第 11 节
作者:北方网      更新:2024-04-09 19:51      字数:9321
  resisted him; and if all his soldiers had fought; and the most of them
  had not passed beyond the enemy in pursuit of the plunder; it is
  very likely that he had utterly defeated every part of them。
  There fell of his side eight thousand men; reckoning the servants of
  the army; whom Brutus calls Briges; and on the other side; Messala
  says his opinion is that there were slain about twice that number。 For
  which reason they were more out of heart than Brutus; until a
  servant of Cassius; named Demetrius; came in the evening to Antony;
  and brought to him the garment which he had taken from the dead
  body; and his sword at the sight of which they were so encouraged;
  that; as soon as it was morning; they drew out their whole force
  into the field; and stood in battle array。 But Brutus found both his
  camps wavering and in disorder; for his own; being filled with
  prisoners; required a guard more strict than ordinary over them; and
  that of Cassius was uneasy at the change of general; besides some envy
  and rancour; which those that were conquered bore to that part of
  the army which had been conquerors。 Wherefore he thought it convenient
  to put his army in array; but to abstain from fighting。 All the slaves
  that were taken prisoners; of whom there was a great number that
  were mixed up; not without suspicion; among the soldiers; he commanded
  to be slain; but of the freemen and citizens; some he dismissed;
  saying that among the enemy they were rather prisoners than with
  him; for with them they were captives and slaves; but with him freemen
  and citizens of Rome。 But he was forced to hide and help them to
  escape privately; perceiving that his friends and officers were bent
  upon revenge against them。 Among the captives there was one Volumnius;
  a player; and Sacculio; a buffoon; of these Brutus took no manner of
  notice; but his friends brought them before him and accused them
  that even then in that condition they did not refrain from their jests
  and scurrilous language。 Brutus; having his mind taken up with other
  affairs; said nothing to their accusation; but the judgment of Messala
  Corvinus was; that they should be whipped publicly upon a stage; and
  so sent naked to the captains of the enemy; to show them what sort
  of fellow…drinkers and companions they took with them on their
  campaigns。 At this some that were present laughed; and Publius
  Casca; he that gave the first wound to Caesar; said; 〃We do ill to
  jest and make merry at the funeral of Cassius。 But you; O Brutus;〃
  he added; 〃will show what esteem you have for the memory of that
  general; according as you punish or preserve alive those who will
  scoff and speak shamefully of him。〃 To this Brutus; in great
  discomposure; replied; 〃Why then; Casca; do you ask me about it; and
  not do yourselves what you think fitting?〃 This answer of Brutus was
  taken for his consent to the death of these wretched men; so they were
  carried away and slain。
  After this he gave the soldiers the reward that he had promised
  them; and having slightly reproved them for having fallen upon the
  enemy in disorder without the word of battle or command; he promised
  them; that if they behaved themselves bravely in the next
  engagement; he would give them up two cities to spoil and plunder;
  Thessalonica and Lacedaemon。 This is the one indefensible thing of all
  that is found fault with in the life of Brutus; though true it may
  be that Antony and Caesar were much more cruel in the rewards that
  they gave their soldiers after victory; for they drove out; one
  might almost say; all the old inhabitants of Italy; to put their
  soldiers in possession of other men's lands and cities。 But indeed
  their only design and end in undertaking the war was to obtain
  dominion and empire; whereas Brutus; for the reputation of his virtue;
  could not be permitted either to overcome or save himself but with
  justice and honour; especially after the death of Cassius; who was
  generally accused of having been his adviser to some things that he
  had done with less clemency。 But now; as in a ship; when the rubber is
  broken by a storm; the mariners fit and nail on some other piece of
  wood instead of it; striving against the danger not well; but as
  well as in that necessity they can; so Brutus; being at the head of so
  great an army; in a time of such uncertainty; having no commander
  equal to his need; was forced to make use of those that he had; and to
  do and to say many things according to their advice; which was; in
  effect; whatever might conduce to the bringing of Cassius's soldiers
