第153章
加入书架 A- A+
点击下载App,搜索"History Of The Decline And Fall Of The Roman Empir",免费读到尾

  but,whenthevenerableSallustassumedtheprivilegeofhisageandexperience,therestofthechiefssupportedwithfreedomtheweightofhisprudentremonstrances。^68Juliancontentedhimselfwithobserving,thatconquestandsafetydependedontheattempt;

  thatinsteadofdiminishing,thenumberoftheirenemieswouldbeincreased,bysuccessivereenforcements;andthatalongerdelaywouldneithercontractthebreadthofthestream,norleveltheheightofthebank。Thesignalwasinstantlygiven,andobeyed;

  themostimpatientofthelegionariesleapedintofivevesselsthatlaynearesttothebank;andastheypliedtheiroarswithintrepiddiligence,theywerelost,afterafewmoments,inthedarknessofthenight。Aflamearoseontheoppositeside;andJulian,whotooclearlyunderstoodthathisforemostvessels,inattemptingtoland,hadbeenfiredbytheenemy,dexterouslyconvertedtheirextremedangerintoapresageofvictory。\"Ourfellow—soldiers,\"heeagerlyexclaimed,\"arealreadymastersofthebank;see—theymaketheappointedsignal;letushastentoemulateandassisttheircourage。\"Theunitedandrapidmotionofagreatfleetbroketheviolenceofthecurrent,andtheyreachedtheeasternshoreoftheTigriswithsufficientspeedtoextinguishtheflames,andrescuetheiradventurouscompanions。

  Thedifficultiesofasteepandloftyascentwereincreasedbytheweightofarmor,andthedarknessofthenight。Ashowerofstones,darts,andfire,wasincessantlydischargedontheheadsoftheassailants;who,afteranarduousstruggle,climbedthebankandstoodvictoriousupontherampart。Assoonastheypossessedamoreequalfield,Julian,who,withhislightinfantry,hadledtheattack,^69dartedthroughtheranksaskilfulandexperiencedeye:hisbravestsoldiers,accordingtothepreceptsofHomer,^70weredistributedinthefrontandrear:andallthetrumpetsoftheImperialarmysoundedtobattle。TheRomans,aftersendingupamilitaryshout,advancedinmeasuredstepstotheanimatingnotesofmartialmusic;

  launchedtheirformidablejavelins;andrushedforwardswithdrawnswords,todeprivetheBarbarians,byacloseronset,oftheadvantageoftheirmissileweapons。Thewholeengagementlastedabovetwelvehours;tillthegradualretreatofthePersianswaschangedintoadisorderlyflight,ofwhichtheshamefulexamplewasgivenbytheprincipalleader,andtheSurenashimself。TheywerepursuedtothegatesofCtesiphon;

  andtheconquerorsmighthaveenteredthedismayedcity,^71iftheirgeneral,Victor,whowasdangerouslywoundedwithanarrow,hadnotconjuredthemtodesistfromarashattempt,whichmustbefatal,ifitwerenotsuccessful。Ontheirside,theRomansacknowledgedthelossofonlyseventy—fivemen;whiletheyaffirmed,thattheBarbarianshadleftonthefieldofbattletwothousandfivehundred,orevensixthousand,oftheirbravestsoldiers。ThespoilwassuchasmightbeexpectedfromtherichesandluxuryofanOrientalcamp;largequantitiesofsilverandgold,splendidarmsandtrappings,andbedsandtablesofmassysilver。Thevictoriousemperordistributed,astherewardsofvalor,somehonorablegifts,civic,andmural,andnavalcrowns;

  whichhe,andperhapshealone,esteemedmorepreciousthanthewealthofAsia。Asolemnsacrificewasofferedtothegodofwar,buttheappearancesofthevictimsthreatenedthemostinauspiciousevents;andJuliansoondiscovered,bylessambiguoussigns,thathehadnowreachedthetermofhisprosperity。^72

  [Footnote67:Rienn\'estbeauquelevrai;amaximwhichshouldbeinscribedonthedeskofeveryrhetorician。]

  [Footnote*:Thisisamistake;eachvesselaccordingtoZosimustwo,accordingtoAmmianusfivehadeightymen。Amm。xxiv。6,withWagner\'snote。Gibbonmusthavereadoctogenasforoctogenis。Thefivevesselsselectedforthisservicewereremarkablylargeandstrongprovisiontransports。ThestrengthofthefleetremainedwithJuliantocarryoverthearmy—M。]

