antony-第8章

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y；　however；　seized　his　hand　with　joyful　faces；　bidding　him　go　and　see　to　himself　and　not　be　concerned　about　them；　calling　him　their　emperor　and　their　general；　and　saying　that　if　he　did　well　they　were　safe。　For；　in　short；　never　in　all　these　times　can　history　make　mention　of　a　general　at　the　head　of　a　more　splendid　army；　whether　you　consider　strength　and　youth；　or　patience　and　sufferance　in　labours　and　fatigues；　but　as　for　the　obedience　and　affectionate　respect　they　bore　their　general；　and　the　unanimous　feeling　amongst　small　and　great　alike；　officers　and　common　soldiers；　to　prefer　his　good　opinion　of　them　to　their　very　lives　and　being；　in　this　part　of　military　excellence　it　was　not　possible　that　they　could　have　been　surpassed　by　the　very　Romans　of　old。　For　this　devotion；　as　I　have　said　before；　there　were　many　reasons；　as　the　nobility　of　his　family；　his　eloquence；　his　frank　and　open　manners；　his　liberal　and　magnificent　habits；　his　familiarity　in　talking　with　everybody；　and；　at　this　time　particularly；　his　kindness　in　visiting　and　pitying　the　sick；　joining　in　all　their　pains；　and　furnishing　them　with　all　things　necessary；　so　that　the　sick　and　wounded　were　even　more　eager　to　serve　than　those　that　were　whole　and　strong。　　　Nevertheless；　this　last　victory　had　so　encouraged　the　enemy　that；　instead　of　their　former　impatience　and　weariness；　they　began　soon　to　feel　contempt　for　the　Romans；　staying　all　night　near　the　camp；　in　expectation　of　plundering　their　tents　and　baggage；　which　they　concluded　they　must　abandon；　and　in　the　morning　new　forces　arrived　in　large　masses；　so　that　their　number　was　grown　to　be　not　less；　it　is　said；　than　forty　thousand　horse；　and　the　king　had　sent　the　very　guards　that　attended　upon　his　own　person；　as　to　a　sure　and　unquestioned　victory；　for　he　himself　was　never　present　in　any　fight。　Antony；　designing　to　harangue　the　soldiers；　called　for　a　mourning　habit　that　he　might　move　them　the　more；　but　was　dissuaded　by　his　friends；　so　he　came　forward　in　the　general's　scarlet　cloak；　and　addressed　them；　praising　those　that　had　gained　the　victory；　and　reproaching　those　that　had　fled；　the　former　answering　him　with　promises　of　success；　and　the　latter　excusing　themselves；　and　telling　him　they　were　ready　to　undergo　decimation；　or　any　other　punishment　he　should　please　to　inflict　upon　them；　only　entreating　that　he　would　forget　and　not　discompose　himself　with　their　faults。　At　which　he　lifted　up　his　hands　to　heaven；　and　prayed　the　gods　that；　if　to　balance　the　great　favours　he　had　received　of　them　any　judgment　lay　in　store；　they　would　pour　it　upon　his　head　alone；　and　grant　his　soldiers　victory。　　　The　next　day　they　took　better　order　for　their　march；　and　the　Parthians；　who　thought　they　were　marching　rather　to　plunder　than　to　fight；　were　much　taken　aback；　when　they　came　up　and　were　received　with　a　shower　of　missiles；　to　find　the　enemy　not　disheartened；　but　fresh　and　resolute。　So　that　they　themselves　began　to　lose　courage。　But　at　the　descent　of　a　bill　where　the　Romans　were　obliged　to　pass；　they　got　together；　and　let　fly　their　arrows　upon　them　as　they　moved　slowly　down。　But　the　full…armed　infantry；　facing　round；　received　the　light　troops　within；　and　those　in　the　first　rank　knelt　on　one　knee；　holding　their　shields　before　them；　the　next　rank　holding　theirs　over　the　first；　and　so　again　others　over　these；　much　like　the　tiling　of　a　house；　or　the　rows　of　seats　in　a　theatre；　the　whole　affording　sure　defence　against　arrows；　which　glanced　upon　them　without　doing　any　harm。　The　Parthians；　seeing　the　Romans　down　upon　their　knees；　could　not　imagine　but　that　it　must　proceed　from　weariness；　so　that　they　laid　down　their　bows；　and；　taking　their　spears；　made　a　fierce　onset；　when　the　Romans；　with　a　great　cry；　leaped　upon　their　feet；　striking　hand　to　hand　with　their　javelins；　slew　the　foremost；　and　put　the　rest　to　flight。　