philopoemen-第2部分

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bring　them　all　upon　the　enemy　while　he　was　in　confusion；　he　quitted
his　horse；　and　fighting　with　extreme　difficulty　in　his　heavy
horseman's　dress；　in　rough　uneven　ground；　full　of　water…courses　and
hollows；　had　both　his　thighs　struck　through　with　a　thonged　javelin。　It
was　thrown　with　great　force；　so　that　the　head　came　out　on　the　other
side；　and　made　a　severe；　though　not　a　mortal；　wound。　There　he　stood
awhile；　as　if　he　had　been　shackled；　unable　to　move。　The　fastening
which　joined　the　thong　to　the　javelin　made　it　difficult　to　get　it
drawn　out；　nor　would　any　about　him　venture　to　do　it。　But　the　fight
being　now　at　the　hottest；　and　likely　to　be　quickly　decided；　he　was
transported　with　the　desire　of　partaking　in　it；　and　struggled　and
strained　so　violently；　setting　one　leg　forward；　the　other　back；　that
at　last　he　broke　the　shaft　in　two；　and　thus；　got　the　pieces　pulled
out。　Being　in　this　manner　set　at　liberty；　he　caught　up　his　sword；
and　running　through　the　midst　of　those　who　were　fighting　in　the
first　ranks；　animated　his　men；　and　set　them　afire　with　emulation。
Antigonus　after　the　victory　asked　the　Macedonians；　to　try　them；　how　it
happened　the　horse　had　charged　without　orders　before　the　signal？
They　answering；　that　they　were　against　their　wills　forced　to　it　by　a
young　man　of　Megalopolis；　who　had　fallen　in　before　his　time：　〃This
young　man；〃　replied　Antigonus；　smiling；　〃did　like　an　experienced
commander。〃
　　This；　as　was　natural；　brought　Philopoemen　into　great　reputation。
Antigonus　was　earnest　to　have　him　in　his　service；　and　offered　him　very
advantageous　conditions；　both　as　to　command　and　pay。　But
Philopoemen；　who　knew　that　his　nature　brooked　not　to　be　under　another；
would　not　accept　them；　yet　not　enduring　to　live　idle；　and　hearing　of
wars　in　Crete　for　practice'　sake　he　passed　over　thither。　He　spent　some
time　among　those　very　warlike；　and；　at　the　same　time；　sober　and
temperate　men；　improving　much　by　experience　in　all　sorts　of　service；
and　then　returned　with　so　much　fame　that　the　Achaeans　presently
chose　him　commander　of　the　horse。　These　horsemen　at　that　time　had
neither　experience　nor　bravery；　it　being　the　custom　to　take　any　common
horses；　the　first　and　cheapest　they　could　procure；　when　they　were　to
march；　and　on　almost　all　occasions　they　did　not　go　themselves；　but
hired　others　in　their　places；　and　stayed　at　home。　Their　former
commanders　winked　at　this；　because；　it　being　an　honour　among　the
Achaeans　to　serve　on　horseback；　these　men　had　great　power　in　the
commonwealth；　and　were　able　to　gratify　or　molest　whom　they　pleased。
Philopoemen；　finding　them　in　this　condition；　yielded　not　to　any　such
considerations；　nor　would　pass　it　over　as　formerly；　but　went　himself
from　town　to　town；　where；　speaking　with　the　young　men；　one　by　one；
he　endeavoured　to　excite　a　spirit　of　ambition　and　love　of　honour　among
them；　using　punishment　also；　where　it　was　necessary。　And　then　by
public　exercises；　reviews；　and　contests　in　the　presence　of　numerous
spectators；　in　a　little　time　he　made　them　wonderfully　strong　and　bold；
and；　which　is　reckoned　of　greatest　consequence　in　military　service；
light　and　agile。　With　use　and　industry　they　grew　so　perfect；　to　such　a
command　of　their　horses；　such　a　ready　exactness　in　wheeling　round　in
their　troops；　that　in　any　change　of　posture　the　whole　body　seemed　to
move　with　all　the　facility　and　promptitude；　and；　as　it　were；　with
