antony-第3章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


e　had　said　nothing　of　it　to　Caesar；　but　had　kept　the　secret　faithfully。　The　conspirators　then　proposed　that　Antony　should　die　with　him；　which　Brutus　would　not　consent　to；　insisting　that　an　action　undertaken　in　defence　of　right　and　the　laws　must　be　maintained　unsullied；　and　pure　of　injustice。　It　was　settled　that　Antony；　whose　bodily　strength　and　high　office　made　him　formidable；　should；　at　Caesar's　entrance　into　the　senate；　when　the　deed　was　to　be　done；　be　amused　outside　by　some　of　the　party　in　a　conversation　about　some　pretended　business。　　　So　when　all　was　proceeded　with；　according　to　their　plan；　and　Caesar　had　fallen　in　the　senate…house；　Antony；　at　the　first　moment；　took　a　servant's　dress；　and　hid　himself。　But；　understanding　that　the　conspirators　had　assembled　in　the　Capitol；　and　had　no　further　design　upon　any　one；　he　persuaded　them　to　come　down；　giving　them　his　son　as　a　hostage。　That　night　Cassius　supped　at　Antony's　house；　and　Brutus　with　Lepidus。　Antony　then　convened　the　senate；　and　spoke　in　favour　of　an　act　of　oblivion；　and　the　appointment　of　Brutus　and　Cassius　to　provinces。　These　measures　the　senate　passed；　and　resolved　that　all　Caesar's　acts　should　remain　in　force。　Thus　Antony　went　out　of　the　senate　with　the　highest　possible　reputation　and　esteem；　for　it　was　apparent　that　he　had　prevented　a　civil　war；　and　had　composed；　in　the　wisest　and　most　statesmanlike　way；　questions　of　the　greatest　difficulty　and　embarrassment。　But　these　temperate　counsels　were　soon　swept　away　by　the　tide　of　popular　applause；　and　the　prospect；　if　Brutus　were　overthrown；　of　being　without　doubt　the　ruler…in…chief。　As　Caesar's　body　was　conveying　to　the　tomb；　Antony；　according　to　the　custom；　was　making　his　funeral　oration　in　the　market…place；　and　perceiving　the　people　to　be　infinitely　affected　with　what　he　had　said；　he　began　to　mingle　with　his　praises　language　of　commiseration；　and　horror　at　what　had　happened；　and；　as　he　was　ending　his　speech；　he　took　the　under…clothes　of　the　dead；　and　held　them　up；　showing　them　stains　of　blood　and　the　holes　of　the　many　stabs；　calling　those　that　had　done　this　act　villains　and　bloody　murderers。　All　which　excited　the　people　to　such　indignation；　that　they　would　not　defer　the　funeral；　but；　making　a　pile　of　tables　and　forms　in　the　very　market…place；　set　fire　to　it；　and　every　one；　taking　a　brand；　ran　to　the　conspirators'　houses；　to　attack　them。　　　Upon　this；　Brutus　and　his　whole　party　left　the　city；　and　Caesar's　friends　joined　themselves　to　Antony。　Calpurnia；　Caesar's　wife；　lodged　with　him　the　best　part　of　the　property　to　the　value　of　four　thousand　talents；　he　got　also　into　his　hands　all　Caesar's　papers　wherein　were　contained　journals　of　all　he　had　done；　and　draughts　of　what　he　designed　to　do；　which　Antony　made　good　use　of；　for　by　this　means　he　appointed　what　magistrates　he　pleased；　brought　whom　he　would　into　the　senate；　recalled　some　from　exile；　freed　others　out　of　prison；　and　all　this　as　ordered　so　by　Caesar。　The　Romans；　in　mockery；　gave　those　who　were　thus　benefited　the　name　of　Charonites；　since；　if　put　to　prove　their　patents；　they　must　have　recourse　to　the　papers　of　the　dead。　In　short；　Antony's　behaviour　in　Rome　was　very　absolute；　he　himself　being　consul　and　his　two　brothers　in　great　place；　Caius；　the　one；　being　praetor；　and　Lucius；　the　other；　tribune　of　the　people。　　　While　matters　went　thus　in　Rome；　the　young　Caesar；　Caesar's　niece's　son；　and　by　testament　left　his　heir；　arrived　at　Rome　from　Apollonia；　where　he　was　when　his　uncle　was　killed。　The　first　thing　he　did　was　to　visit　Antony；　as　his　father's　friend。　He　spoke　to　him　concerning　the　money　that　was　in　his　hands；　and　reminded　him　of　the　legacy　Caesar　had　made　of　seventy…five　drachmas　of　every　Roman　citizen。　