第 20 节
作者:闪啊闪      更新:2023-08-28 11:48      字数:9319
  moving   mountains;   with   long   snakes   for   hands。   But   the   victories   of   the
  Epirotes      were     fiercely    disputed;      dearly    purchased;       and    altogether
  unprofitable。   At   length;   Manius   Curius   Dentatus;   who   had   in   his   first
  Consulship won two triumphs; was again placed at the head of the Roman
  Commonwealth;   and   sent   to   conquer   the   invaders。   A   great   battle   was
  fought near   Beneventum。 Pyrrhus   was completely  defeated。 He   repassed
  the sea;   and the   world learned;   with   amazement; that   a people   had been
  discovered who; in fair fighting; were superior to the best troops that had
  been drilled on the system of Parmenio and Antigonus。
  The   conquerors   had   a   good   right   to   exult   in   their   success;   for   their
  glory was   all their own。 They  had not learned from  their enemy  how  to
  conquer      him。   It  was    with   their   own    national    arms;   and   in   their  own
  national   battle   array;   that   they   had   overcome   weapons   and   tactics   long
  believed to be invincible。 The pilum and the broadsword had vanquished
  the   Macedonian   spear。   The   legion   had   broken   the   Macedonian   phalanx。
  Even the elephants; when the surprise produced by their first appearance
  was over; could cause no disorder in the steady yet flexible battalions of
  Rome。       It is said by Florus; and may easily be believed; that the triumph
  far   surpassed   in   magnificence   any   that   Rome   had   previously   seen。   The
  only spoils which Papirius Cursor and Fabius Maximus could exhibit were
  flocks     and   herds;   wagons      of  rude   structure;    and   heaps    of  spears    and
  helmets。   But   now;   for   the   first   time;   the   riches   of   Asia   and   the   arts   of
  Greece adorned a Roman pageant。 Plate; fine stuffs; costly furniture; rare
  animals; exquisite paintings and sculptures; formed part of the procession。
  At   the   banquet   would   be   assembled   a   crowd   of   warriors   and   statesmen;
  among whom Manius Curius Dentatus would take the highest room。 Caius
  Fabricius Luscinus; then; after two Consulships and two triumphs; Censor
  of   the   Commonwealth;   would   doubtless   occupy   a   place   of   honor   at   the
  board。 In situations less conspicuous probably lay some of those who were;
  a few years later; the terror of Carthage: Caius Duilius; the founder of the
  maritime greatness of his country; Marcus Atilius Regulus; who owed to
  defeat     a  renown     far  higher    than   that  which     he   had   derived    from    his
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  victories;     and   Caius    Lutatius     Catalus;    who;    while    suffering    from    a
  grievous wound; fought the great battle of the             芶 tes; and brought the First
  Punic War to a triumphant close。 It is impossible to recount the names of
  these     eminent     citizens;    without     reflecting    that   they    were;    without
  exception;   Plebeians;   and   would;   but   for   the   ever   memorable   struggle
  maintained   by  Caius   Licinius   and   Lucius   Sextius;   have   been   doomed   to
  hide in obscurity; or to waste in civil broils; the capacity and energy which
  prevailed against Pyrrhus and Hamilcar。
  On such a day we may suppose that the patriotic enthusiasm of a Latin
  poet would vent itself in reiterated shouts of ‘‘Io triumphe;'' such as were
  uttered by Horace on a far less exciting occasion; and in boasts resembling
  those which Virgil put into the mouth of Anchises。 The superiority of some
  foreign   nations;   and   especially   of   the   Greeks;   in   the   lazy   arts   of   peace;
  would   be   admitted   with   disdainful   candor;   but   pre 雖 inence   in   all   the
  qualities   which   fit   a   people   to   subdue   and   govern   mankind   would   be
  claimed for the Romans。
  The following lay belongs to the latest age of Latin ballad…poetry。 N 鎣
  is   and   Livius    Andronicus       were    probably     among     the   children    whose
  mothers held them up to see the chariot of Curius go by。 The minstrel who
  sang on that day might possibly have lived to read the first hexameters of
  Ennius; and to see the first   comedies of   Plautus。 His poem;   as   might be
  expected; shows a much wider acquaintance with the geography; manners;
  and     productions     of   remote    nations;    than   would     have    been   found    in
  compositions of the age of Camillus。 But he troubles himself little about
  dates; and having heard travellers talk with admiration of the Colossus of
  Rhodes;   and   of   the   structures   and   gardens   with   which   the   Macedonian
  king of Syria had embellished their residence on the banks of the Orontes;
  he has never thought of inquiring whether these things existed in the age
  of Romulus。
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  The Prophecy of Capys
  A Lay Sung at the Banquet in the Capitol; on the
  Day Whereon Manius Curius Dentatus; a Second
  Time Consul; Triumphed Over King Pyrrhus and the
  Tarentines; in the Year of the City CCCCLXXIX
  I
  Now   slain   is   King   Amulius;        Of   the   great   Sylvian   line;   Who
  reigned   in   Alba   Longa;        On   the   throne   of   Aventine。   Slain   is   the
  Ponfiff Camers;            Who spake the words of doom: ‘‘The children to
  the Tiber;         The mother to the tomb。''
  II
  In Alba's lake no fisher           His net to…day is flinging; On the dark
  rind of Alba's oaks           To…day no axe is ringing; The yoke hangs o'er
  the   manger;          The   scythe   lies  in  the  hay:  Through   all  the  Alban
  villages         No work is done to…day。
  III
  And every Alban burgher               Hath donned his whitest gown; And
  every head in Alba            Weareth a poplar crown; And every Alban door…
  post         With boughs and flowers is gay; For to…day the dead are living;
  The lost are found to…day。
  IV
  They were doomed by a bloody king;                  They were doomed by a
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  lying priest; They were cast on the raging flood;                 They were tracked
  by   the   raging   beast;  Raging    beast  and   raging   flood         Alike    have
  spared the prey; And to…day the dead are living;                  The lost are found
  to…day。
  V
  The troubled river knew them;                And smoothed his yellow foam;
  And   gently   rocked     the  cradle         That   bore   the  fate   of   Rome。  The
  ravening she…wolf knew them;                 And licked them o'er and o'er; And
  gave   them   of   her   own   fierce   milk;      Rich   with   raw   flesh   and   gore。
  Twenty winters; twenty springs;                Since then have rolled away; And
  to…day the dead are living:             The lost are found to…day。
  VI
  Blithe   it   was   to   see   the   twins;    Right   goodly   youths   and   tall;
  Marching from Alba Longa                 To their old grandsire's hall。 Along their
  path fresh garlands             Are hung from tree to tree: Before them stride
  the pipers;          Piping a note of glee。
  VII
  On the right goes Romulus;               With arms to the elbows red; And in
  his hand a broadsword;              And on the blade a head A head in an iron
  helmet;           With   horse…hair hanging down; A shaggy  head;  a   swarthy
  head;           Fixed     in  a  ghastly   frown    The   head   of  King    Amulius
  Of   the   great   Sylvian   line;   Who   reigned   in   Alba   Longa;        On    the
  throne of Aventine。
  VIII
  On the left side goes Remus;                With wrists and fingers red; And
  in his hand a boar…spear;             And on the point a head A wrinkled head
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  and   aged;          With   silver   beard   and   hair;   And   holy   fillets   round   it;
  Such as the pontiffs wear The head of ancient Camers;                   Who spake
  the words of doom: ‘‘The children to the Tib