the　single　will　of　one　man。　In　the　great　battle　which　they　fought　with
the　Aetolians　and　Eleans　by　the　river　Larissus；　he　set　them　an　example
himself。　Damophantus；　general　of　the　Elean　horse；　singled　out
Philopoemen；　and　rode　with　full　speed　at　him。　Philopoemen　awaited
his　charge；　and；　before　receiving　the　stroke；　with　a　violent　blow　of
his　spear　threw　him　dead　to　the　ground：　upon　whose　fall　the　enemy　fled
immediately。　And　now　Philopoemen　was　in　everybody's　mouth；　as　a　man
who　in　actual　fighting　with　his　own　hand　yielded　not　to　the
youngest；　nor　in　good　conduct　to　the　oldest；　and　there　came　not　into
the　field　any　better　soldier　or　commander。
　　Aratus；　indeed；　was　the　first　who　raised　the　Achaeans；
inconsiderable　till　then；　into　reputation　and　power；　by　uniting
their　divided　cities　into　one　commonwealth；　and　establishing　amongst
them　a　humane　and　truly　Grecian　form　of　government；　and　hence　it
happened；　as　in　running　waters；　where；　when　a　few　little　particles
of　matter　once　stop；　others　stick　to　them；　and　one　part
strengthening　another；　the　whole　becomes　firm　and　solid；　so　in　a
general　weakness；　when　every　city　relying　only　on　itself；　all　Greece
was　giving　way　to　an　easy　dissolution；　the　Achaeans；　first　forming
themselves　into　a　body；　and　then　drawing　in　their　neighbours　round
about；　some　by　protection；　delivering　them　from　their　tyrants；
others　by　peaceful　consent　and　by　naturalization；　designed　at　last
to　bring　all　Peloponnesus　into　one　community。　Yet　while　Aratus
lived；　they　depended　much　on　the　Macedonians；　courting　first
Ptolemy；　then　Antigonus　and　Philip；　who　all　took　part　continually　in
whatever　concerned　the　affairs　of　Greece。　But　when　Philopoemen　came　to
a　command；　the　Achaeans；　feeling　themselves　a　match　for　the　most
powerful　of　their　enemies；　declined　foreign　support。　The　truth　is；
Aratus；　as　we　have　written　in　his　life；　was　not　of　so　warlike　a
temper；　but　did　most　by　policy　and　gentleness；　and　friendships　with
foreign　princes；　but　Philopoemen　being　a　man　both　of　execution　and
command；　a　great　soldier；　and　fortunate　in　his　first　attempts；
wonderfully　heightened　both　the　power　and　courage　of　the　Achaeans；
accustomed　to　victory　under　his　conduct。
　　But　first　he　altered　what　he　found　amiss　in　their　arms　and　form　of
battle。　Hitherto　they　had　used　light；　thin　bucklers；　too　narrow　to
cover　the　body；　and　javelins　much　shorter　than　pikes。　By　which　means
they　were　skilful　in　skirmishing　at　a　distance；　but　in　a　close　fight
had　much　the　disadvantage。　Then　in　drawing　their　forces　up　for　battle；
they　were　never　accustomed　to　form　in　regular　divisions；　and　their
line　being　unprotected　either　by　the　thick　array　of　projecting
spears　or　by　their　shields；　as　in　the　Macedonian　phalanx；　where　the
soldiers　close　and　their　shields　touch；　they　were　easily　opened　and
broken。　Philopoemen　reformed　all　this；　persuading　them　to　change　the
narrow　target　and　short　javelin　into　a　large　shield　and　long　pike；
to　arm　their　heads；　bodies；　thighs；　and　legs；　and　instead　of　loose
skirmishing；　fight　firmly　and　foot　to　foot。　After　he　had　brought
them　all　to　wear　full　armour；　and　by　that　means　into　the　confidence　of
thinking　themselves　now　invincible；　he　turned　what　before　had　been
idle　profusion　and　luxury　into　an　honourable　expense。　For　being　long
used　to　vie　with　each　other　in　their　dress；　and　furniture　of　their
houses；　and　service　of　their　tables；　and　to　glory　in　outdoing　one
