第 53 节
作者:向前      更新:2021-04-30 17:17      字数:9322
  from the devastation of the country and from the flames of burning
  houses; that the victorious army was approaching。 Vocula issued orders
  that the standards should be planted within sight of the camp; and
  should be surrounded with a ditch and rampart; where his men might
  deposit their knapsacks; and so fight without encumbrance。 On this;
  the General was assailed by a clamorous demand for instant battle。
  They had now grown used to threaten。 Without even taking time to
  form into line; disordered and weary as they were; they commenced
  the action。 Civilis was on the field; trusting quite as much to the
  faults of his adversaries as to the valour of his own troops。 With the
  Romans the fortune of the day varied; and the most violently
  mutinous shewed themselves cowards。 But some; remembering their recent
  victory; stood their ground and struck fiercely at the foe; now
  encouraging each other and their neighbours; and now; while they
  re…formed their lines; imploring the besieged not to lose the
  opportunity。 These latter; who saw everything from the walls;
  sallied out from every gate。 It so happened that Civilis was thrown to
  the ground by the fall of his horse。 A report that he had been
  either wounded or slain gained belief throughout both armies; and
  spread incredible panic among his own troops; and gave as great
  encouragement to their opponents。 But Vocula; leaving the flying
  foe; began to strengthen the rampart and the towers of the camp; as if
  another siege were imminent。 He had misused success so often that he
  was rightly suspected of a preference for war。
  Nothing distressed our troops so much as the scarcity of supplies。
  The baggage of the legions was therefore sent to Novesium with a crowd
  of non…combatants to fetch corn from that place overland; for the
  enemy commanded the river。 The march of the first body was
  accomplished in security; as Civilis had not yet recovered。 But when
  he heard that officers of the commissariat had been again sent to
  Novesium; and that the infantry detached as an escort were advancing
  just as if it were a time of profound peace; with but few soldiers
  round the standards; the arms stowed away in the wagons; and all
  wandering about at their pleasure; he attacked them in regular form;
  having first sent on troops to occupy the bridges and the defiles in
  the road。 The battle extended over a long line of march; lasting
  with varying success till night parted the combatants。 The infantry
  pushed on to Gelduba; while the camp remained in the same state as
  before; garrisoned by such troops as had been left in it。 There
  could be no doubt what peril a convoy; heavily laden and
  panic…stricken; would have to encounter in attempting to return。
  Vocula added to his force a thousand picked men from the fifth and
  fifteenth legions besieged in the Old Camp; a body of troops
  undisciplined and ill…affected to their officers。 But more than the
  number specified came forward; and openly protested; as they
  marched; that they would not endure any longer the hardships of famine
  and the treachery of the legates。 On the other hand; those who had
  stayed behind complained that they were; being left to their fate by
  this withdrawal of a part of the legions。 A twofold mutiny was the
  result; some calling upon Vocula to come back; while the others
  refused to return to the camp。
  Meanwhile Civilis blockaded the Old Camp。 Vocula retired first to
  Gelduba; after; wards to Novesium; Civilis took possession of Gelduba;
  and not long after was victorious in a cavalry engagement near
  Novesium。 But reverses and successes seemed equally to kindle in the
  troops the one desire of murdering their officers。 The legions;
  increased in number by the arrival of the men from the fifth and
  fifteenth; demanded a donative; for they had discovered that some
  money had been sent by Vitellius。 After a short delay Hordeonius
  gave the donative in the name of Vespasian。 This; more than anything
  else; fostered the mutinous spirit。 The men; abandoning themselves
  to debauchery and revelry and all the license of nightly gatherings;
  revived their old grudge against Hordeonius。 Without a single legate
  or tribune venturing to check them; for the darkness seems to have
  taken from them all sense of shame; they dragged him out of his bed
  and killed him。 The same fate was intended for Vocula; but he
  assumed the dress of a slave; and escaped unrecognized in the
  darkness。 When their fury had subsided and their alarm returned;
  they sent centurions with despatches to the various states of Gaul;
  imploring help in money and troops。
  These men; headstrong; cowardly; and spiritless; as a mob without
  a leader always is; on the approach of Civilis hastily took up arms;
  and; as hastily abandoning them; betook themselves to flight。 Disaster
  produced disunion; the troops from the Upper army dissociating their
  cause from that of their comrades。 Nevertheless the statues of
  Vitellius were again set up in the camp and in the neighbouring
  Belgian towns; and this at a time when Vitellius himself had fallen。
  Then the men of the 1st; the 4th; and the 18th legions; repenting of
  their conduct; followed Vocula; and again taking in his presence the
  oath of allegiance to Vespasian; were marched by him to the relief
  of Mogontiacum。 The besieging army; an heterogeneous mass of Chatti;
  Usipii; and Mattiaci; had raised the siege; glutted with spoils; but
  not without suffering loss。 Our troops attacked them on the way;
  dispersed and unprepared。 Moreover the Treveri had constructed a
  breastwork and rampart across their territory; and they and the
  Germans continued to contend with great losses on both sides up to the
  time when they tarnished by rebellion their distinguished services
  to the Roman people。
  Meanwhile Vespasian (now consul for the second time) and Titus
  entered upon their office; both being absent from Rome。 People were
  gloomy and anxious under the pressure of manifold fears; for; over and
  above immediate perils; they had taken groundless alarm under the
  impression that Africa was in rebellion through the revolutionary
  movements of Lucius Piso。 He was governor of that province; and was
  far from being a man of turbulent disposition。 The fact was that the
  wheat…ships were detained by the severity of the weather; and the
  lower orders; who were accustomed to buy their provisions from day
  to day; and to whom cheap corn was the sole subject of public
  interest; feared and believed that the ports had been closed and the
  supplies stopped; the Vitellianists; who had not yet given up their
  party feelings; helping to spread the report; which was not
  displeasing even to the conquerors。 Their ambition; which even foreign
  campaigns could not fill to the full; was not satisfied by any
  triumphs that civil war could furnish。
  On the 1st of January; at a meeting of the Senate; convoked for
  the purpose by Julius Frontinus; praetor of the city; votes of
  thanks were passed to the legates; to the armies; and to the allied
  kings。 The office of praetor was taken away from Tettius Julianus;
  as having deserted his legion when it passed over to the party of
  Vespasian; with a view to its being transferred to Plotius Griphus。
  Equestrian rank was conferred on Hormus。 Then; on the resignation of
  Frontinus; Caesar Domitian assumed the office of praetor of the
  city。 His name was put at the head of despatches and edicts; but the
  real authority was in the hands of Mucianus; with this exception; that
  Domitian ventured on several acts of power; at the instigation of
  his friends; or at his own caprice。 But Mucianus found his principal
  cause of apprehension in Primus Antonius and Varus Arrius; who; in the
  freshness of their fame; while distinguished by great achievements and
  by the attachment of the soldiery; were also supported by the
  people; because in no case had they extended their severities beyond
  the battle…field。 It was also reported that Antonius had urged
  Scribonianus Crassus; whom an illustrious descent added to the honours
  of his brother made a conspicuous person; to assume the supreme power;
  and it was understood that a number of accomplices would not have
  failed to support him; had not the proposal been rejected by
  Scribonianus; who was a man not easily to be tempted even by a
  certainty; and was proportionately apprehensive of risk。 Mucianus;
  seeing that Antonius could not be openly crushed; heaped many
  praises upon him in the Senate; and loaded him with promises in
  secret; holding out as a prize the government of Eastern Spain; then
  vacant in consequence of the departure of Cluvius Rufus。 At the same
  time he lavished on his friends tribuneships and prefectures; and
  then; when he