camillus-第9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！


and　encouraged　his　neighbour；　and　set　himself　to　the　work；
proceeding　in　it；　however；　not　by　any　regular　lines　or　divisions；
but　every　one　pitching　upon　that　plot　of　ground　which　came　next　to
hand；　or　best　pleased　his　fancy；　by　which　haste　and　hurry　in　building；
they　constructed　their　city　in　narrow　and　ill…designed　lanes；　and　with
houses　huddled　together　one　upon　another；　for　it　is　said　that　within
the　compass　of　the　year　the　whole　city　was　built　up　anew；　both　in
its　public　walls　and　private　buildings。　The　persons；　however；
appointed　by　Camillus　to　resume　and　mark　out；　in　this　general
confusion；　all　consecrated　places；　coming；　in　their　way　round　the
Palatium；　to　the　chapel　of　Mars；　found　the　chapel　itself　indeed
destroyed　and　burnt　to　the　ground；　like　everything　else；　by　the
barbarians；　but　whilst　they　were　clearing　the　place；　and　carrying　away
the　rubbish；　lit　upon　Romulus's　augural　staff；　buried　under　a　great
heap　of　ashes。　This　sort　of　staff　is　crooked　at　one　end；　and　is　called
lituus；　they　make　use　of　it　in　quartering　out　the　regions　of　the
heavens　when　engaged　in　divination　from　the　flight　of　birds；
Romulus；　who　was　himself　a　great　diviner；　made　use　of　it。　But　when
he　disappeared　from　the　earth；　the　priests　took　his　staff　and　kept　it；
as　other　holy　things；　from　the　touch　of　man；　and　when　they　now　found
that；　whereas　all　other　things　were　consumed；　this　staff　had
altogether　escaped　the　flames；　they　began　to　conceive　happier　hopes　of
Rome；　and　to　augur　from　this　token　its　future　everlasting　safety。
　　And　now　they　had　scarcely　got　a　breathing　time　from　their　trouble；
when　a　new　war　came　upon　them；　and　the　Aequians；　Volscians；　and　Latins
all　at　once　invaded　their　territories；　and　the　Tuscans　besieged
Sutrium；　their　confederate　city。　The　military　tribunes　who　commanded
the　army；　and　were　encamped　about　the　hill　Maecius；　being　closely
besieged　by　the　Latins；　and　the　camp　in　danger　to　be　lost；　sent　to
Rome；　where　Camillus　was　a　third　time　chosen　dictator。　Of　this　war　two
different　accounts　are　given；　I　shall　begin　with　the　more　fabulous。
They　say　that　the　Latins　（whether　out　of　pretence；　or　real　design　to
revive　the　ancient　relationship　of　the　two　nations）　sent　to　desire
of　the　Romans　some　free…born　maidens　in　marriage；　that　when　the　Romans
were　at　a　loss　how　to　determine　（for　on　one　hand　they　dreaded　a　war；
having　scarcely　yet　settled　and　recovered　themselves；　and　on　the　other
side　suspected　that　this　asking　of　wives　was；　in　plain　terms；
nothing　else　but　a　demand　for　hostages；　though　covered　over　with　the
specious　name　of　intermarriage　and　alliance）；　a　certain　handmaid；　by
name　Tutula；　or；　as　some　call　her；　Philotis；　persuaded　the　magistrates
to　send　with　her　some　of　the　most　youthful　and　best…looking
maid…servants；　in　the　bridal　dress　of　noble　virgins；　and　leave　the
rest　to　her　care　and　management；　that　the　magistrates；　consenting；
chose　out　as　many　as　she　thought　necessary　for　her　purpose；　and
adorning　them　with　gold　and　rich　clothes；　delivered　them　to　the
Latins；　who　were　encamped　not　far　from　the　city；　that　at　night　the
rest　stole　away　the　enemy's　swords；　but　Tutula　or　Philotis；　getting　to
the　top　of　a　wild　fig…tree；　and　spreading　out　a　thick　woollen　cloth
behind　her；　held　out　a　torch　towards　Rome；　which　was　the　signal
concerted　between　her　and　the　commanders；　without　the　knowledge；
however；　of　any　other　of　the　citizens；　which　was　the　reason　that　their
issuing　out　from　the　city　was　tumultuous；　the　officers　pushing　their
men　on；　and　they　calling　upon　one　another's　names；　and　scarce　able
to　bring　themselves　into　order；　that　setting　upon　the　enemy's　works；
who　either　were　asleep　or　expected　no　such　matter；　they　took　the
camp　and　destroyed　most　of　them；　and　that　this　was　done　on　the　Nones
of　July；　which　was　then　called　Quintilis；　and　that　the　feast　that　is
observed　on　that　day　is　a　commemoration　of　what　was　then　done。　For
in　it；　first；　they　run　out　of　the　city　in　great　crowds；　and　call　out
aloud　several　familiar　and　common　names；　Caius；　Marcus；　Lucius；　and