another；　the　disease　by　custom　was　grown　incurable；　and　there　was　no
possibility　of　removing　it　altogether。　But　he　diverted　the　passion；
and　brought　them；　instead　of　these　superfluities；　to　love　useful　and
more　manly　display；　and　reducing　their　other　expenses；　to　take　delight
in　appearing　magnificent　in　their　equipage　of　war。　Nothing　then　was　to
be　seen　in　the　shops　but　plate　breaking　up；　or　melting　down；　gilding
of　breastplate；　and　studding　bucklers　and　bits　with　silver；　nothing　in
the　places　of　exercise；　but　horses　managing；　and　young　men
exercising　their　arms；　nothing　in　the　hands　of　the　women；　but
helmets　and　crests　of　feathers　to　be　dyed；　and　military　cloaks　and
riding…frocks　to　be　embroidered；　the　very　sight　of　all　which；
quickening　and　raising　their　spirits；　made　them　contemn　dangers；　and
feel　ready　to　venture　on　any　honourable　dangers。　Other　kinds　of
sumptuosity　give　us　pleasure；　but　make　us　effeminate；　the　tickling
of　the　sense　slackening　the　vigour　of　the　mind；　but　magnificence　of
this　kind　strengthens　and　heightens　the　courage；　as　Homer　makes
Achilles　at　the　sight　of　his　new　arms　exulting　with　joy；　and　on　fire
to　use　them。　When　Philopoemen　had　obtained　of　them　to　arm；　and　set
themselves　out　in　this　manner；　he　proceeded　to　train　them；　mustering
and　exercising　them　perpetually；　in　which　they　obeyed　him　with　great
zeal　and　eagerness。　For　they　were　wonderfully　pleased　with　their　new
form　of　battle；　which　being　so　knit　and　cemented　together；　seemed
almost　incapable　of　being　broken。　And　then　their　arms；　which　for　their
riches　and　beauty　they　wore　with　pleasure；　becoming　light　and　easy
to　them　with　constant　use；　they　longed　for　nothing　more　than　to　try
them　with　an　enemy；　and　fight　in　earnest。
　　The　Achaeans　at　that　time　were　at　war　with　Machanidas；　the　tyrant　of
Lacedaemon；　who；　having　a　strong　army；　watched　all　opportunities　of
becoming　entire　master　of　Peloponnesus。　When　intelligence　came　that　he
was　fallen　upon　the　Mantineans；　Philopoemen　forthwith　took　the
field；　and　marched　towards　him。　They　met　near　Mantinea；　and　drew　up　in
sight　of　the　city。　Both；　besides　the　whole　strength　of　their　several
cities；　had　a　good　number　of　mercenaries　in　pay。　When　they　came　to
fall　on；　Machanidas；　with　his　hired　soldiers；　beat　the　spearmen　and
the　Tarentines　whom　Philopoemen　had　placed　in　the　front。　But　when　he
should　have　charged　immediately　into　the　main　battle；　which　stood
close　and　firm；　he　hotly　followed　the　chase；　and　instead　of
attacking　the　Achaeans；　passed　on　beyond　them；　while　they　remained
drawn　up　in　their　place。　With　so　untoward　a　beginning　the　rest　of
the　confederates　gave　themselves　up　for　lost；　but　Philopoemen；
professing　to　make　it　a　matter　of　small　consequence；　and　observing　the
enemy's　oversight；　who　had　thus　left　an　opening　in　their　main　body；
and　exposed　their　own　phalanx；　made　no　sort　of　motion　to　oppose
them；　but　let　them　pursue　the　chase　freely；　till　they　had　placed
themselves　at　a　great　distance　from　him。　Then　seeing　the
Lacedaemonians　before　him　deserted　by　their　horse；　with　their　flanks
quite　bare；　he　charged　suddenly；　and　surprised　them　without　a
commander；　and　not　so　much　as　expecting　an　encounter；　as；　when　they
saw　Machanidas　driving　the　beaten　enemy　before　him；　they　thought　the
victory　already　gained。　He　overthrew　them　with　great　slaughter　（they
report　above　four　thousand　killed　in　the　place）；　and　then　faced
about