Antony；　at　first；　laughing　at　such　discourse　from　so　young　a　man；　told　him　he　wished　he　were　in　his　health；　and　that　he　wanted　good　counsel　and　good　friends　to　tell　him　the　burden　of　being　executor　to　Caesar　would　sit　very　uneasy　upon　his　young　shoulders。　This　was　no　answer　to　him；　and；　when　he　persisted　in　demanding　the　property；　Antony　went　on　treating　him　injuriously　both　in　word　and　deed；　opposed　him　when　he　stood　for　the　tribune's　office；　and；　when　he　was　taking　steps　for　the　dedication　of　his　father's　golden　chair；　as　had　been　enacted；　he　threatened　to　send　him　to　prison　if　he　did　not　give　over　soliciting　the　people。　This　made　the　young　Caesar　apply　himself　to　Cicero；　and　all　those　that　hated　Antony；　by　them　he　was　recommended　to　the　senate；　while　he　himself　courted　the　people；　and　drew　together　the　soldiers　from　their　settlements；　till　Antony　got　alarmed；　and　gave　him　a　meeting　in　the　Capitol；　where；　after　some　words；　they　came　to　an　accommodation。　　　That　night　Antony　had　a　very　unlucky　dream；　fancying　that　his　right　hand　was　thunderstruck。　And；　some　few　days　after；　he　was　informed　that　Caesar　was　plotting　to　take　his　life。　Caesar　explained；　but　was　not　believed；　so　that　the　breach　was　now　made　as　wide　as　ever；　each　of　them　hurried　about　all　through　Italy　to　engage；　by　great　offers；　the　old　soldiers　that　lay　scattered　in　their　settlements；　and　to　be　the　first　to　secure　the　troops　that　still　remained　undischarged。　Cicero　was　at　this　time　the　man　of　greatest　influence　in　Rome。　He　made　use　of　all　his　art　to　exasperate　the　people　against　Antony；　and　at　length　persuaded　the　senate　to　declare　him　a　public　enemy；　to　send　Caesar　the　rods　and　axes　and　other　marks　of　honour　usually　given　to　proctors；　and　to　issue　orders　to　Hirtius　and　Pansa；　who　were　the　consuls；　to　drive　Antony　out　of　Italy。　The　armies　engaged　near　Modena；　and　Caesar　himself　was　present　and　took　part　in　the　battle。　Antony　was　defeated；　but　both　the　consuls　were　slain。　Antony；　in　his　flight；　was　overtaken　by　distresses　of　every　kind；　and　the　worst　of　all　of　them　was　famine。　But　it　was　his　character　in　calamities　to　be　better　than　at　any　other　time。　Antony；　in　misfortune；　was　most　nearly　a　virtuous　man。　It　is　common　enough　for　people；　when　they　fall　into　great　disasters；　to　discern　what　is　right；　and　what　they　ought　to　do；　but　there　are　but　few　who　in　such　extremities　have　the　strength　to　obey　their　judgment；　either　in　doing　what　it　approves　or　avoiding　what　it　condemns；　and　a　good　many　are　so　weak　as　to　give　way　to　their　habits　all　the　more；　and　are　incapable　of　using　their　using　minds。　Antony；　on　this　occasion；　was　a　most　wonderful　example　to　his　soldiers。　He；　who　had　just　quitted　so　much　luxury　and　sumptuous　living；　made　no　difficulty　now　of　drinking　foul　water　and　feeding　on　wild　fruits　and　roots。　Nay；　it　is　related　they　ate　the　very　bark　of　trees；　and；　in　passing　over　the　Alps；　lived　upon　creatures　that　no　one　before　had　ever　been　willing　to　touch。　　　The　design　was　to　join　the　army　on　the　other　side　the　Alps；　commanded　by　Lepidus；　who　he　imagined　would　stand　his　friend；　he　having　done　him　many　good　offices　with　Caesar。　On　coming　up　and　encamping　near　at　hand；　finding　he　had　no　sort　of　encouragement　offered　him；　he　resolved　to　push　his　fortune　and　venture　all。　His　hair　was　long　and　disordered；　nor　had　he　shaved　his　beard　since　his　defeat；　in　this　guise；　and　with　a　dark　coloured　cloak　flung　over　him；　he　came　into　the　trenches　of　Lepidus；　and　began　to　address　the　army。　Some　were　moved　at　his　habit；　others　at　his　words；　so　that　Lepidus；　not　liking　it；　ordered　the　trumpets　to　sound；　that　he　might　be　heard　no　longer。　This　raised　in　the　soldiers　yet　a　greater　pity；　so　that　they　resolved　to　confer　secretly　with　him；　and　dressed　Laelius　and　Clodius　in　women's　clothes；　and　sent　them　to　see　him。　