camillus-第7章

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we；　destitute　of　a　leader　and　shut　up　within　strange　walls；　sit
idle；　and　see　Italy　ruined　before　our　eyes。　Come；　let　us　send　to　the
Ardeatians　to　have　back　our　general；　or　else；　with　weapons　in　our
hands；　let　us　go　thither　to　him；　for　he　is　no　longer　a　banished　man；
nor　we　citizens；　having　no　country　but　what　is　in　the　possession　of
the　enemy。〃　To　this　they　all　agreed；　and　sent　to　Camillus　to　desire
him　to　take　the　command；　but　he　answered；　that　he　would　not；　until
they　that　were　in　the　Capitol　should　legally　appoint　him；　for　he
esteemed　them；　so　long　as　they　were　in　being；　to　be　his　country；
that　if　they　should　command　him　he　would　readily　obey；　but　against
their　consent　he　would　intermeddle　with　nothing。　When　this　answer
was　returned；　they　admired　the　modesty　and　temper　of　Camillus；　but
they　could　not　tell　how　to　find　a　messenger　to　carry　the
intelligence　to　the　Capitol；　or　rather；　indeed；　it　seemed　altogether
impossible　for　any　one　to　get　to　the　citadel　whilst　the　enemy　was　in
full　possession　of　the　city。　But　among　the　young　men　there　was　one
Pontius　Cominius；　of　ordinary　birth；　but　ambitious　of　honour；　who
proffered　himself　to　run　the　hazard；　and　took　no　letters　with　him　to
those　in　the　Capitol；　lest；　if　he　were　intercepted；　the　enemy　might
learn　the　intentions　of　Camillus；　but；　putting　on　a　poor　dress　and
carrying　corks　under　it；　he　boldly　travelled　the　greatest　part　of
the　way　by　day；　and　came　to　the　city　when　it　was　dark；　the　bridge　he
could　not　pass；　as　it　was　guarded　by　the　barbarians；　so　that　taking
his　clothes；　which　were　neither　many　nor　heavy；　and　binding　them　about
his　head；　he　laid　his　body　upon　the　corks；　and　swimming　with　them；　got
over　to　the　city。　And　avoiding　those　quarters　where　he　perceived　the
enemy　was　awake；　which　he　guessed　at　by　the　lights　and　noise；　he
went　to　the　Carmental　gate；　where　there　was　greatest　silence；　and
where　the　hill　of　the　Capitol　is　steepest　and　rises　with　craggy　and
broken　rock。　By　this　way　he　got　up；　though　with　much　difficulty；　by
the　hollow　of　the　cliff；　and　presented　himself　to　the　guards；　saluting
them；　and　telling　them　his　name；　he　was　taken　in；　and　carried　to　the
commanders。　And　a　senate　being　immediately　called；　he　related　to
them　in　order　the　victory　of　Camillus；　which　they　had　not　heard　of
before；　and　the　proceedings　of　the　soldiers；　urging　them　to　confirm
Camillus　in　the　command；　as　on　him　alone　all　their　fellow…countrymen
outside　the　city　would　rely。　Having　heard　and　consulted　of　the　matter；
the　senate　declared　Camillus　dictator；　and　sent　back　Pontius　the
same　way　that　he　came；　who；　with　the　same　success　as　before；　got
through　the　enemy　without　being　discovered；　and　delivered　to　the
Romans　outside　the　decision　of　the　senate；　who　joyfully　received　it。
Camillus；　on　his　arrival；　found　twenty　thousand　of　them　ready　in　arms；
with　which　forces；　and　those　confederates　he　brought　along　with　him；
he　prepared　to　set　upon　the　enemy。
　　But　at　Rome　some　of　the　barbarians；　passing　by　chance　near　the　place
at　which　Pontius　by　night　had　got　into　the　Capitol；　spied　in　several
places　marks　of　feet　and　hands；　where　he　had　laid　hold　and
clambered；　and　places　where　the　plants　that　grew　to　the　rock　had
been　rubbed　off；　and　the　earth　had　slipped；　and　went　accordingly　and
reported　it　to　the　king；　who；　coming　in　person；　and　viewing　it；　for
the　present　said　nothing；　but　in　the　evening；　picking　out　such　of
the　Gauls　as　were　nimblest　of　body；　and　by　living　in　the　mountains
were　accustomed　to　climb；　he　said　to　them；　〃The　enemy　themselves
have　shown　us　a　way　how　to　come　at　them；　which　we　knew　not　of
before；　and　have　taught　us　that　it　is　not　so　difficult　and
impossible　but　that　men　may　overcome　it。　It　would　be　a　great　shame；
having　begun　well；　to　fail　in　the　end；　and　to　give　up　a　place　as
impregnable；　when　the　enemy　himself　lets　us　see　the　way　by　which　it
may　be　taken；　for　where　it　was　easy　for　one　man　to　get　up；　it　will　not
be　hard　for　many；　one　after　another；　nay；　when　many　shall　undertake
it；　they　will　be　aid　and　strength　to　each　other。　Rewards　and　honours