  [Footnote68:Libaniusalludestothemostpowerfulofthegenerals。IhaveventuredtonameSallust。Ammianussays,ofalltheleaders,quodacrimetuterritacrimetuterritiducesconcordiprecatuprecautfieriprohiberetentarent。

  Note:ItisevidentthatGibbonhasmistakenthesenseofLibanius;hiswordscanonlyapplytoacommanderofadetachment,nottosoeminentapersonasthePraefectoftheEast。St。Martin,iii。313。—M。]

  [Footnote69:HincImperator……saysAmmianusipsecumlevisarmaturaeauxiliisperprimapostremaquediscurrens,&c。

  YetZosimus,hisfriend,doesnotallowhimtopasstherivertilltwodaysafterthebattle。]

  [Footnote70:SecundumHomericamdispositionem。AsimilardispositionisascribedtothewiseNestor,inthefourthbookoftheIliad;andHomerwasneverabsentfromthemindofJulian。]

  [Footnote71:Persasterroresubitomiscuerunt,versisqueagminibustotiusgentis,apertasCtesiphontisportasvictormilesintrasset,nimajorpraedarumoccasiofuisset,quamcuravictoriae,SextusRufusdeProvinciisc。28。TheiravaricemightdisposethemtoheartheadviceofVictor。]

  [Footnote*:ThesuburbsofCtesiphon,accordingtoanewfragmentofEunapius,weresofullofprovisions,thatthesoldierswereindangerofsufferingfromexcess。Mai,p。260。

  EunapiusinNiebuhr。Nov。Byz。Coll。68。JulianexhibitedwarlikedancesandgamesinhiscamptorecreatethesoldiersIbid。—M。]

  [Footnote72:Thelaborofthecanal,thepassageoftheTigris,andthevictory,aredescribedbyAmmianus,xxiv。5,6,

  Libanius,Orat。Parent。c。124—128,p。347—353,Greg。

  Nazianzen,Orat。iv。p。115,Zosimus,l。iii。p。181—183,andSextusRufus,deProvinciis,c。28。]

  Ontheseconddayafterthebattle,thedomesticguards,theJoviansandHerculians,andtheremainingtroops,whichcomposedneartwothirdsofthewholearmy,weresecurelywaftedovertheTigris。^73WhilethePersiansbeheldfromthewallsofCtesiphonthedesolationoftheadjacentcountry,JuliancastmanyananxiouslooktowardstheNorth,infullexpectation,thatashehimselfhadvictoriouslypenetratedtothecapitalofSapor,themarchandjunctionofhislieutenants,SebastianandProcopius,wouldbeexecutedwiththesamecourageanddiligence。HisexpectationsweredisappointedbythetreacheryoftheArmenianking,whopermitted,andmostprobablydirected,thedesertionofhisauxiliarytroopsfromthecampoftheRomans;^74andbythedissensionsofthetwogenerals,whowereincapableofformingorexecutinganyplanforthepublicservice。Whentheemperorhadrelinquishedthehopeofthisimportantreenforcement,hecondescendedtoholdacouncilofwar,andapproved,afterafulldebate,thesentimentofthosegenerals,whodissuadedthesiegeofCtesiphon,asafruitlessandperniciousundertaking。Itisnoteasyforustoconceive,bywhatartsoffortificationacitythricebesiegedandtakenbythepredecessorsofJuliancouldberenderedimpregnableagainstanarmyofsixtythousandRomans,commandedbyabraveandexperiencedgeneral,andabundantlysuppliedwithships,provisions,batteringengines,andmilitarystores。Butwemayrestassured,fromtheloveofglory,andcontemptofdanger,whichformedthecharacterofJulian,thathewasnotdiscouragedbyanytrivialorimaginaryobstacles。^75AttheverytimewhenhedeclinedthesiegeofCtesiphon,herejected,withobstinacyanddisdain,themostflatteringoffersofanegotiationofpeace。Sapor,whohadbeensolongaccustomedtothetardyostentationofConstantius,wassurprisedbytheintrepiddiligenceofhissuccessor。AsfarastheconfinesofIndiaandScythia,thesatrapsofthedistantprovinceswereorderedtoassembletheirtroops,andtomarch,withoutdelay,totheassistanceoftheirmonarch。Buttheirpreparationsweredilatory,theirmotionsslow;andbeforeSaporcouldleadanarmyintothefield,hereceivedthemelancholyintelligenceofthedevastationofAssyria,theruinofhispalaces,andtheslaughterofhisbravesttroops,whodefendedthepassageoftheTigris。Theprideofroyaltywashumbledinthedust;hetookhisrepastsontheground;andthedisorderofhishairexpressedthegriefandanxietyofhismind。Perhapshewouldnothaverefusedtopurchase,withonehalfofhiskingdom,thesafetyoftheremainder;andhewouldhavegladlysubscribedhimself,inatreatyofpeace,thefaithfulanddependentallyoftheRomanconqueror。Underthepretenceofprivatebusiness,aministerofrankandconfidencewassecretlydespatchedtoembracethekneesofHormisdas,andtorequest,inthelanguageofasuppliant,thathemightbeintroducedintothepresenceoftheemperor。TheSassanianprince,whetherhelistenedtothevoiceofprideorhumanity,whetherheconsultedthesentimentsofhisbirth,orthedutiesofhissituation,wasequallyinclinedtopromoteasalutarymeasure,whichwouldterminatethecalamitiesofPersia,andsecurethetriumphofRome。Hewasastonishedbytheinflexiblefirmnessofahero,whoremembered,mostunfortunatelyforhimselfandforhiscountry,thatAlexanderhaduniformlyrejectedthepropositionsofDarius。ButasJulianwassensible,thatthehopeofasafeandhonorablepeacemightcooltheardorofhistroops,heearnestlyrequestedthatHormisdaswouldprivatelydismisstheministerofSapor,andconcealthisdangeroustemptationfromtheknowledgeofthecamp。

