camillus-第8章

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confirmed　by　oath　on　both　sides；　and　the　gold　brought　forth；　the　Gauls
used　false　dealing　in　the　weight；　secretly　at　first；　but　afterwards
openly　pulled　back　and　disturbed　the　balance；　at　which　the　Romans
indignantly　complaining；　Brennus；　in　a　scoffing　and　insulting
manner；　pulled　off　his　sword　and　belt；　and　threw　them　both　into　the
scales；　and　when　Sulpicius　asked　what　that　meant；　〃What　should　it
mean；〃　says　he；　〃but　woe　to　the　conquered？〃　which　afterwards　became
a　proverbial　saying。　As　for　the　Romans；　some　were　so　incensed　that
they　were　for　taking　their　gold　back　again　and　returning　to　endure　the
siege。　Others　were　for　passing　by　and　dissembling　a　petty　injury；
and　not　to　account　that　the　indignity　of　the　thing　lay　in　paying
more　than　was　due；　since　the　paying　anything　at　all　was　itself　a
dishonour　only　submitted　to　as　a　necessity　of　the　times。
　　Whilst　this　difference　remained　still　unsettled；　both　amongst
themselves　and　with　the　Gauls；　Camillus　was　at　the　gates　with　his
army；　and　having　learned　what　was　going　on；　commanded　the　main　body　of
his　forces　to　follow　slowly　after　him　in　good　order；　and　himself
with　the　choicest　of　his　men　hastening　on；　went　at　once　to　the　Romans；
where；　all　giving　way　to　him；　and　receiving　him　as　their　sole
magistrate；　with　profound　silence　and　order；　he　took　the　gold　out　of
the　scales；　and　delivered　it　to　his　officers；　and　commanded　the
Gauls　to　take　their　weights　and　scales　and　depart；　saying　that　it
was　customary　with　the　Romans　to　deliver　their　country　with　iron；
not　with　gold。　And　when　Brennus　began　to　rage；　and　say　that　he　was
unjustly　dealt　with　in　such　a　breach　of　contract；　Camillus　answered
that　it　was　never　legally　made；　and　the　agreement　of　no　force　or
obligation；　for　that　himself　being　declared　dictator；　and　there
being　no　other　magistrate　by　law；　the　engagement　had　been　made　with
men　who　had　no　power　to　enter　into　it；　but　now　they　might　say　anything
they　had　to　urge；　for　he　was　come　with　full　power　by　law　to　grant
pardon　to　such　as　should　ask　it；　or　inflict　punishment　on　the
guilty；　if　they　did　not　repent。　At　this；　Brennus　broke　into　violent
anger；　and　an　immediate　quarrel　ensued；　both　sides　drew　their　swords
and　attacked；　but　in　confusion；　as　could　not　be　otherwise　amongst
houses；　and　in　narrow　lanes　and　places　where　it　was　impossible　to　form
in　any　order。　But　Brennus；　presently　recollecting　himself；　called
off　his　men；　and；　with　the　loss　of　a　few　only；　brought　them　to　their
camp；　and　rising　in　the　night　with　all　his　forces；　left　the　city；　and；
advancing　about　eight　miles；　encamped　upon　the　way　to　Gabii。　As　soon
as　day　appeared；　Camillus　came　up　with　him；　splendidly　armed
himself；　and　his　soldiers　full　of　courage　and　confidence；　and　there
engaging　with　him　in　a　sharp　conflict；　which　lasted　a　long　while；
overthrew　his　army　with　great　slaughter；　and　took　their　camp。　Of　those
that　fled；　some　were　presently　cut　off　by　the　pursuers；　others；　and
these　were　the　greatest　number；　dispersed　hither　and　thither；　and　were
despatched　by　the　people　that　came　sallying　out　from　the
neighbouring　towns　and　villages。
　　Thus　Rome　was　strangely　taken；　and　more　strangely　recovered；
having　been　seven　whole　months　in　the　possession　of　the　barbarians；
who　entered　her　a　little　after　the　Ides　of　July；　and　were　driven　out
about　the　Ides　of　February　following。　Camillus　triumphed；　as　he
deserved；　having　saved　his　country　that　was　lost；　and　brought　the
city；　so　to　say；　back　again　to　itself。　For　those　that　had　fled　abroad；
together　with　their　wives　and　children；　accompanied　him　as　he　rode　in；
and　those　who　had　been　shut　up　in　the　Capitol；　and　were　reduced　almost
to　the　point　of　perishing　with　hunger；　went　out　to　meet　him；　embracing
each　other　as　they　met；　and　weeping　for　joy；　and；　through　the　excess
of　the　present　pleasure；　scarce　believing　in　its　truth。　And　when　the
priests　and　ministers　of　the　gods　appeared　bearing　the　sacred
things；　which　in　their　flight　they　had　either　hid　on　the　spot；　or
conveyed　away　with　them；　and　now　openly　showed　in　safety；　the　citizens