They　advised　him　without　delay　to　attack　Lepidus's　trenches；　assuring　him　that　a　strong　party　would　receive　him；　and；　if　he　wished　it；　would　kill　Lepidus。　Antony；　however；　had　no　wish　for　this；　but　next　morning　marched　his　army　to　pass　over　the　river　that　parted　the　two　camps。　He　was　himself　the　first　man　that　stepped　in；　and；　as　he　went　through　towards　the　other　bank；　he　saw　Lepidus's　soldiers　in　great　numbers　reaching　out　their　hands　to　help　him；　and　beating　down　the　works　to　make　him　way。　Being　entered　into　the　camp；　and　finding　himself　absolute　master；　he　nevertheless　treated　Lepidus　with　the　greatest　civility；　and　gave　him　the　title　of　Father；　when　he　spoke　to　him；　and　though　he　had　everything　at　his　own　command；　he　left　him　the　honour　of　being　called　the　general。　This　fair　usage　brought　over　to　him　Munatius　Plancus；　who　was　not　far　off　with　a　considerable　force。　Thus　in　great　strength　he　repassed　the　Alps；　leading　with　him　into　Italy　seventeen　legions　and　ten　thousand　horse；　besides　six　legions　which　he　left　in　garrison　under　the　command　of　Varius；　one　of　his　familiar　friends　and　boon　companions；　whom　they　used　to　call　by　the　nickname　of　Cotylon。　　　Caesar；　perceiving　that　Cicero's　wishes　were　for　liberty；　had　ceased　to　pay　any　further　regard　to　him；　and　was　now　employing　the　mediation　of　his　friends　to　come　to　a　good　understanding　with　Antony。　They　both　met　together　with　Lepidus　in　a　small　island；　where　the　conference　lasted　three　days。　The　empire　was　soon　determined　of；　it　being　divided　amongst　them　as　if　it　had　been　their　paternal　inheritance。　That　which　gave　them　all　the　trouble　was　to　agree　who　should　be　put　to　death；　each　of　them　desiring　to　destroy　his　enemies　and　to　save　his　friends。　But；　in　the　end；　animosity　to　those　they　hated　carried　the　day　against　respect　for　relations　and　affection　for　friends；　and　Caesar　sacrificed　Cicero　to　Antony；　Antony　gave　up　his　uncle　Lucius　Caesar；　and　Lepidus　received　permission　to　murder　his　brother　Paulus；　or；　as　others　say；　yielded　his　brother　to　them。　I　do　not　believe　anything　ever　took　place　more　truly　savage　or　barbarous　than　this　composition；　for；　in　this　exchange　of　blood　for　blood；　they　were　guilty　of　the　lives　they　surrendered　and　of　those　they　took；　or；　indeed；　more　guilty　in　the　case　of　their　friends　for　whose　deaths　they　had　not　even　the　justification　of　hatred。　To　complete　the　reconciliation；　the　soldiery；　coming　about　them；　demanded　that　confirmation　should　be　given　to　it　by　some　alliance　of　marriage；　Caesar　should　marry　Clodia；　the　daughter　of　Fulvia；　wife　to　Antony。　This　also　being　agreed　to；　three　hundred　persons　were　put　to　death　by　proscription。　Antony　gave　orders　to　those　that　were　to　kill　Cicero　to　cut　off　his　head　and　right　hand；　with　which　he　had　written　his　invectives　against　him；　and；　when　they　were　brought　before　him；　he　regarded　them　joyfully；　actually　bursting　out　more　than　once　into　laughter；　and；　when　he　had　satiated　himself　with　the　sight　of　them；　ordered　them　to　be　hung　up　above　the　speaker's　place　in　the　forum；　thinking　thus　to　insult　the　dead；　while　in　fact　he　only　exposed　his　own　wanton　arrogance；　and　his　unworthiness　to　hold　the　power　that　fortune　had　given　him。　His　uncle；　Lucius　Caesar；　being　closely　pursued；　took　refuge　with　his　sister；　who；　when　the　murderers　had　broken　into　her　house　and　were　pressing　into　her　chamber；　met　them　at　the　door；　and　spreading　out　hands；　cried　out　several　times。　〃You　shall　not　kill　Lucius　Caesar　till　you　first　despatch　me　who　gave　your　general　his　birth；〃　and　in　this　manner　she　succeeded　in　getting　her　brother　out　of　the　way；　and　saving　his　life。　　　This　triumvirate　was　very　hateful　to　the　Romans；　and　Antony　most　of　all　bore　the　blame；　because　he　was　older　than　Caesar；　and　had　greater　authority　than　Lepidus；　and　withal　he　was　n