  ^76

  [Footnote73:Thefleetandarmywereformedinthreedivisions,ofwhichthefirstonlyhadpassedduringthenight。]

  [Footnote74:MosesofChoreneHist。Armen。l。iii。c。15,p。

  246suppliesuswithanationaltradition,andaspuriousletter。Ihaveborrowedonlytheleadingcircumstance,whichisconsistentwithtruth,probability,andLibanius,Orat。Parent。

  c。131,p。355。]

  [Footnote75:Civitasinexpugnabilis,facinusaudaxetimportunum。Ammianus,xxiv。7。Hisfellow—soldier,Eutropius,turnsasidefromthedifficulty,Assyriamquepopulatus,castraapudCtesiphontemstativaaliquandiuhabuit:remeansbuevictor,&c。x。16。Zosimusisartfulorignorant,andSocratesinaccurate。]

  [Footnote76:Libanius,Orat。Parent。c。130,p。354,c。139,p。

  361。Socrates,l。iii。c。21。TheecclesiasticalhistorianimputestherefusalofpeacetotheadviceofMaximus。Suchadvicewasunworthyofaphilosopher;butthephilosopherwaslikewiseamagician,whoflatteredthehopesandpassionsofhismaster。]

  ChapterXXIV:TheRetreatAndDeathOfJulian。

  PartIV。

  Thehonor,aswellasinterest,ofJulian,forbadehimtoconsumehistimeundertheimpregnablewallsofCtesiphonandasoftenashedefiedtheBarbarians,whodefendedthecity,tomeethimontheopenplain,theyprudentlyreplied,thatifhedesiredtoexercisehisvalor,hemightseekthearmyoftheGreatKing。

