the story of mankind-第17章

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once　they　understood　the　great　benefit　that　could　be　derived

from　a　written　alphabet　and　they　copied　that　of　the　Greeks。

They　also　understood　the　commercial　advantages　of　a　well…

regulated　system　of　coins　and　measures　and　weights。　Eventually

the　Romans　swallowed　Greek　civilisation　hook；　line　and

sinker。



They　even　welcomed　the　Gods　of　the　Greeks　to　their

country。　Zeus　was　taken　to　Rome　where　he　became　known　as

Jupiter　and　the　other　divinities　followed　him。　The　Roman　Gods

however　never　were　quite　like　their　cheerful　cousins　who　had

accompanied　the　Greeks　on　their　road　through　life　and　through

history。　The　Roman　Gods　were　State　Functionaries。　Each

one　managed　his　own　department　with　great　prudence　and　a

deep　sense　of　justice；　but　in　turn　he　was　exact　in　demanding　the

obedience　of　his　worshippers。　This　obedience　the　Romans　rendered

with　scrupulous　care。　But　they　never　established　the

cordial　personal　relations　and　that　charming　friendship　which

had　existed　between　the　old　Hellenes　and　the　mighty　residents

of　the　high　Olympian　peak。



The　Romans　did　not　imitate　the　Greek　form　of　government；

but　being　of　the　same　Indo…European　stock　as　the　people

of　Hellas；　the　early　history　of　Rome　resembles　that　of

Athens　and　the　other　Greek　cities。　They　did　not　find　it　difficult

to　get　rid　of　their　kings；　the　descendants　of　the　ancient

tribal　chieftains。　But　once　the　kings　had　been　driven　from

the　city；　the　Romans　were　forced　to　bridle　the　power　of　the

nobles；　and　it　took　many　centuries　before　they　managed　to

establish　a　system　which　gave　every　free　citizen　of　Rome　a

chance　to　take　a　personal　interest　in　the　affairs　of　his　town。



Thereafter　the　Romans　enjoyed　one　great　advantage　over

the　Greeks。　They　managed　the　affairs　of　their　country　without

making　too　many　speeches。　They　were　less　imaginative

than　the　Greeks　and　they　preferred　an　ounce　of　action　to　a

pound　of　words。　They　understood　the　tendency　of　the　multi…

tude　（the　‘‘plebe；''　as　the　assemblage　of　free　citizens　was　called）

only　too　well　to　waste　valuable　time　upon　mere　talk。　They

therefore　placed　the　actual　business　of　running　the　city　into

the　hands　of　two　‘‘consuls''　who　were　assisted　by　a　council　of

Elders；　called　the　Senate　（because　the　word　‘‘senex''　means　an

old　man）。　As　a　matter　of　custom　and　practical　advantage　the

senators　were　elected　from　the　nobility。　But　their　power　had

been　strictly　defined。



Rome　at　one　time　had　passed　through　the　same　sort　of

struggle　between　the　poor　and　the　rich　which　had　forced

Athens　to　adopt　the　laws　of　Draco　and　Solon。　In　Rome　this

conflict　had　occurred　in　the　fifth　century　B。　C。　As　a　result　the

freemen　had　obtained　a　written　code　of　laws　which　protected

them　against　the　despotism　of　the　aristocratic　judges　by　the

institution　of　the　‘‘Tribune。''　These　Tribunes　were　city…

magistrates；　elected　by　the　freemen。　They　had　the　right　to　protect

any　citizen　against　those　actions　of　the　government　officials

which　were　thought　to　be　unjust。　A　consul　had　the　right　to

condemn　a　man　to　death；　but　if　the　case　had　not　been　absolutely

proved　the　Tribune　could　interfere　and　save　the　poor

fellow's　life。



But　when　I　use　the　word　Rome；　I　seem　to　refer　to　a　little

city　of　a　few　thousand　inhabitants。　And　the　real　strength　of

Rome　lay　in　the　country　districts　outside　her　walls。　And　it

was　in　the　government　of　these　outlying　provinces　that　Rome

at　an　early　age　showed　her　wonderful　gift　as　a　colonising

power。



In　very　early　times　Rome　had　been　the　only　strongly　fortified

city　in　central　Italy；　but　it　had　always　offered　a　hospitable

refuge　to　other　Latin　tribes　who　happened　to　be　in　danger　of

attack。　The　Latin　neighbours　had　recognised　the　advantages

of　a　close　union　with　such　a　powerful　friend　and　they　had　tried

to　find　a　basis　for　some　sort　of　defensive　and　offensive　alliance。

Other　nations；　Egyptians；　Babylonians；　Phoenicians；

even　Greeks；　would　have　insisted　upon　a　treaty　of　submission

on　the　part　of　the　‘‘barbarians；''　The　Romans　did　nothing　of

the　sort。　They　gave　the　‘‘outsider''　a　chance　to　become　partners

in　a　common　‘‘res　publica''or　common…wealth。



‘‘You　want　to　join　us；''　they　said。　‘‘Very　well；　go　ahead

and　join。　We　shall　treat　you　as　if　you　were　full…fledged　citizens

of　Rome。　In　return　for　this　privilege　we　expect　you　to

fight　for　our　city；　the　mother　of　us　all；　whenever　it　shall　be

necessary。''



