time。　Afterwards；　when　he　came　before　the　people　to　proclaim　Dolabella；　Antony　cried　out　that　the　auspices　were　unfavourable；　so　that　at　last　Caesar；　much　to　Dolabella's　vexation；　yielded　and　gave　it　up。　And　it　is　credible　that　Caesar　was　about　as　much　disgusted　with　the　one　as　the　other。　When　some　one　was　accusing　them　both　to　him；　〃It　is　not；〃　said　he；　〃these　well…fed；　long…haired　men　that　I　fear；　but　the　pale　and　the　hungry…looking；〃　meaning　Brutus　and　Cassius；　by　whose　conspiracy　he　afterwards　fell。　　　And　the　fairest　pretext　for　that　conspiracy　was　furnished；　without　his　meaning　it；　by　Antony　himself。　The　Romans　were　celebrating　their　festival；　called　the　Lupercalia；　when　Caesar；　in　his　triumphal　habit；　and　seated　above　the　rostra　in　the　market…place；　was　a　spectator　of　the　sports。　The　custom　is；　that　many　young　noblemen　and　of　the　magistracy；　anointed　with　oil　and　having　straps　of　hide　in　their　hands；　run　about　and　strike；　in　sport；　at　every　one　they　meet。　Antony　was　running　with　the　rest；　but；　omitting　the　old　ceremony；　twining　a　garland　of　bay　round　a　diadem；　he　ran　up　to　the　rostra；　and；　being　lifted　up　by　his　companions；　would　have　put　it　upon　the　head　of　Caesar；　as　if　by　that　ceremony　he　was　declared　king。　Caesar　seemingly　refused；　and　drew　aside　to　avoid　it；　and　was　applauded　by　the　people　with　great　shouts。　Again　Antony　pressed　it；　and　again　he　declined　its　acceptance。　And　so　the　dispute　between　them　went　on　for　some　time；　Antony's　solicitations　receiving　but　little　encouragement　from　the　shouts　of　a　few　friends；　and　Caesar's　refusal　being　accompanied　with　the　general　applause　of　the　people；　a　curious　thing　enough；　that　they　should　submit　with　patience　to　the　fact；　and　yet　at　the　same　time　dread　the　name　as　the　destruction　of　their　liberty。　Caesar；　very　much　discomposed　at　what　had　passed　got　up　from　his　seat；　and；　laying　bare　his　neck；　said　he　was　ready　to　receive　a　stroke；　if　any　one　of　them　desired　to　give　it。　The　crown　was　at　last　put　on　one　of　his　statues；　but　was　taken　down　by　some　of　the　tribunes；　who　were　followed　home　by　the　people　with　shouts　of　applause。　Caesar；　however；　resented　it；　and　deposed　them。　　　These　passages　gave　great　encouragement　to　Brutus　and　Cassius；　who　in　making　choice　of　trusty　friends　for　such　an　enterprise；　were　thinking　to　engage　Antony。　The　rest　approved；　except　Trebonius；　who　told　them　that　Antony　and　he　had　lodged　and　travelled　together　in　the　last　journey　they　took　to　meet　Caesar；　and　that　he　had　let　fall　several　words；　in　a　cautious　way；　on　purpose　to　sound　him；　that　Antony　very　well　understood　him；　but　did　not　encourage　it；　however；　he　had　said　nothing　of　it　to　Caesar；　but　had　kept　the　secret　faithfully。　The　conspirators　then　propos