  into better order。 For they were very headstrong and intractable; bold
  and insolent in the camp for want of their general; but in the field
  cowardly and fearful; remembering that they had been beaten。
  Neither were the affairs of Caesar and Antony in any better posture;
  for they were straitened for provision; and; the camp being in a low
  ground; they expected to pass a very hard winter。 For being driven
  close upon the marshes; and a great quantity of rain; as is usual in
  autumn; having fallen after the battle; their tents were all filled
  with mire and water; which through the coldness of the weather
  immediately froze。 And while they were in this condition; there was
  news brought to them of their loss at sea。 For Brutus's fleet fell
  upon their ships; which were bringing a great supply of soldiers out
  of Italy; and so entirely defeated them; that but very few of the
  men escaped being slain; and they too were forced by famine to feed
  upon the sails and tackle of the ship。 As soon as they heard this;
  they made what haste they could to come to the decision of a battle;
  before Brutus should have notice of his good success。 For it had so
  happened that the fight both by sea and land was on the same day;
  but by some misfortune; rather than the fault of his commanders;
  Brutus knew not of his victory twenty days after。 For had he been
  informed of this; he would not have been brought to a second battle;
  since he had sufficient provisions for his army for a long time; and
  was very advantageously posted; his camp being well sheltered from the
  cold weather; and almost inaccessible to the enemy; and his being
  absolute master of the sea; and having at land overcome on that side
  wherein he himself was engaged; would have made him full of hope and
  confidence。 But it seems the state of Rome not enduring any longer
  to be governed by many; but necessarily requiring a monarchy; the
  divine power; that it might remove out of the way the only man that
  was able to resist him that could control the empire; cut off his good
  fortune from coming to the ears of Brutus; though it came but a very
  little too late; for the very evening before the fight Clodius; a
  deserter from the enemy; came and announced that Caesar had received
  advice of the loss of his fleet; and for that reason was in such haste
  to come to a battle; But his story met with no credit; nor was he so
  much as seen by Brutus; being simply set down as one that had no
  good information; or invented lies to bring himself into favour。
  The same night; they say; the vision appeared again to Brutus; in
  the same shape that it did before; but vanished without speaking。
  But Publius Volumnius; a philosopher; and one that had from the
  beginning borne arms with Brutus; makes no mention of this apparition;
  but says that the first eagle was covered with a swarm of bees; and
  that there was one of the captains whose arm of itself sweated oil
  of roses; and; though they often dried and wiped it; yet it would
  not cease; and that immediately before the battle; two eagles
  falling upon each other fought in the space between the two armies;
  that the whole field kept incredible silence and all were intent
  upon the spectacle; until at last that which was on Brutus's side
  yielded and fled。 But the story of the Ethiopian is very famous;
  who; meeting the standard…bearer at the opening the gate of the
  camp; was cut to pieces by the soldiers; that took it for an ill…omen。
  Brutus; having brought his army into the field and set them in array
  against the enemy; paused a long while before he would fight; for as
  he was reviewing the troops; suspicions were excited and
  informations laid against some of them。 Besides; he saw his horse
  not very eager to begin the action; and waiting to see what the foot
  would do。 Then suddenly Camulatus; a very good soldier; and one whom
  for his valour he highly esteemed; riding hard by Brutus himself; went
  over to the enemy; the sight of which grieved Brutus exceedingly。 So
  that partly out of anger; and partly out of fear of some greater
  treason and desertion; he immediately drew on his forces upon the
  enemy; the sun now declining; about three of the clock in the
  afternoon。 Brutus on his side had the better; and pressed hard on
  the left wing; which gave way and retreated; and the horse too fell in
  together with the foot; when they saw the enemy in disorder。 But the
  other wing; when the officers extended the line to avoid its being
  encompassed; the numbers being inferior; got drawn out too thin in the
  centre; and was so weak here that they could not withstand the charge;
  but at the first onset fled。 After defeating these; the enemy