  Hefelttheinsult,andheacceptedtheadvice。InsteadofconfininghisservilemarchtothebanksoftheEuphratesandTigris,heresolvedtoimitatetheadventurousspiritofAlexander,andboldlytoadvanceintotheinlandprovinces,tillheforcedhisrivaltocontendwithhim,perhapsintheplainsofArbela,fortheempireofAsia。ThemagnanimityofJulianwasapplaudedandbetrayed,bytheartsofanoblePersian,who,inthecauseofhiscountry,hadgenerouslysubmittedtoactapartfullofdanger,offalsehood,andofshame。^77Withatrainoffaithfulfollowers,hedesertedtotheImperialcamp;exposed,inaspecioustale,theinjurieswhichhehadsustained;exaggeratedthecrueltyofSapor,thediscontentofthepeople,andtheweaknessofthemonarchy;andconfidentlyofferedhimselfasthehostageandguideoftheRomanmarch。Themostrationalgroundsofsuspicionwereurged,withouteffect,bythewisdomandexperienceofHormisdas;andthecredulousJulian,receivingthetraitorintohisbosom,waspersuadedtoissueahastyorder,which,intheopinionofmankind,appearedtoarraignhisprudence,andtoendangerhissafety。Hedestroyed,inasinglehour,thewholenavy,whichhadbeentransportedabovefivehundredmiles,atsogreatanexpenseoftoil,oftreasure,andofblood。Twelve,or,atthemost,twenty—twosmallvesselsweresaved,toaccompany,oncarriages,themarchofthearmy,andtoformoccasionalbridgesforthepassageoftherivers。Asupplyoftwentydays\'provisionswasreservedfortheuseofthesoldiers;andtherestofthemagazines,withafleetofelevenhundredvessels,whichrodeatanchorintheTigris,wereabandonedtotheflames,bytheabsolutecommandoftheemperor。

  TheChristianbishops,GregoryandAugustin,insultthemadnessoftheApostate,whoexecuted,withhisownhands,thesentenceofdivinejustice。Theirauthority,oflessweight,perhaps,inamilitaryquestion,isconfirmedbythecooljudgmentofanexperiencedsoldier,whowashimselfspectatoroftheconflagration,andwhocouldnotdisapprovethereluctantmurmursofthetroops。^78Yettherearenotwantingsomespecious,andperhapssolid,reasons,whichmightjustifytheresolutionofJulian。ThenavigationoftheEuphratesneverascendedaboveBabylon,northatoftheTigrisaboveOpis。^79Thedistanceofthelast—mentionedcityfromtheRomancampwasnotveryconsiderable:andJulianmustsoonhaverenouncedthevainandimpracticableattemptofforcingupwardsagreatfleetagainstthestreamofarapidriver,^80whichinseveralplaceswasembarrassedbynaturalorartificialcataracts。^81Thepowerofsailsandoarswasinsufficient;itbecamenecessarytotowtheshipsagainstthecurrentoftheriver;thestrengthoftwentythousandsoldierswasexhaustedinthistediousandservilelabor,andiftheRomanscontinuedtomarchalongthebanksoftheTigris,theycouldonlyexpecttoreturnhomewithoutachievinganyenterpriseworthyofthegeniusorfortuneoftheirleader。If,onthecontrary,itwasadvisabletoadvanceintotheinlandcountry,thedestructionofthefleetandmagazineswastheonlymeasurewhichcouldsavethatvaluableprizefromthehandsofthenumerousandactivetroopswhichmightsuddenlybepouredfromthegatesofCtesiphon。HadthearmsofJulianbeenvictorious,weshouldnowadmiretheconduct,aswellasthecourage,ofahero,who,bydeprivinghissoldiersofthehopesofaretreat,leftthemonlythealternativeofdeathorconquest。^82

  [Footnote77:TheartsofthisnewZopyrusGreg。Nazianzen,Orat。iv。p。115,116mayderivesomecreditfromthetestimonyoftwoabbreviators,SextusRufusandVictor,andthecasualhintsofLibaniusOrat。Parent。c。134,p。357andAmmianus,xxiv。7。ThecourseofgenuinehistoryisinterruptedbyamostunseasonablechasminthetextofAmmianus。]

  [Footnote78:SeeAmmianus,xxiv。7,Libanius,Orat。

  Parentalis,c。132,133,p。356,357,Zosimus,l。iii。p。183,

  Zonaras,tom。ii。l。xiii。p。26Gregory,Orat。iv。p。116,

  andAugustin,deCivitateDei,l。iv。c。29,l。v。c。21。OftheseLibaniusaloneattemptsafaintapologyforhishero;who,accordingtoAmmianus,pronouncedhisowncondemnationbyatardyandineffectualattempttoextinguishtheflames。]

  [Footnote79:ConsultHerodotus,l。i。c。194,Strabo,l。xvi。

  p。1074,andTavernier,parti。l。ii。p。152。]

  [Footnote80:AceleritateTigrisincipitvocari,itaappellantMedisagittam。Plin。Hist。Natur。vi。31。]

  [Footnote81:Oneofthesedikes,whichproducesanartificialcascadeorcataract,isdescribedbyTavernierparti。l。ii。p。