After　this　rate　it　was　every　day；　and　the　trouble　they　gave　made　the　marches　short；　in　addition　to　which　famine　began　to　be　felt　in　the　camp；　for　they　could　get　but　little　corn；　and　that　which　they　got　they　were　forced　to　fight　for；　and；　besides　this；　they　were　in　want　of　implements　to　grind　it　and　make　bread。　For　they　had　left　almost　all　behind；　the　baggage　horses　being　dead　or　otherwise　employed　in　carrying　the　sick　and　wounded。　Provision　was　so　scarce　in　the　army　that　an　Attic　quart　of　wheat　sold　for　fifty　drachmas；　and　barley　loaves　for　their　weight　in　silver。　And　when　they　tried　vegetables　and　roots；　they　found　such　as　are　commonly　eaten　very　scarce；　so　that　they　were　constrained　to　venture　upon　any　they　could　get；　and；　among　others；　they　chanced　upon　an　herb　that　was　mortal；　first　taking　away　all　sense　an　understanding。　He　that　had　eaten　of　it　remembered　nothing　in　the　world；　and　employed　himself　only　in　moving　great　stones　from　one　place　to　another；　which　he　did　with　as　much　earnestness　and　industry　as　if　it　had　been　a　business　of　the　greatest　consequence。　Through　all　the　camp　there　was　nothing　to　be　seen　but　men　grubbing　upon　the　ground　at　stones；　which　they　carried　from　place　to　place。　But　in　the　end　they　threw　up　bile　and　died；　as　wine；　moreover；　which　was　the　one　antidote；　failed。　When　Antony　saw　them　die　so　fast；　and　the　Parthians　still　in　pursuit；　he　was　heard　to　exclaim　several　times　over；　〃O；　the　Ten　Thousand！〃　as　if　in　admiration　of　the　retreat　of　the　Greeks；　with　Xenophon；　who；　when　they　had　a　longer　journey　to　make　from　Babylonia；　and　a　more　powerful　enemy　to　deal　with；　nevertheless　came　home　safe。　　　The　Parthians；　finding　that　they　could　not　divide　the　Roman　army；　nor　break　the　order　of　their　battle；　and　that　withal　they　had　been　so　often　worsted；　once　more　began　to　treat　the　foragers　with　professions　of　humanity；　they　came　up　to　them　with　their　bows　unbent；　telling　them　that　they　were　going　home　to　their　houses；　that　this　was　the　end　of　their　retaliation；　and　that　only　some　Median　troops　would　follow　for　two　or　three　days；　not　with　any　design　to　annoy　them；　but　for　the　defence　of　some　of　the　villages　further　on。　And；　saying　this；　they　saluted　them　and　embraced　them　with　a　great　show　of　friendship。　This　made　the　Romans　full　of　confidence　again；　and　Antony；　on　hearing　of　it；　was　more　disposed　to　take　the　road　through　the　level　country；　being　told　that　no　water　was　to　be　hoped　for　on　that　through　the　mountains。　But　while　he　was　preparing　thus　to　do；　Mithridates　came　into　the　camp；　a　cousin　to　Monaeses；　of　whom　we　related　that　he　sought　refuge　with　the　Romans；　and　received　in　gift　from　Antony　three　cities。　Upon　his　arrival；　he　desired　somebody　might　be　brought　to　him　that　could　speak　Syriac　or　Parthian。　One　Alexander；　of　Antioch；　a　friend　of　Antony's；　was　brought　to　him；　to　whom　the　stranger；　giving　his　name；　and　mentioning　Monaeses　as　the　person　who　desired　to　do　the　kindness；　put　the　question；　did　he　see　that　high　range　of　hills　pointing　at　some　distance。　He　told　him；　yes。　〃It　is　there；〃　said　he；　〃the　whole　Parthian　army　lie　in　wait　for　your　passage；　for　the　great　plains　come　immediately　up　to　them；　and　they　expect　that；　confiding　in　their　promises；　you　will　leave　the　way　of　the　mountains；　and　take　the　level　route。　It　is　true　that　in　passing　over　the　mountains　you　will　suffer　the　want　of　water；　and　the　fatigue　to　which　you　have　become　familiar；　but　if　you　pass　through　the　plains；　Antony　must　expect　the　fortune　of　Crassus。〃　　　This　said；　he　departed。　Antony；　in　alarm　calling　his　friends　in　council；　sent　for　the　Mardian　guide；　who　was　of　the　same　opinion。　