romulus-第5部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


Feretrius；　from　ferire；　which　in　Latin　is　to　smite；　for　Romulus　prayed
he　might　smite　and　overthrow　his　enemy；　and　the　spoils　were　called
opima；　or　royal　spoils；　says　Varro；　from　their　richness；　which　the
word　opes　signifies；　though　one　would　more　probably　conjecture　from
opus；　an　act；　for　it　is　only　to　the　general　of　an　army　who　with　his
own　hand　kills　his　enemies'　general　that　this　honour　is　granted　of
offering　the　opima　spolia。　And　three　only　of　the　Roman　captains　have
had　it　conferred　on　them：　first；　Romulus；　upon　killing　Acron　the
Ceninensian；　next；　Cornelius　Cossus；　for　slaying　Tolumnius　the　Tuscan；
and　lastly；　Claudius　Marcellus；　upon　his　conquering　Viridomarus；
king　of　the　Gauls。　The　two　latter；　Cossus　and　Marcellus；　made　their
entries　in　triumphant　chariots；　bearing　their　trophies　themselves；　but
that　Romulus　made　use　of　a　chariot；　Dionysius　is　wrong　in　asserting。
History　says；　Tarquinius；　Damaratus's　son；　was　the　first　that
brought　triumphs　to　this　great　pomp　and　grandeur；　others；　that
Publicola　was　the　first　that　rode　in　triumph。　The　statues　of　Romulus
in　triumph　are；　as　may　be　seen　in　Rome；　all　on　foot。
　　After　the　overthrow　of　the　Ceninensians；　the　other　Sabines　still
protracting　the　time　in　preparations；　the　people　of　Fidenae；
Crustumerium；　and　Antemna　joined　their　forces　against　the　Romans；　they
in　like　manner　were　defeated　in　battle；　and　surrendered　up　to
Romulus　their　cities　to　be　seized；　their　lands　and　territories　to　be
divided；　and　themselves　to　be　transplanted　to　Rome。　All　the　lands
which　Romulus　acquired；　he　distributed　among　the　citizens；　except　only
what　the　parents　of　the　stolen　virgins　had；　these　he　suffered　to
possess　their　own。　The　rest　of　the　Sabines；　enraged　hereat；　choosing
Tatius　their　captain；　marched　straight　against　Rome。　The　city　was
almost　inaccessible；　having　for　its　fortress　that　which　is　now　the
Capitol；　where　a　strong　guard　was　placed；　and　Tarpeius　their
captain；　not　Tarpeia　the　virgin；　as　some　say　who　would　make　Romulus
a　fool。　But　Tarpeia；　daughter　to　the　captain；　coveting　the　golden
bracelets　she　saw　them　wear；　betrayed　the　fort　into　the　Sabines'
hands；　and　asked；　in　reward　of　her　treachery；　the　things　they　wore
on　their　left　arms。　Tatius　conditioning　thus　with　her；　in　the　night
she　opened　one　of　the　gates；　and　received　the　Sabines。　And　truly
Antigonus；　it　would　seem；　was　not　solitary　in　saying　he　loved
betrayers；　but　hated　those　who　had　betrayed；　nor　Caesar；　who　told
Rhymitalces　the　Thracian；　that　he　loved　the　treason；　but　hated　the
traitor；　but　it　is　the　general　feeling　of　all　who　have　occasion　for
wicked　men's　service；　as　people　have　for　the　poison　of　venomous
beasts；　they　are　glad　of　them　while　they　are　of　use；　and　abhor　their
baseness　when　it　is　over。　And　so　then　did　Tatius　behave　towards
Tarpeia；　for　he　commanded　the　Sabines；　in　regard　to　their　contract；
not　to　refuse　her　the　least　part　of　what　they　wore　on　their　left　arms；
and　he　himself　first　took　his　bracelet　off　his　arm；　and　threw　that；
together　with　his　buckler；　at　her；　and　all　the　rest　following；　she；
being　borne　down　and　quite　buried　with　the　multitude　of　gold　and　their
shields；　died　under　the　weight　and　pressure　of　them；　Tarpeius　also
himself；　being　prosecuted　by　Romulus；　was　found　guilty　of　treason；
as　Juba　says　Sulpicius　Galba　relates。　Those　who　write　otherwise
concerning　Tarpeia；　as　that　she　was　the　daughter　of　Tatius；　the　Sabine
captain；　and　being　forcibly　detained　by　Romulus；　acted　and　suffered
thus　by　her　father's　contrivance；　speak　very　absurdly；　of　whom
Antigonus　is　one。　And　Simylus；　the　poet；　who　thinks　Tarpeia　betrayed
the　Capitol；　not　to　the　Sabines；　but　the　Gauls；　having　fallen　in
love　with　their　king；　talks　mere　folly；　saying　thus：…

