第 1 节
作者:小秋      更新:2021-02-17 23:16      字数:9322
  SYLLA
  138…78 B。C。
  by Plutarch
  translated by John Dryden
  LUCIUS Cornelius Sylla was descended of a patrician or noble family。
  Of his ancestors; Rufinus; it is said; had been consul; and incurred a
  disgrace more signal than his distinction。 For being found possessed
  of more than ten pounds of silver plate; contrary to the law; he was
  for this reason put out of the senate。 His posterity continued ever
  after in obscurity; nor had Sylla himself any opulent parentage。 In
  his younger days he lived in hired lodgings; at a low rate; which in
  aftertimes was adduced against him as proof that he had been fortunate
  above his quality。 When he was boasting and magnifying himself for his
  exploits in Libya; a person of noble station made answer; 〃And how can
  you be an honest man; who; since the death of a father who left you
  nothing; have become so rich?〃 The time in which he lived was no
  longer an age of pure and upright manners; but had already declined;
  and yielded to the appetite for riches and luxury; yet still; in the
  general opinion; they who deserted the hereditary poverty of their
  family were as much blamed as those who had run out a fair patrimonial
  estate。 And afterwards; when he had seized the power into his hands;
  and was putting many to death; a freedman; suspected of having
  concealed one of the proscribed; and for that reason sentenced to be
  thrown down the Tarpeian rock; in a reproachful way recounted how they
  had lived long together under the same roof; himself for the upper
  rooms paying two thousand sesterces; and Sylla for the lower three
  thousand; so that the difference between their fortunes then was no
  more than one thousand sesterces; equivalent in Attic coin to two
  hundred and fifty drachmas。 And thus much of his early fortune。
  His general personal appearance may be known by his statues; only
  his blue; eyes; of themselves extremely keen and glaring; were
  rendered all the more forbidding and terrible by the complexion of his
  face; in which white was mixed with rough blotches of fiery red。
  Hence; it is said; he was surnamed Sylla; and in allusion to it one of
  the scurrilous jesters at Athens made the verse upon him…
  〃Sylla is a mulberry sprinkled o'er with meal。〃
  Nor is it out of place to make use of marks of character like these;
  in the case of one who was by nature so addicted to raillery; that
  in his youthful obscure years he would converse freely with players
  and professed jesters; and join them in all their low pleasures。 And
  when supreme master of all; he was often wont to muster together the
  most impudent players and stage…followers of the town; and to drink
  and bandy jests with them without regard to his age or the dignity
  of his place; and to the prejudice of important affairs that
  required his attention。 When he was once at table; it was not in
  Sylla's nature to admit of anything that was serious; and whereas at
  other times he was a man of business and austere of countenance; he
  underwent all of a sudden; at his first entrance upon wine and
  good…fellowship; a total revolution; and was gentle and tractable with
  common singers and dancers; and ready to oblige any one that spoke
  with him。 It seems to have been a sort of diseased result of this
  laxity that he was so prone to amorous pleasures; and yielded
  without resistance to any temptation of voluptuousness; from which
  even in his old age he could not refrain。 He had a long attachment for
  Metrobius; a player。 In his first amours; it happened that he made
  court to a common but rich lady; Nicopolis by name; and what by the
  air of his youth; and what by long intimacy; won so far on her
  affections; that she rather than he was the lover; and at her death
  she bequeathed him her whole property。 He likewise inherited the
  estate of a step…mother who loved him as her own son。 By these means
  he had pretty well advanced his fortunes。
  He was chosen quaestor to Marius in his first consulship; and set
  sail with him for Libya; to war upon Jugurtha。 Here; in general; he
  gained approbation; and more especially; by closing in dexterously
  with an accidental occasion; made a friend of Bocchus; King of
  Numidia。 He hospitably entertained the king's ambassadors on their
  escape from some Numidian robbers; and after showing them much
  kindness; sent them on their journey with presents; and an escort to
  protect them。 Bocchus had long hated and dreaded his son…in…law;
  Jugurtha; who had now been worsted in the field and had fled to him
