antony-第13章

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n　passing　over　the　mountains　you　will　suffer　the　want　of　water；　and　the　fatigue　to　which　you　have　become　familiar；　but　if　you　pass　through　the　plains；　Antony　must　expect　the　fortune　of　Crassus。〃　　　This　said；　he　departed。　Antony；　in　alarm　calling　his　friends　in　council；　sent　for　the　Mardian　guide；　who　was　of　the　same　opinion。　He　told　them　that；　with　or　without　enemies；　the　want　of　any　certain　track　in　the　plain；　and　the　likelihood　of　their　losing　their　way；　were　quite　objection　enough；　the　other　route　was　rough　and　without　water；　but　then　it　was　but　for　a　day。　Antony；　therefore；　changing　his　mind；　marched　away　upon　this　road　that　night；　commanding　that　every　one　should　carry　water　sufficient　for　his　own　use；　but　most　of　them　being　unprovided　with　vessels；　they　made　shift　with　their　helmets；　and　some　with　skins。　As　soon　as　they　started；　the　news　of　it　was　carried　to　the　Parthians；　who　followed　them；　contrary　to　their　custom；　through　the　night；　and　at　sunrise　attacked　the　rear；　which　was　tired　with　marching　and　want　of　sleep；　and　not　in　condition　to　make　any　considerable　defence。　For　they　had　got　through　two　hundred　and　forty　furlongs　a　night；　and　at　the　end　of　such　a　march　to　find　the　enemy　at　their　heels　put　them　out　of　heart。　Besides；　having　to　fight　for　every　step　of　the　way　increased　their　distress　from　thirst。　Those　that　were　in　the　van　came　up　to　a　river；　the　water　of　which　was　extremely　cool　and　clear；　but　brackish　and　medicinal；　and；　on　being　drunk；　produced　immediate　pains　in　the　bowels　and　a　renewed　thirst。　Of　this　the　Mardian　had　forewarned　them；　but　they　could　not　forbear；　and；　beating　back　those　that　opposed　them；　they　drank　of　it。　Antony　ran　from　one　place　to　another；　begging　they　would　have　a　little　patience；　that　not　far　off　there　was　a　river　of　wholesome　water；　and　that　the　rest　of　the　way　was　so　difficult　for　the　horse　that　the　enemy　could　pursue　them　no　further；　and；　saying　this；　he　ordered　to　sound　a　retreat　to　call　those　back　that　were　engaged；　and　commanded　the　tents　should　be　set　up；　that　the　soldiers　might　at　any　rate　refresh　themselves　in　the　shade。　　　But　the　tents　were　scarce　well　put　up；　and　the　Parthians　beginning；　according　to　their　custom；　to　withdraw；　when　Mithridates　came　again　to　them；　and　informed　Alexander；　with　whom　he　had　before　spoken；　that　he　would　do　well　to　advise　Antony　to　stay　where　he　was　no　longer　than　needs　he　must；　that；　after　having　refreshed　his　troops；　he　should　endeavour　with　all　diligence　to　gain　the　next　river；　that　the　Parthians　would　not　cross　it；　but　so　far　they　were　resolved　to　follow　them。　Alexander　made　his　report　to　Antony；　who　ordered　a　quantity　of　gold　plate　to　be　carried　to　Mithridates；　who；　taking　as　much　as　he　could　well　hide　under　his　clothes；　went　his　way。　And；　upon　this　advice；　Antony；　while　it　was　yet　day；　broke　up　his　camp；　and　the　whole　army　marched　forward　without　receiving　any　molestation　from　the　Parthians；　though　that　night　by　their　own　doing　was　in　effect　the　most　wretched　and　terrible　that　they　passed。　For　some　of　the　men　began　to　kill　and　plunder　those　whom　they　suspected　to　have　any　money；　ransacked　the　baggage；　and　seized　the　money　there。　In　the　end；　they　laid　hands　on　Antony's　own　equipage；　and　broke　all　his　rich　tables　and　cups；　dividing　the　fragments　amongst　them。　Antony；　hearing　such　a　noise　and　such　a　stirring　to　and　fro　all　through　the　army；　the　belief　prevailing　that　the　enemy　had　routed　and　cut　off　a　portion　of　the　troops；　called　for　one　of　his　freedmen；　then　serving　as　one　of　his　guards；　Rhamnus　by　name；　and　made　him　take　an　oath　that　whenever　he　should　give　him　orders；　he　would　run　his　sword　through　his　body　and　cut　off　his　head；　that　he　might　not　fall　alive　into　the　hands　of　the　Parthians；　nor；　when　dead；　be　recognized　as　the　general。　