histories-第76章

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submitted；　that　the　Batavi　had　had　their　country　taken　from　them；



and　that　from　the　friendship　of　Civilis　nothing　else　had　been　gained



but　wounds；　defeat；　and　mourning；　an　exile　and　a　fugitive　he　could



only　be　a　burden　to　those　who　entertained　him；　and　they　had　already



trespassed　enough　in　crossing　the　Rhine　so　often。　If　they　attempted



anything　more；　on　their　side　would　be　the　wrong　and　the　guilt；　with



the　Romans　the　vengeance　of　heaven。



　　Thus　promises　were　mingled　with　threats。　When　the　fidelity　of　the



Transrhenane　tribes　had　been　thus　shaken；　among　the　Batavi　also



there　arose　debates。　〃We　can　no　longer；〃　they　said；　〃postpone　our



ruin。　The　servitude　of　the　whole　world　cannot　be　averted　by　a　single



nation。　What　has　been　accomplished　by　destroying　legions　with　fire　and



sword；　but　that　more　legions　and　stronger　have　been　brought　up？　If



it　was　for　Vespasian　that　we　fought　this　war；　then　Vespasian　rules　the



world；　if　we　meant　to　challenge　to　battle　the　Roman　people；　then



what　a　mere　fraction　of　the　human　race　are　the　Batavi！　Look　at　the



Rhaetians　and　Noricans；　at　the　burdens　borne　by　the　other　allies。　No



tribute；　but　valour　and　manhood　are　demanded　of　us。　This　is　the　next



thing　to　liberty；　and　if　we　must　choose　between　masters；　then　we　may



more　honourably　bear　with　the　Emperors　of　Rome；　than　with　the　women　of



the　Germans。〃　Such　were　the　murmurs　of　the　lower　class；　the　nobles



spoke　in　fiercer　language。　〃We　have　been　driven　into　war；〃　they



said；　〃by　the　fury　of　Civilis。　He　sought　to　counterbalance　his　private



wrongs　by　the　destruction　of　his　nation。　Then　were　the　Gods　angry　with



the　Batavi　when　the　legions　were　besieged；　when　the　legates　were



slain；　when　the　war；　so　necessary　to　that　one　man；　so　fatal　to　us；　was



begun。　We　are　at　the　last　extremity；　unless　we　think　of　repenting；　and



avow　our　repentance　by　punishing　the　guilty。〃



　　These　dispositions　did　not　escape　the　notice　of　Civilis。　He



determined　to　anticipate　them；　moved　not　only　by　weariness　of　his



sufferings；　but　also　by　that　clinging　to　life　which　often　breaks　the



noblest　spirits。　He　asked　for　a　conference。　The　bridge　over　the



river　Nabalia　was　cut　down；　and　the　two　generals　advanced　to　the



broken　extremities。　Civilis　thus　opened　the　conference：…　〃If　it　were



before　a　legate　of　Vitellius　that　I　were　defending　myself；　my　acts



would　deserve　no　pardon；　my　words　no　credit。　All　the　relations　between



us　were　those　of　hatred　and　hostility；　first　made　so　by　him；　and



afterwards　embittered　by　me。　My　respect　for　Vespasian　is　of　long



standing。　While　he　was　still　a　subject；　we　were　called　friends。　This



was　known　to　Primus　Antonius；　whose　letters　urged　me　to　take　up



arms；　for　he　feared　lest　the　legions　of　Germany　and　the　youth　of



Gaul　should　cross　the　Alps。　What　Antonius　advised　by　his　letters；



Hordeonius　suggested　by　word　of　mouth。　I　fought　the　same　battle　in



Germany；　as　did　Mucianus　in　Syria；　Aponius　in　Moesia；　Flavianus　in



Pannonia。〃







　　＇At　this　point　the　Histories　break　off。　We　do　not　know　what　happened



to　Civilis。　The　Batavians　seem　to　have　received　favorable　treatment。＇











　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　END



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