The　‘‘outsider''　appreciated　this　generosity　and　he　showed

his　gratitude　by　his　unswerving　loyalty。



Whenever　a　Greek　city　had　been　attacked；　the　foreign

residents　had　moved　out　as　quickly　as　they　could。　Why　defend

something　which　meant　nothing　to　them　but　a　temporary

boarding　house　in　which　they　were　tolerated　as　long　as　they

paid　their　bills？　But　when　the　enemy　was　before　the　gates

of　Rome；　all　the　Latins　rushed　to　her　defence。　It　was　their

Mother　who　was　in　danger。　It　was　their　true　‘‘home''　even　if

they　lived　a　hundred　miles　away　and　had　never　seen　the　walls

of　the　sacred　Hills。



No　defeat　and　no　disaster　could　change　this　sentiment。　In

the　beginning　of　the　fourth　century　B。C。　the　wild　Gauls　forced

their　way　into　Italy。　They　had　defeated　the　Roman　army　near

the　River　Allia　and　had　marched　upon　the　city。　They　had

taken　Rome　and　then　they　expected　that　the　people　would

come　and　sue　for　peace。　They　waited；　but　nothing　happened。

After　a　short　time　the　Gauls　found　themselves　surrounded　by

a　hostile　population　which　made　it　impossible　for　them　to　obtain

supplies。　After　seven　months；　hunger　forced　them　to　withdraw。

The　policy　of　Rome　to　treat　the　‘‘foreigner''　on　equal

terms　had　proved　a　great　success　and　Rome　stood　stronger　than

ever　before。



This　short　account　of　the　early　history　of　Rome　shows　you

the　enormous　difference　between　the　Roman　ideal　of　a　healthy

state；　and　that　of　the　ancient　world　which　was　embodied　in　the

town　of　Carthage。　The　Romans　counted　upon　the　cheerful

and　hearty　co…operation　between　a　number　of　‘‘equal　citizens。''

The　Carthaginians；　following　the　example　of　Egypt

and　western　Asia；　insisted　upon　the　unreasoning　（and　therefore

unwilling）　obedience　of　‘‘Subjects''　and　when　these　failed

they　hired　professional　soldiers　to　do　their　fighting　for　them。



You　will　now　understand　why　Carthage　was　bound　to　fear

such　a　clever　and　powerful　enemy　and　why　the　plutocracy　of

Carthage　was　only　too　willing　to　pick　a　quarrel　that　they　might

destroy　the　dangerous　rival　before　it　was　too　late。



But　the　Carthaginians；　being　good　business　men；　knew　that

it　never　pays　to　rush　matters。　They　proposed　to　the　Romans

that　their　respective　cities　draw　two　circles　on　the　map　and

that　each　town　claim　one　of　these　circles　as　her　own　‘‘sphere

of　influence''　and　promise　to　keep　out　of　the　other　fellow's

circle。　The　agreement　was　promptly　made　and　was　broken　just

as　promptly　when　both　sides　thought　it　wise　to　send　their

armies　to　Sicily　where　a　rich　soil　and　a　bad　government　invited

foreign　interference。



The　war　which　followed　（the　so…called　first　Punic　War）

lasted　twenty…four　years。　It　was　fought　out　on　the　high　seas

and　in　the　beginning　it　seemed　that　the　experienced　Car…

thaginian　navy　would　defeat　the　newly　created　Roman　fleet。

Following　their　ancient　tactics；　the　Carthaginian　ships　would

either　ram　the　enemy　vessels　or　by　a　bold　attack　from　the　side

they　would　break　their　oars　and　would　then　kill　the　sailors　of

the　helpless　vessel　with　their　arrows　and　with　fire　balls。　But

Roman　engineers　invented　a　new　craft　which　carried　a　boarding

bridge　across　which　the　Roman　infantrymen　stormed　the

hostile　ship。　Then　there　was　a　sudden　end　to　Carthaginian

victories。　At　the　battle　of　Mylae　their　fleet　was　badly　defeated。

Carthage　was　obliged　to　sue　for　peace；　and　Sicily　became　part

of　the　Roman　domains。



Twenty…three　years　later　new　trouble　arose。　Rome　（in

quest　of　copper）　had　taken　the　island　of　Sardinia。　Carthage

（in　quest　of　silver）　thereupon　occup