While　he　was　in　this　consternation；　and　all　his　friends　about　him　in　tears；　the　Mardian　came　up　and　gave　them　all　new　life。　He　convinced　them；　by　the　coolness　and　humidity　of　the　air；　which　they　could　feel　in　breathing　it；　that　the　river　which　he　had　spoken　of　was　now　not　far　off；　and　the　calculation　of　the　time　that　had　been　required　to　reach　it　came；　he　said；　to　the　same　result；　for　the　night　was　almost　spent。　And；　at　the　same　time；　others　came　with　information　that　all　the　confusion　in　the　camp　proceeded　only　from　their　own　violence　and　robbery　among　themselves。　To　compose　this　tumult；　and　bring　them　again　into　some　order　after　their　distraction；　he　commanded　the　signal　to　be　given　for　a　halt。　　　Day　began　to　break；　and　quiet　and　regularity　were　just　reappearing；　when　the　Parthian　arrows　began　to　fly　among　the　rear；　and　the　light…armed　troops　were　ordered　out　to　battle。　And；　being　seconded　by　the　heavy　infantry；　who　covered　one　another　as　before　described　with　their　shields；　they　bravely　received　the　enemy；　who　did　not　think　convenient　to　advance　any　further；　while　the　van　of　the　army；　marching　forward　leisurely　in　this　manner；　came　in　sight　of　the　river；　and　Antony；　drawing　up　the　cavalry　on　the　banks　to　confront　the　enemy；　first　passed　over　the　sick　and　wounded。　And；　by　this　time；　even　those　who　were　engaged　with　the　enemy　had　opportunity　to　drink　at　their　ease；　for　the　Parthians；　on　seeing　the　river；　unbent　their　bows；　and　told　the　Romans　they　might　pass　over　freely；　and　made　them　great　compliments　in　praise　of　their　valour。　Having　crossed　without　molestation；　they　rested　themselves　awhile；　and　presently　went　forward；　not　giving　perfect　credit　to　the　fair　words　of　their　enemies。　Six　days　after　this　last　battle；　they　arrived　at　the　river　Araxes；　which　divides　Media　and　Armenia；　and　seemed；　both　by　its　deepness　and　the　violence　of　the　current；　to　be　very　dangerous　to　pass。　A　report；　also；　had　crept　in　amongst　them；　that　the　enemy　was　in　ambush；　ready　to　set　upon　them　as　soon　as　they　should　be　occupied　with　their　passage。　But　when　they　were　got　over　on　the　other　side；　and　found　themselves　in　Armenia；　just　as　if　land　was　now　sighted　after　a　storm　at　sea；　they　kissed　the　ground　for　joy；　shedding　tears　and　embracing　each　other　in　their　delight。　But　taking　their　journey　through　a　land　that　abounded　in　all　sorts　of　plenty；　they　ate；　after　their　long　want；　with　that　excess　of　everything　they　met　with　that　they　suffered　from　dropsies　and　dysenteries。　　　Here　Antony；　making　a　review　of　his　army；　found　that　he　had　lost　twenty　thousand　foot　and　four　thousand　horse；　of　which　the　better　half　not　by　the　enemy；　but　by　diseases。　Their　march　was　of　twenty…seven　days　from　Phraata；　during　which　they　had　beaten　the　Parthians　in　eighteen　battles；　though　with　little　effect　or　lasting　result；　because　of　their　being　so　unable　to　pursue。　By　which　it　is　manifest　that　it　was　Artavasdes　who　lost　Antony　the　benefit　of　the　expedition。　For　had　the　sixteen　thousand　horsemen　whom　he　led　away；　out　of　Media；　armed　in　the　same　style　as　the　Parthians；　and　accustomed　to　their　manner　of　fight；　been　there　to　follow　the　pursuit　when　the　Romans　put　them　to　flight；　it　is　impossible　they　could　have　rallied　so　often　after　their　defeats；　and　reappeared　again　as　they　did　to　renew　their　attacks。　For　this　reason；　the　whole　army　was　very　earnest　with　Antony　to　march　into　Armenia　to　take　revenge。　But　he；　with　more　reflection；　forbore　to　notice　the　desertion；　an