　　　　　　　　〃Tarpeia　'twas；　who；　dwelling　close　thereby；
　　　　　　　　Laid　open　Rome　unto　the　enemy；
　　　　　　　　She；　for　the　love　of　the　besieging　Gaul；
　　　　　　　　Betrayed　the　city's　strength；　the　Capitol。〃

　　And　a　little　after；　speaking　of　her　death：…

　　　　　　　　〃The　numerous　nations　of　the　Celtic　foe
　　　　　　　　Bore　her　not　living　to　the　banks　of　Po；
　　　　　　　　Their　heavy　shields　upon　the　maid　they　threw；
　　　　　　　　And　with　their　splendid　gifts　entombed　at　once　and　slew。〃

　　Tarpeia　afterwards　was　buried　there；　and　the　hill　from　her　was
called　Tarpeius；　until　the　reign　of　King　Tarquin；　who　dedicated　the
place　to　Jupiter；　at　which　time　her　bones　were　removed；　and　so　it　lost
her　name；　except　only　that　part　of　the　Capitol　which　they　still　called
the　Tarpeian　Rock；　from　which　they　used　to　cast　down　malefactors。
　　The　Sabines　being　possessed　of　the　hill；　Romulus；　in　great　fury；
bade　them　battle；　and　Tatius　was　confident　to　accept　it；　perceiving；
if　they　were　overpowered；　that　they　had　behind　them　a　secure
retreat。　The　level　in　the　middle；　where　they　were　to　join　battle；
being　surrounded　with　many　little　hills　seemed　to　enforce　both　parties
to　a　sharp　and　desperate　conflict；　by　reason　of　the　difficulties　of
the　place；　which　had　but　a　few　outlets；　inconvenient　either　for　refuge
or　pursuit。　It　happened；　too；　the　river　having　overflowed　not　many
days　before；　there　was　left　behind　in　the　plain；　where　now　the　forum
stands；　a　deep　blind　mud　and　slime；　which；　though　it　did　not　appear
much　to　the　eye；　and　was　not　easily　avoided；　at　bottom　was　deceitful
and　dangerous；　upon　which　the　Sabines　being　unwarily　about　to　enter；
met　with　a　piece　of　good　fortune；　for　Curtius；　a　gallant　man；　eager　of
honour；　and　of　aspiring　thoughts；　being　mounted　on　horseback；　was
galloping　on　before　the　rest；　and　mired　his　horse　here；　and；
endeavouring　for　a　while；　by　whip　and　spur　and　voice　to　disentangle
him；　but　finding　it　impossible；　quitted　him　and　saved　himself；　the
place　from　him　to　this　very　time　is　called　the　Curtian　Lake。　The
Sabines；　having　avoided　this　danger；　began　the　fight　very　smartly；　the
fortune　of　the　day　being　very　dubious；　though　many　were　slain；　amongst
whom　was　Hostilius；　who；　they　say；　was　husband　to　Hersilia；　and
grandfather　to　that　Hostilius　who　reigned　after　Numa。　There　were
many　other　brief　conflicts；　we　may　suppose；　but　the　most　memorable　was
the　last；　in　which　Romulus；　having　received　a　wound　on　his　head　by　a
stone；　and　being　almost　felled　to　the　ground　by　it；　and　disabled；
the　Romans　gave　way；　and；　being　driven　out　of　the　level　ground；　fled
towards　the　Palatium。　Romulus；　by　this　time　recovering　from　his
wound　a　little；　turned　about　to　renew　the　battle；　and；　facing　the
fliers；　with　a　loud　voice　encouraged　them　to　stand　and　fight。　But