who　saw　the　blessed　sight　felt　as　if　with　these　the　gods　themselves
were　again　returned　unto　Rome。　After　Camillus　had　sacrificed　to　the
gods；　and　purified　the　city　according　to　the　directions　of　those
properly　instructed；　he　restored　the　existing　temples；　and　erected　a
new　one　to　Rumour；　or　Voice；　informing　himself　of　the　spot　in　which
that　voice　from　heaven　came　by　night　to　Marcus　Caedicius；
foretelling　the　coming　of　the　barbarian　army。
　　It　was　a　matter　of　difficulty；　and　a　hard　task；　amidst　so　much
rubbish；　to　discover　and　re…determine　the　consecrated　places；　but　by
the　zeal　of　Camillus；　and　the　incessant　labour　of　the　priests；　it
was　at　last　accomplished。　But　when　it　came　also　to　rebuilding　the
city；　which　was　wholly　demolished；　despondency　seized　the　multitude；
and　a　backwardness　to　engage　in　a　work　for　which　they　had　no
materials；　at　a　time；　too；　when　they　rather　needed　relief　and　repose
from　their　past　labours；　than　any　new　demands　upon　their　exhausted
strength　and　impaired　fortunes。　Thus　insensibly　they　turned　their
thoughts　again　towards　Veii；　a　city　ready…built　and　well…provided；　and
gave　an　opening　to　the　arts　of　flatterers　eager　to　gratify　their
desires；　and　lent　their　ears　to　seditious　language　flung　out　against
Camillus；　as　that；　out　of　ambition　and　self…glory；　he　withheld　them
from　a　city　fit　to　receive　them；　forcing　them　to　live　in　the　midst
of　ruins；　and　to　re…erect　a　pile　of　burnt　rubbish；　that　he　might　be
esteemed　not　the　chief　magistrate　only　and　general　of　Rome；　but；　to
the　exclusion　of　Romulus；　its　founder　also。　The　senate；　therefore；
fearing　a　sedition；　would　not　suffer　Camillus；　though　desirous；　to　lay
down　his　authority　within　the　year；　though　no　dictator　had　ever　held
it　above　six　months。
　　They　themselves；　meantime；　used　their　best　endeavours；　by　kind
persuasions　and　familiar　addresses；　to　encourage　and　appease　the
people；　showing　them　the　shrines　and　tombs　of　their　ancestors；　calling
to　their　remembrance　the　sacred　spots　and　holy　places　which　Romulus
and　Numa　or　any　other　of　their　kings　had　consecrated　and　left　to　their
keeping；　and　among　the　strongest　religious　arguments；　urged　the
head；　newly　separated　from　the　body；　which　was　found　in　laying　the
foundation　of　the　Capitol；　marking　it　as　a　place　destined　by　fate　to
be　the　head　of　all　Italy；　and　the　holy　fire　which　had　just　been
rekindled　again；　since　the　end　of　the　war；　by　the　vestal　virgins；
〃What　a　disgrace　it　would　be　to　them　to　lose　and　extinguish　this；
leaving　the　city　it　belonged　to；　to　be　either　inhabited　by　strangers
and　new…comers；　or　left　a　wild　pasture　for　cattle　to　graze　on？〃　Such
reasons　as　these；　urged　with　complaint　and　expostulation；　sometimes　in
private　upon　individuals；　and　sometimes　in　their　public　assemblies；
were　met；　on　the　other　hand；　by　laments　and　protestations　of
distress　and　helplessness；　entreaties　that；　reunited　as　they　just
were；　after　a　sort　of　shipwreck；　naked　and　destitute；　they　would　not
constrain　them　to　patch　up　the　pieces　of　a　ruined　and　shattered
city；　when　they　had　another　at　hand　ready…built　and　prepared。
　　Camillus　thought　good　to　refer　it　to　general　deliberation；　and
himself　spoke　largely　and　earnestly　in　behalf　of　his　country；　as
also　many　others。　At　last；　calling　to　Lucius　Lucretius；　whose　place　it
was　to　speak　first；　he　commanded　him　to　give　his　sentence；　and　the
rest　as　they　followed；　in　order。　Silence　being　made；　and　Lucretius
just　about　to　begin；　by　chance　a　centurion　passing　by　outside　with　his
company　of　the　day…guard　called　out　with　a　loud　voice　to　the
ensign…bearer　to　halt　and　fix　his　standard；　for　this　was　the　best
place　to　stay　in。　This　voice；　coming　in　that　moment　of　time；　and　at
that　crisis　of　uncertainty　and　anxiety　for　the　future；　was　taken　as
a　direction　what　was　to　be　done；　so　that　Lucretius；　assuming　an
attitude　of　devotion；　gave　sentence　in　concurrence　with　the　gods；　as
he　said；　as　likewise　did　all　that　followed。　Even　among　the　common
people　it　created　a　wonderful　change　of　feeling；　every　one　now　cheered
and　encouraged　his　neighbour；　and　set　himself　to　the　work；
proceeding　in　it；　however；　not　by　any　regu