  for shelter; and it so happened he was at this time entertaining a
  design to betray him。 He accordingly invited Sylla to come to him;
  wishing the seizure and surrender of Jugurtha to be effected rather
  through him; than directly by himself。 Sylla; when he had communicated
  the business to Marius; and received from him a small detachment;
  voluntarily put himself into this imminent danger; and confiding in
  a barbarian; who had been unfaithful to his own relations; to
  apprehend another man's person; made surrender of his own。 Bocchus;
  having both of them now in his power; was necessitated to betray one
  or other; and after long debate with himself; at last resolved on
  his first design; and gave up Jugurtha into the hands of Sylla。
  For this Marius triumphed; but the glory of the enterprise; which
  through people's envy of Marius was ascribed to Sylla; secretly
  grieved him。 And the truth is; Sylla himself was by nature
  vainglorious; and this being the first time that from a low and
  private condition he had risen to esteem amongst the citizens and
  tasted of honour; his appetite for distinction carried him to such a
  pitch of ostentation; that he had a representation of this action
  engraved on a signet ring; which he carried about with him; and made
  use of ever after。 The impress was Bocchus delivering; and Sylla
  receiving; Jugurtha。 This touched Marius to the quick; however;
  judging Sylla to be beneath his rivalry; he made use of him as
  lieutenant; in his second consulship; and in his third as tribune; and
  many considerable services were effected by his means。 When acting
  as lieutenant he took Copillus; chief of the Tectosages; prisoner; and
  compelled the Marsians; a great and populous nation; to become friends
  and confederates of the Romans。
  Henceforward; however; Sylla; perceiving that Marius bore a
  jealous eye over him; and would no longer afford him opportunities
  of action; but rather opposed his advance; attached himself to
  Catulus; Marius's colleague; a worthy man; but not energetic enough as
  a general。 And under this commander; who intrusted him with the
  highest and most important commissions; he rose at once to
  reputation and to power。 He subdued by arms most part of the Alpine
  barbarians; and when there was a scarcity in the armies; he took
  that care upon himself and brought in such a store of provisions as
  not only to furnish the soldiers of Catulus with abundance; but
  likewise to supply Marius。 This; as he writes himself; wounded
  Marius to the very heart。 So slight and childish were the first
  occasions and motives of that enmity between them; which; passing
  afterwards through a long course of civil bloodshed and incurable
  divisions to find its end in tyranny; and the confusion of the whole
  state; proved Euripides to have been truly wise and thoroughly
  acquainted with the causes of disorders in the body politic; when he
  forewarned all men to beware of Ambition; as of all the higher
  Powers the most destructive and pernicious to her votaries。
  Sylla; by this time thinking that the reputation of his arms
  abroad was sufficient to entitle him to a part in the civil
  administration; betook himself immediately from the camp to the
  assembly; and offered himself as a candidate for a praetorship; but
  failed。 The fault of this disappointment he wholly ascribes to the
  populace; who; knowing his intimacy with King Bocchus; and for that
  reason expecting; that if he was made aedile before his praetorship;
  he would then show them magnificent hunting…shows and combats
  between Libyan wild beasts; chose other praetors; on purpose to
  force him into the aedileship。 The vanity of this pretext is
  sufficiently disproved by matter…of…fact。 For the year following;
  partly by flatteries to the people; and partly by money; he got
  himself elected praetor。 Accordingly; once while he was in office;
  on his angrily telling Caesar that he should make use of his authority
  against him; Caesar answered him with a smile; 〃You do well to call it
  your own; as you bought it。〃 At the end of his praetorship he was sent
  over into Cappadocia; under the pretence of reestablishing
  Ariobarzanes in his kingdom; but in reality to keep in check the
  restless movements of Mithridates; who was gradually procuring himself
  as vast a new acquired power and dominion as was that of his ancient
  inheritance。 He carried over with him no great forces of his own;
  but making use of the cheerful aid of the confederates; succeeded;
  with considerable slaughter of the Cappadocians; and yet greater of
  the Armenian succours; in expelling Gordiu