  226andThevenot,partii。l。i。p。193。ThePersians,orAssyrians,laboredtointerruptthenavigationoftheriver,Strabo,l。xv。p。1075。D\'Anville,l\'EuphrateetleTigre,p。

  98,99。]

  [Footnote82:RecollectthesuccessfulandapplaudedrashnessofAgathoclesandCortez,whoburnttheirshipsonthecoastofAfricaandMexico。]

  Thecumbersometrainofartilleryandwagons,whichretardstheoperationsofamodernarmy,wereinagreatmeasureunknowninthecampsoftheRomans。^83Yet,ineveryage,thesubsistenceofsixtythousandmenmusthavebeenoneofthemostimportantcaresofaprudentgeneral;andthatsubsistencecouldonlybedrawnfromhisownorfromtheenemy\'scountry。HaditbeenpossibleforJuliantomaintainabridgeofcommunicationontheTigris,andtopreservetheconqueredplacesofAssyria,adesolatedprovincecouldnotaffordanylargeorregularsupplies,inaseasonoftheyearwhenthelandswerecoveredbytheinundationoftheEuphrates,^84andtheunwholesomeairwasdarkenedwithswarmsofinnumerableinsects。^85Theappearanceofthehostilecountrywasfarmoreinviting。TheextensiveregionthatliesbetweentheRiverTigrisandthemountainsofMedia,wasfilledwithvillagesandtowns;andthefertilesoil,forthemostpart,wasinaveryimprovedstateofcultivation。

  Julianmightexpect,thataconqueror,whopossessedthetwoforcibleinstrumentsofpersuasion,steelandgold,wouldeasilyprocureaplentifulsubsistencefromthefearsoravariceofthenatives。But,ontheapproachoftheRomans,therichandsmilingprospectwasinstantlyblasted。Wherevertheymoved,theinhabitantsdesertedtheopenvillages,andtookshelterinthefortifiedtowns;thecattlewasdrivenaway;thegrassandripecornwereconsumedwithfire;and,assoonastheflameshadsubsidedwhichinterruptedthemarchofJulian,hebeheldthemelancholyfaceofasmokingandnakeddesert。Thisdesperatebuteffectualmethodofdefencecanonlybeexecutedbytheenthusiasmofapeoplewhoprefertheirindependencetotheirproperty;orbytherigorofanarbitrarygovernment,whichconsultsthepublicsafetywithoutsubmittingtotheirinclinationsthelibertyofchoice。OnthepresentoccasionthezealandobedienceofthePersianssecondedthecommandsofSapor;andtheemperorwassoonreducedtothescantystockofprovisions,whichcontinuallywastedinhishands。Beforetheywereentirelyconsumed,hemightstillhavereachedthewealthyandunwarlikecitiesofEcbatanaorSusa,bytheeffortofarapidandwell—directedmarch;^86buthewasdeprivedofthislastresourcebyhisignoranceoftheroads,andbytheperfidyofhisguides。TheRomanswanderedseveraldaysinthecountrytotheeastwardofBagdad;thePersiandeserter,whohadartfullyledthemintothespare,escapedfromtheirresentment;andhisfollowers,assoonastheywereputtothetorture,confessedthesecretoftheconspiracy。ThevisionaryconquestsofHyrcaniaandIndia,whichhadsolongamused,nowtormented,themindofJulian。Consciousthathisownimprudencewasthecauseofthepublicdistress,heanxiouslybalancedthehopesofsafetyorsuccess,withoutobtainingasatisfactoryanswer,eitherfromgodsormen。Atlength,astheonlypracticablemeasure,heembracedtheresolutionofdirectinghisstepstowardsthebanksoftheTigris,withthedesignofsavingthearmybyahastymarchtotheconfinesofCorduene;afertileandfriendlyprovince,whichacknowledgedthesovereigntyofRome。Thedespondingtroopsobeyedthesignaloftheretreat,onlyseventydaysaftertheyhadpassedtheChaboras,withthesanguineexpectationofsubvertingthethroneofPersia。^87

  [Footnote83:SeethejudiciousreflectionsoftheauthoroftheEssaisurlaTactique,tom。ii。p。287—353,andthelearnedremarksofM。GuichardtNouveauxMemoiresMilitaires,tom。i。p。

点击下载App,搜索"History Of The Decline And Fall Of The Roman Empir",免费读到尾