shall　be　bestowed　on　every　man　as　he　shall　acquit　himself。〃
　　When　the　king　had　thus　spoken；　the　Gauls　cheerfully　undertook　to
perform　it；　and　in　the　dead　of　night　a　good　party　of　them　together；
with　great　silence；　began　to　climb　the　rock；　clinging　to　the
precipitous　and　difficult　ascent；　which　yet　upon　trial　offered　a　way
to　them；　and　proved　less　difficult　than　they　had　expected。　So　that　the
foremost　of　them　having　gained　the　top　of　all；　and　put　themselves　into
order；　they　all　but　surprised　the　outworks；　and　mastered　the　watch；
who　were　fast　asleep；　for　neither　man　nor　dog　perceived　their
coming。　But　there　were　sacred　geese　kept　near　the　temple　of　Juno；
which　at　other　times　were　plentifully　fed；　but　now；　by　reason　that
corn　and　other　provisions　were　grown　scarce　for　all；　were　but　in　a
poor　condition。　The　creature　is　by　nature　of　quick　sense；　and
apprehensive　of　the　least　noise；　so　that　these；　being　moreover
watchful　through　hunger；　and　restless；　immediately　discovered　the
coming　of　the　Gauls；　and；　running　up　and　down　with　their　noise　and
cackling；　they　raised　the　whole　camp；　while　the　barbarians　on　the
other　side；　perceiving　themselves　discovered；　no　longer　endeavoured　to
conceal　their　attempt；　but　with　shouting　and　violence　advanced　to
the　assault。　The　Romans；　every　one　in　haste　snatching　up　the　next
weapon　that　came　to　hand；　did　what　they　could　on　the　sudden
occasion。　Manlius；　a　man　of　consular　dignity；　of　strong　body　and　great
spirit；　was　the　first　that　made　head　against　them；　and；　engaging
with　two　of　the　enemy　at　once；　with　his　sword　cut　off　the　right　arm　of
one　just　as　he　was　lifting　up　his　blade　to　strike；　and；　running　his
target　full　in　the　face　of　the　other；　tumbled　him　headlong　down　the
steep　rock；　then　mounting　the　rampart；　and　there　standing　with
others　that　came　running　to　his　assistance；　drove　down　the　rest　of
them；　who；　indeed；　to　begin；　had　not　been　many；　and　did　nothing　worthy
of　so　bold　an　attempt。　The　Romans；　having　thus　escaped　this　danger；
early　in　the　morning　took　the　captain　of　the　watch　and　flung　him
down　the　rock　upon　the　heads　of　their　enemies；　and　to　Manlius　for
his　victory　voted　a　reward；　intended　more　for　honour　than　advantage；
bringing　him；　each　man　of　them　as　much　as　he　received　for　his　daily
allowance；　which　was　half　a　pound　of　bread　and　one　eighth　of　a　pint　of
wine。
　　Henceforward；　the　affairs　of　the　Gauls　were　daily　in　a　worse　and
worse　condition；　they　wanted　provisions；　being　withheld　from
foraging　through　fear　of　Camillus；　and　sickness　also　was　amongst　them；
occasioned　by　the　number　of　carcasses　that　lay　in　heaps　unburied。
Being　lodged　among　the　ruins；　the　ashes；　which　were　very　deep；　blown
about　by　the　winds　and　combining　with　the　sultry　heats；　breathed　up；
so　to　say；　a　dry　and　searching　air；　the　inhalation　of　which　was
destructive　to　their　health。　But　the　chief　cause　was　the　change　from
their　natural　climate；　coming　as　they　did　out　of　shady　and　hilly
countries；　abounding　in　means　of　shelter　from　the　heat；　to　lodge　in
low；　and；　in　the　autumn　season；　very　unhealthy　ground；　added　to
which　was　the　length　and　tediousness　of　the　siege；　as　they　had　now
sate　seven　months　before　the　Capitol。　There　was；　therefore；　a　great
destruction　among　them；　and　the　number　of　the　dead　grew　so　great
that　the　living　gave　up　burying　them。　Neither；　indeed；　were　things
on　that　account　any　better　with　the　besieged；　for　famine　increased
upon　them；　and　despondency　with　not　hearing　anything　of　Camillus；　it
being　impossible　to　send　any　one　to　him；　the　city　was　so　guarded　by
the　barbarians。　Things　being　in　this　sad　condition　on　both　sides；　a
motion　of　treaty　was　made　at　first　by　some　of　the　outposts；　as　they
happened　to　speak　with　one　another；　which　being　embraced　by　the
leading　men；　Sulpicius；　tribune　of　the　Romans；　came　to　a　parley　with
Brennus；　in　which　it　was　agreed；　that　the　Romans　laying　down　a
thousand　weight　of　gold；　the　Gauls　upon　the　receipt　of　it　should
immediately　quit　the　city　and　territories。　The　agreement　being
confirmed　by　oath　on　both　sides；　and　the　gold　brought　forth；　the　Gauls
used　false　dealing　in　the　weigh