being　overborne　with　numbers；　and　nobody　daring　to　face　about；
stretching　out　his　hands　to　heaven；　he　prayed　to　Jupiter　to　stop　the
army；　and　not　to　neglect；　but　maintain　the　Roman　cause；　now　in　extreme
danger。　The　prayer　was　no　sooner　made；　than　shame　and　respect　for
their　king　checked　many；　the　fears　of　the　fugitives　changed　suddenly
into　confidence。　The　place　they　first　stood　at　was　where　now　is　the
temple　of　Jupiter　Stator　（which　may　be　translated　the　Stayer）；　there
they　rallied　again　into　ranks　and　repulsed　the　Sabines　to　the　place
called　now　Regia；　and　to　the　temple　of　Vesta；　where　both　parties；
preparing　to　begin　a　second　battle；　were　prevented　by　a　spectacle；
strange　to　behold；　and　defying　description。　For　the　daughters　of　the
Sabines；　who　had　been　carried　off；　came　running；　in　great　confusion；
some　on　this　side；　some　on　that；　with　miserable　cries　and
lamentations；　like　creatures　possessed；　in　the　midst　of　the　army　and
among　the　dead　bodies；　to　come　at　their　husbands　and　their　fathers；
some　with　their　young　babes　in　their　arms；　others　their　hair　loose
about　their　ears；　but　all　calling；　now　upon　the　Sabines；　now　upon
the　Romans；　in　the　most　tender　and　endearing　words。　Hereupon　both
melted　into　compassion；　and　fell　back；　to　make　room　for　them　betwixt
the　armies。　The　sight　of　the　women　carried　sorrow　and　commiseration
upon　both　sides　into　the　hearts　of　all；　but　still　more　their　words；
which　began　with　expostulation　and　upbraiding；　and　ended　with　entreaty
and　supplication。
　　〃Wherein；〃　say　they；　〃have　we　injured　or　offended　you；　as　to　deserve
such　sufferings　past　and　present？　We　were　ravished　away　unjustly　and
violently　by　those　whose　now　we　are；　that　being　done；　we　were　so
long　neglected　by　our　fathers；　our　brothers　and　countrymen；　that　time；
having　now　by　the　strictest　bonds　united　us　to　those　we　once
mortally　hated；　has　made　it　impossible　for　us　not　to　tremble　at　the
danger　and　weep　at　the　death　of　the　very　men　who　once　used　violence　to
us。　You　did　not　come　to　vindicate　our　honour；　while　we　were　virgins；
against　our　assailants；　but　do　come　now　to　force　away　wives　from　their
husbands　and　mothers　from　their　children；　a　succour　more　grievous　to
its　wretched　objects　than　the　former　betrayal　and　neglect　of　them。
Which　shall　we　call　the　worst；　their　love…making　or　your　compassion？
If　you　were　making　war　upon　any　other　occasion；　for　our　sakes　you
ought　to　withhold　your　hands　from　those　to　whom　we　have　made　you
fathers…in…law　and　grandsires。　If　it　be　for　our　own　cause；　then　take
us；　and　with　us　your　sons…in…law　and　grandchildren。　Restore　to　us
our　parents　and　kindred；　but　do　not　rob　us　of　our　children　and
husbands。　Make　us　not；　we　entreat　you；　twice