He　told　them　that；　with　or　without　enemies；　the　want　of　any　certain　track　in　the　plain；　and　the　likelihood　of　their　losing　their　way；　were　quite　objection　enough；　the　other　route　was　rough　and　without　water；　but　then　it　was　but　for　a　day。　Antony；　therefore；　changing　his　mind；　marched　away　upon　this　road　that　night；　commanding　that　every　one　should　carry　water　sufficient　for　his　own　use；　but　most　of　them　being　unprovided　with　vessels；　they　made　shift　with　their　helmets；　and　some　with　skins。　As　soon　as　they　started；　the　news　of　it　was　carried　to　the　Parthians；　who　followed　them；　contrary　to　their　custom；　through　the　night；　and　at　sunrise　attacked　the　rear；　which　was　tired　with　marching　and　want　of　sleep；　and　not　in　condition　to　make　any　considerable　defence。　For　they　had　got　through　two　hundred　and　forty　furlongs　a　night；　and　at　the　end　of　such　a　march　to　find　the　enemy　at　their　heels　put　them　out　of　heart。　Besides；　having　to　fight　for　every　step　of　the　way　increased　their　distress　from　thirst。　Those　that　were　in　the　van　came　up　to　a　river；　the　water　of　which　was　extremely　cool　and　clear；　but　brackish　and　medicinal；　and；　on　being　drunk；　produced　immediate　pains　in　the　bowels　and　a　renewed　thirst。　Of　this　the　Mardian　had　forewarned　them；　but　they　could　not　forbear；　and；　beating　back　those　that　opposed　them；　they　drank　of　it。　Antony　ran　from　one　place　to　another；　begging　they　would　have　a　little　patience；　that　not　far　off　there　was　a　river　of　wholesome　water；　and　that　the　rest　of　the　way　was　so　difficult　for　the　horse　that　the　enemy　could　pursue　them　no　further；　and；　saying　this；　he　ordered　to　sound　a　retreat　to　call　those　back　that　were　engaged；　and　commanded　the　tents　should　be　set　up；　that　the　soldiers　might　at　any　rate　refresh　themselves　in　the　shade。　　　But　the　tents　were　scarce　well　put　up；　and　the　Parthians　beginning；　according　to　their　custom；　to　withdraw；　when　Mithridates　came　again　to　them；　and　informed　Alexander；　with　whom　he　had　before　spoken；　that　he　would　do　well　to　advise　Antony　to　stay　where　he　was　no　longer　than　needs　he　must；　that；　after　having　refreshed　his　troops；　he　should　endeavour　with　all　diligence　to　gain　the　next　river；　that　the　Parthians　would　not　cross　it；　but　so　far　they　were　resolved　to　follow　them。　Alexander　made　his　report　to　Antony；　who　ordered　a　quantity　of　gold　plate　to　be　carried　to　Mithridates；　who；　taking　as　much　as　he　could　well　hide　under　his　clothes；　went　his　way。　And；　upon　this　advice；　Antony；　while　it　was　yet　day；　broke　up　his　camp；　and　the　whole　army　marched　forward　without　receiving　any　molestation　from　the　Parthians；　though　that　night　by　their　own　doing　was　in　effect　the　most　wretched　and　terrible　that　they　passed。　For　some　of　the　men　began　to　kill　and　plunder　those　whom　they　suspected　to　have　any　money；　ransacked　the　baggage；　and　seized　the　money　there。　In　the　end；　they　laid　hands　on　Antony's　own　equipage；　and　broke　all　his　rich　tables　and　cups；　dividing　the　fragments　amongst　them。　Antony；　hearing　such　a　noise　and　such　a　stirring　to　and　fro　all　through　the　army；　the　belief　prevailing　that　the　enemy　had　routed　and　cut　off　a　portion　of　the　troops；　called　for　one　of　his　freedmen；　then　serving　as　one　of　his　guards；　Rhamnus　by　name；　and　made　him　take　an　oath　that　whenever　he　should　give　him　orders；　he　would　run　his　sword　through　his　body　and　cut　off　his　head；　that　he　might　not　fall　alive　into　the　hands　of　the　Parthians；　nor；　when　dead；　be　recognized　as　the　general。　While　he　was　in　this　consternation；　and　all　his　friends　about　him　in　tears；　the　Mardian　came　up　and　gave　them　all　new　life。　He　convinced　them；　by　the　coolness　and　humidity　of　the　air；　which　they　could　feel　in　breathing　it；　that　the　river　which　he　had　spoken　of　was　now　not　far　off；　and　the　calculation　of　the　time　that　had　been　required　to　reach　it　came；　he　said；　to　the　same　result；　for　the　night　was　al