the　like　in　representation　of　the　way　in　which　they　called　to　one
another　when　they　went　out　in　such　haste。　In　the　next　place；　the
maid…servants；　gaily　dressed；　run　about；　playing　and　jesting　upon
all　they　meet；　and　amongst　themselves；　also；　use　a　kind　of
skirmishing；　to　show　they　helped　in　the　conflict　against　the　Latins；
and　while　eating　and　drinking；　they　sit　shaded　over　with　boughs　of
wild　fig…tree；　and　the　day　they　call　Nonae　Caprotinae；　as　some　think
from　that　wild　fig…tree　on　which　the　maid…servant　held　up　her　torch；
the　Roman　name　for　a　wild　fig…tree　being　caprificus。　Others　refer　most
of　what　is　said　or　done　at　this　feast　to　the　fate　of　Romulus；　for；
on　this　day；　he　vanished　outside　the　gates　in　a　sudden　darkness　and
storm　（some　think　it　an　eclipse　of　the　sun）；　and　from　this　the　day　was
called　Nonae　Caprotinae；　the　Latin　for　a　goat　being　capra；　and　the
place　where　he　disappeared　having　the　name　of　Goat's　Marsh；　as　is
stated　in　his　life。
　　But　the　general　stream　of　writers　prefer　the　other　account　of　this
war；　which　they　thus　relate。　Camillus；　being　the　third　time　chosen
dictator；　and　learning　that　the　army　under　the　tribunes　was　besieged
by　the　Latins　and　Volscians；　was　constrained　to　arm；　not　only　those
under；　but　also　those　over；　the　age　of　service；　and　taking　a　large
circuit　round　the　mountain　Maecius；　undiscovered　by　the　enemy；
lodged　his　army　on　their　rear；　and　then　by　many　fires　gave　notice　of
his　arrival。　The　besieged；　encouraged　by　this；　prepared　to　sally　forth
and　join　battle；　but　the　Latins　and　Volscians；　fearing　this　exposure
to　an　enemy　on　both　sides；　drew　themselves　within　their　works；　and
fortified　their　camp　with　a　strong　palisade　of　trees　on　every　side；
resolving　to　wait　for　more　supplies　from　home；　and　expecting；　also；
the　assistance　of　the　Tuscans；　their　confederates。　Camillus；　detecting
their　object；　and　fearing　to　be　reduced　to　the　same　position　to
which　he　had　brought　them；　namely；　to　be　besieged　himself；　resolved　to
lose　no　time：　and　finding　their　rampart　was　all　of　timber；　and
observing　that　a　strong　wind　constantly　at　sun…rising　blew　off　from
the　mountains；　after　having　prepared　a　quantity　of　combustibles；　about
break　of　day　he　drew　forth　his　forces；　commanding　a　part　with　their
missiles　to　assault　the　enemy　with　noise　and　shouting　on　the　other
quarter；　whilst　he；　with　those　that　were　to　fling　in　the　fire；　went　to
that　side　of　the　enemy's　camp　to　which　the　wind　usually　blew；　and
there　waited　his　opportunity。　When　the　skirmish　was　begun；　and　the　sun
risen；　and　a　strong　wind　set　in　from　the　mountains；　he　gave　the　signal
of　onset；　and　heaving　in　an　infinite　quantity　of　fiery　matter；
filled　all　their　rampart　with　it；　so　that　the　flame　being　fed　by　the
close　timber　and　wooden　palisades；　went　on　and　spread　into　all
quarters。　The　Latins；　having　nothing　ready　to　keep　it　off　or
extinguish　it；　when　the　camp　was　now　almost　full　of　fire；　were
driven　back　within　a　very　small　compass；　and　at　last　forced　by
necessity　to　come　into　their　enemy's　hands；　who　stood　before　the　works
ready　armed　and　prepared　to　receive　them；　of　these　very　few　escaped；
while　those　that　stayed　in　the　camp　were　all　a　prey　to　the　fire；　until
the　Romans；　to　gain　the　pillage；　extinguished　it。
　　These　things　performed；　Camillus；　leaving　his　son　Lucius　in　the　camp
to　guard　the　prisoners　and　secure　the　booty；　passed　into　the　enemy's
country；　where；　having　taken　the　city　of　the　Aequians　and　reduced
the　Volscians　to　obedience；　he　then　immediately　led　his　army　to
Sutrium；　not　having　heard　what　had　befallen　the　Sutrians；　but　making
haste　to　assist　them；　as　if　they　were　still　in　danger　and　besieged
by　the　Tuscans。　They；　however；　had　already　surrendered　their　city　to
their　enemies；　and　destitute　of　all　things；　with　nothing　left　but
their　clothes；　met　Camillus　on　the　way；　leading　their　wives　and
children；　and　bewailing　their　misfortune。　Camillus　himself　was
struck　with　compassion；　and　perceiving　the　soldiers　weeping；　and
commiserating　their　case；　while　the　Sutrians　hung　about　and　clung　to
them；　resolved　not　to　defer　revenge；　but　that　very　day　to　lead　his
army　to　Sutrium；　conjecturing